The Center for Environment, Economy, and Society (CEES) has developed an Integrated Ecology Curriculum (IEC) implemented in 5 NYC public middle schools serving over 1,000 students. The IEC focuses on hands-on field investigations to teach science and other subjects in an integrated way. It has led to significant decreases in truancy, suspensions, and course failures along with increases in standardized test scores. The IEC provides authentic learning experiences, develops students' higher-order thinking skills, and increases engagement—benefiting students academically and personally.

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CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY, AND SOCIETY
INTEGRATED ECOLOGY CURRICULUM: OVERVIEW
Organizational mission
CEES was formedin2006 as part of Columbia’sFacultyof ArtsandSciences.Consistentwithitsmissionto
bridge conservationscience,economics,andbusiness,CEESisledbyDon Melnick,ThomasHuntMorgan
Professorof ConservationBiologyinthe Departmentof Ecology,EvolutionandEnvironmental Biology,and
GeoffreyHeal,Paul GarrettProfessorof PublicPolicy&BusinessResponsibilityatthe ColumbiaBusiness
School.
CEES has a dual strategyfor promotingitscore belief inthe interdependenceof environment,economy,and
society:appliedresearchandimplementation;andeducation,professional development,andoutreach.To
implementthisstrategy,CEESisfundedbymore thana dozenfoundationgrantsandgifts.CEES has14
permanentstaff,over50 collaboratingscientists,practitioners,andconsultants,projectsinsevencountries,
and an annual operatingbudgetof $1.5 million.
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Program Description
MissionandOverview
Since 2005 CEES has developedandimplementedanIntegrated EcologyCurriculum(IEC) inpublicmiddle
schoolsservingover3,500 of the most economicallychallengedstudentsinNew YorkCity.All of ourpartner
schoolshave at least75% Title 1 students. Ourgoal isto buildcapacity amongteachers inappropriate charter,
public,andparochial schoolstoprovide integrated,project-basedcurriculatostudents,centeredonauthentic
ecologyfieldinvestigations.We aimtoincrease environmentalliteracyandawarenessof the natural world,
but inso doing, toalsotransformhow schoolsdeliverinstructioninorderto promote the skillsand
engagementstudentsneedacrossall subjects, forsuccess inschool andbeyond. We buildasense of place for
school communities,locatedfirmlyinlocal environments,celebratinglocal resources,andaddressingissuesof
importance tolocal citizens.
Accomplishments
CEES has implementeditsIECinfive high-povertyNYCpublicmiddleschoolsoverthe past18 months.We’ve
seena majorpositive effectonthe approximately1000 studentswe’vereached:Severe Truancyhasdropped
by an average of 31.5%; Suspensionshave droppedbyanaverage of 74.0%; there has beena52.9% decrease
infailuresinELA courses;and a 43.9% decrease infailuresinMathcourses;a 48% increase instudentswho
performedatgrade level ontheirELA standardizedtests;a28% increase instudentswhoperformedatgrade
level ontheirMathstandardized tests;andIECschoolssurpassedtheirpeerschoolsinperformance atgrade
level onstandardizedtestsin54%of the comparisons,ascomparedto the previousyearwhenthese same
schoolssurpassedtheirpeersinonly33%of the comparisons –a 64% improvement.Detailsof the results
summarizedabove andthe researchthatunderpinstheiruse canbe providedupon request.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Authentic field investigations
The IEC curriculum is focused around field research and hands-on activities that provide middle school
studentswithopportunitiestocarry outauthenticinvestigationsin nature. These investigations are modeled
afterresearchundertakenbyexpertsand scientists at Columbia University and other institutions in NYC. We
wantmiddle school studentsto learn to apply real world skills and strategies to answer real world questions
and tackle real world issues.

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Integrated Project-Based Units
The field componentof the programis the centerpiece of a more extensive, integrated project that provides
background,context,andcontent knowledge and skills needed to successfully carry out the fieldwork. Non-
field activities range from readings and reflective writing, to hands-on investigations of natural objects, to
focusedfieldtripsdesignedtoguide the studentthroughanintellectual paththatdeepenstheirunderstanding
of information,issuesandmethods.Projectsare developed together by CEES staff and partner teachers, who
are trained to repeat and replicate project units and package the methods for their colleagues. Each unit is
modified to fit the needs of the participating school. Social science, ELA, and math skills are woven into the
manyprojectactivities. Some schoolsalsoimplementIntegratedProjectsWeek(IPW),awaytojointhe entire
school in an intensive week of field-oriented projects, culminating in a showcase of student work.
Beyond Workshops: In-school support and flexible curricula
Over6 years,CEES has refinedthe IECprogramin response toteachers’expressedneedformore consistent,
hands-ontraining. We’ve adoptedanintensiveapproachthatretainsthe mostsuccessful aspectsof
integrationviaecologyprojects,while bolsteringservicesthatensure schoolstrulybuildcapacitytoimplement
such curriculumoverthe longterm. Asmany administratorsdiscussedwithus,theyare committedfullytoa
missionof sustainabilityand/orexperiential education,buttheirteachersmaybe unfamiliarwithless-
conventional methodsthatincludeinquiry-based,student–centeredlearning;collaborative projectsacross
disciplines;use of informaleducationresources;andfieldeducation. Teachersare well intentioned, yetthey
are notalways confidentintheirabilitytodevelopinnovative dailylessons,locate resourcesandmaterials,
and carry out newmethodsontheirown.Thisiswhere CEESstepsin.Our curriculumspecialistsworkwith
teachersat leastonce perweektodevelopcurriculum, model andco-teach,smoothoutlogistics,provide
materialsandequipment,designmeaningful hands-onandfieldactivities,andgreatlyexpandthe “toolbox”
each teachercommands.
CEES has developedflexible modulesforproject-basedunitsthatcan be modifiedandtailoredtothe needsof
each school andteacher.For example,we’ve workedwithschoolstocreate unitsthatcombine science,
appliedarts,andmath; that meldseamlesslyintothe TCReadingandWritingprogrammany schoolsuse;and
that provide summerintensive fieldcampforincomingstudentstoacclimate themtoproject work. We are
not an “add-on”programthat imposesadditional instructionaldemandsonteachers.Rather,we helpteachers
re-inventthe waytheycarryout existingrequirements,creatingproject-based,inquiryunitsthatenhance
studentengagementandknowledge retention.
By providingamenuof potential modules,alongwithmaterialsandsample activities,CEESfreesteachersto
focustheirinitial energiesongettingaccustomedtomethodsandcontentthatmaybe new to them.The
modulesare onlyguides,however,andourcurriculumspecialistworkscloselywithteacherstotailorand
modifythemtofitwithinthe existingscope andsequence andmeetthe pedagogical goalsthe teacherhas
alreadyidentified.Inthiswayteacherstake ownershipof the unitthateventuallyemerges,andare committed
to successful implementation.Asthe unitprogresses,we guide andsupportteachersasneeded,eventually
helpingthemtoreviewandassessthe unitandmake anynecessarychangesorupdates.Atthe completionof
each project,the teacherhasa portfolioof all the materials,plans,andresourcesneededtorepeatthe project
on theirown. The partnershipprovidesschools withfully-developedcurriculum, andtrainedteachersto
implementit.
Program Benefits
Environmental Literacy and Connection to the Natural World
Through ecological field study, students gain an understanding of scientific inquiry and also a sense of
connection to the natural world. We make this connection close to home: students conduct all their work in
the local environment,studying local ecosystems and environmental issues in their own neighborhoods and
city.We hope thiswill inculcate asense of belongingtotheirschool community,totheirneighborhood, and to

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the place we call New York. In turn, we hope they will embrace stewardship of the natural resources and
processes that surround them.
Accountable Learning through Multiple Modalities
IEC promotes learningbydoing,andteachersdoexactlythat:theylearnhow tocreate and teach project-
basedcurriculumbydeliveringittotheirstudents.Thusthroughthe IECprogram studentsgetthe full benefit
of immediateaccesstoinnovative learningmethods. We use essential conceptsandquestionstoconnect
differentsubjectareas,andprovide bothconceptual andreal-worldcontextforthe skillsandcontentstudents
learn.The aimis to motivate students,bymakingthe “why”of learning,andthe value of theiroutput,self-
evidentastheyanswerquestionsandsolve problems.Projectsalsoallowstudentstodisplaystrengthsthatare
not alwaysevidentinconventional classroomlessons.Activitiesare more varied,withopportunitiesto
demonstrate learningviavocal,artistic,andkinestheticexpressioninadditiontowriting.Thiscanboostthe
confidence of studentswhomayhave weakliteracyormath skills,encouragingthemtoparticipate where they
may have otherwise retreatedintoapathyoractedoutdisruptively.
The IEC holdsstudentsaccountable fortheirprojectwork,because itispartof the normal curriculum,andis
gradedand countedtowardevaluationof theiracademicperformance forthe markingperiod. Projectunits
linktothe regularacademicscope andsequence,andthe deliverablesthatstudentsproduce demonstrate
skillsacrossall subjects.Studentsare ledthroughaprocessthat helpsthem topractice ever-higherthinking
skillsandscientifichabitsof mind,rangingfromdetailedandthoughtful observation,todevelopmentof
questionsandhypotheses,toevaluationof informationandbuildingarguments.
Higher Cognitive Skills through Science
CEES promotesenvironmentaleducation,butthe benefits of IEC go beyond science, strengthening academic
outcomes across subjects. Field investigations provide a means to gain very specific skills: sustained
observation,inference,developingtestable questions,gathering,evaluating,andsynthesizinginformation,and
analysis and presentation. More generally, we want students to develop inquisitive habits of mind, and to
thinkmeta-cognitively:tounderstand“howwe know whatwe know.”These skillsare critical inscience butare
transferable toanysubjectandindeed,toanyprofession. Studentmasteryof these skillswill serve them well
intheiracademicand workcareersand as private citizensfacingahighlytechnical,quicklychangingsociety. In
addition,higherthinkingskillsworktoreinforce contentknowledgesothatstudentsare likely to better retain
and apply what they’ve learned in their subject classes.
Providing Opportunity for Student Engagement
Project-based,integratededucationalsopromotesstudent academic engagement, which extensive research
showsisconsistentlyhighly correlated with academic outcomes and graduation rates. Engagement includes
behavior,attitudes,andcognitivestrategies thatdemonstrateastudent’sinvestmentinlearning.Fromstaying
on task,to feelingpositive andmotivated,tofiguringouthow tosolve aproblem, engagedstudents do what’s
needed to succeed academically. And IEC provides precisely the type of learning that studies show engages
students:
 Authentic work with real-world relevance, that allows for the development of products
 Opportunities for greater attention and support from teachers
 Collaboration (among students, and among teachers)
 A variety of tasks and experiences to showcase different talents and skills
 Sense of community and membership – to a group, class, or entire grade or school
 Choice and autonomy in learning: opportunities to “own” what one learns and move toward
intellectual independence
 High academic expectations and use of higher cognitive skills