San Francisco Department of the Environment

Environmental Education Program

SF Environment provides free year-round environmental education programs and curriculum to all PK-12 public and independent schools in San Francisco.

Founded in 2007, our School Education team’s mission is to provide equitable environmental education and access to nature for all youth throughout San Francisco. The program connects youth to themselves, the world around them, and empowers them to take climate action to create the future they want to see.

Students learning on an urban farm

Educators

From Educational Media to Eco-literacy Professional Development Workshops, our distance learning program supports educators with seasons of educational offerings throughout the school year. We offer live, synchronous virtual presentations, asynchronous digital learning boxes to use in your classroom, and virtual field trips. We also provide ongoing support to teachers seeking to create project-based, solutionary environmental curriculum. Print or make Zero Waste Signs with your students. Contact us for presentation set-up or curriculum development support.

Live Synchronous Virtual Presentations

Food-to-Flowers: Geo-detectives to the Rescue! [K-5]

Students become their own 'geo-detectives' and waste auditors in this program, investigate to solve the mystery of landfill waste in San Francisco with the 4R's and the power of composting with the FBI (fungi, bacteria and invertebrates). Students explore the waste in their own homes and create solutions towards zero waste.

Our Common Future: Creating a Zero Waste Future for All [6-12]

People, Place, and Fair Share: This program teaches students how these three concepts are interwoven. Students will engage with what it means to be an environmentalist, how to disrupt environmental injustice, and create a better future for all by striving for Zero Waste and Zero Toxics.

Our Water [3-5]

Students follow the water cycle and travel through history to learn about the comprehensive and impressive San Francisco Water Supply in this program. They will use inquiry-based methods to understand the importance of water conservation for the sustainability of our city's ecosystems and our own health.

Save Our Bay [4-5]

This program focuses on preventing marine pollution in our San Francisco Bay. Students explore the animals, plants, and humans that could be impacted by toxics in our waterways.

Digital Teaching Boxes

Virtual Field Trips

Bring nature to your virtual classroom with one of our synchronous virtual field trips! Enjoy the self-paced virtual tours and accompanied teacher guides or contact us to set up a live, synchronous field trip. We partner with Recology's Environmental Learning Center and Garden for the Environment to offer virtual tours and additional curriculum.

Recology's Student Transfer Station Virtual Tour

Visit the Transfer Station, where all of our waste goes for one day before it gets recycled or composted.

Garden for the Environment Virtual Field Trip

Dig in to San Franicsco's beautiful Garden for the Environment with this virtual field trip.

Seasonal Spotlight

SF Environment’s mascot Phoebe the Phoenix’s teamed up with Recology’s Binny to create an SF Loves Learning TV episode, “Every Seed Has a Journey”

Youth

We amplify youth voices and support them in achieving climate justice through training, project support, and toolkits. Contact us for new Eco-Ambassador and Eco-club starter toolkits.

  • Get started with our Take Climate Action Facts.

    • Parents and School Community

    Explore

    Connect to Nature throughout our City each day while you are learning remotely. During the global health emergency, when you do venture outside, please remember to follow the public health orders and guidelines issued by state and local officials.

    Education Programs offered by our Community Partners

    Learn

    Zero Waste Support at School: Recology explains why being “Better at the Bin” is Better for Our Future! Join one of Recology’s live virtual presentations to learn the benefits of recycling and composting, see firsthand what happens to materials you put into each of your three bins, and understand how you can personally fight climate change every day.

    Printable Zero Waste Signs

    Print and share San Francisco recycling, composting, and landfill signs for your school or home. 

    Recycle, Compost, Landfill Signs (PDF)

    Make custom signs with our Signmaker Tool.

    Celebrate

    • Each year our team awards the school community for providing innovative solutions that support San Francisco’s climate protection goals. These goals include eliminating waste, promoting healthy communities and ecosystems, and amplifying community action.
    • The call for nominations closed at 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday February 21, 2020. Nominations for the 2021 School Awards will open in January 2021.
    • Read more about our 2020 School Awardees.

    Contact Us

    To register for presentations or any support email The Environmental Ed Team

    Join Our Teacher Newsletter Students planting on a field trip to garden for the envionment