Your school’s eco footprint: students grade it, then improve it
For teachers looking to help students master STEM concepts, the Building Learners program is a complete, data-driven package that uses your school’s eco footprint to bring lessons to life. Students sharpen their analysis and problem-solving skills and observe the benefits of their impact on the school’s sustainability performance.
Building Learners is a K-12 education program that uses the operations of a school building to teach students about sustainability and empowers students to use their building as a learning laboratory. Students collect, analyze, and conduct real-world investigations that inform improvements around waste, energy, water, health, and transportation at their school. Working with their school’s facility manager and a volunteer green building professional serving as a mentor, students also get exposure to sustainability careers and build positive relationships with members of their community.
Building Learners helps teachers engage students
Use the school as a learning tool
Our green building benchmarking lessons teach students the science behind buildings and sustainability concepts, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to investigate and improve the eco footprint of their school.
Track and evaluate real-world data
Students collect and track their school’s water, energy, waste, transportation, and environmental health data using the Arc platform. That data informs student-led action projects aimed at improving awareness, policies, and school-community sustainability performance.
Receive guided support and resources
Our professional development prepares teachers to connect student learning with the school building’s data. The teacher and facilities manager are also matched with a volunteer green building professional to mentor and support the class.
Students, teachers and facility managers benefit from Building Learners
The core Building Learners team consists of three individuals: a green building professional to serve as a volunteer mentor, an educator, and a school facilities staff member. Mentors provide valuable, real-world insight and guidance and have an immediate impact on students as they learn about the possibilities for sustainability improvement at their school.
Students
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Hands-on and project-based learning experiences
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Data analysis and practical problem-solving skills
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Exposure to green careers
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Connections with green building professionals
Teachers
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Engaging, standards-aligned STEM-based curriculum
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Online professional development
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Lesson planning tools to inspire students to design their own green solutions
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Support from industry professionals
Facility Managers
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Conserved resources as a result of student-led action projects
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Buy-in for sustainability improvements
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Dashboard to track and communicate school sustainability metrics
Building Learners in Action
“Students were excited to create real change in the school. They were excited to come to class and work on this project because they could see a measurable difference in the sustainability rating of our school...This experience motivated them towards becoming more active around environmental issues in general.” – Chris Donnelly, 10th grade CTE Environmental Science teacher, Boston, MA
Case studies
Videos
Webcasts
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In our Building Learners webcast series, we hear from teachers, school sustainability staff, and mentors about how the K-12 program empowers students to use their own school building as a learning laboratory, while meeting learning targets and supporting career connections. Click the links below to view each recorded webcast.
Pricing information
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Year 1 and 2 |
Each subsequent year |
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Price per school |
One payment of $550 made at program start |
$250 per year |
Shaw Contract provides support for Building Learners so that the cost to schools remains affordable.
