Empowering, Engaging, and a Joy to Teach
Seeds to Solutions™ is a set of free, solutions-oriented instructional resources for grades K–12 on California environmental issues. Developed in response to teacher and community demand, the lessons empower students to address real-world environmental issues, from food waste to water use to wildfire management. Age-appropriate, solutions-focused, and trauma-informed, Seeds to Solutions prepares students to be environmentally literate, engaged community members.
Why Seeds to Solutions?
- Includes everything needed to teach the topic and guide student investigations
- Aligns with California standards and Environmental Principles and Concepts
- Transforms classroom learning into discussions that go beyond school
- Empowers students to explore environmental solutions with confidence
Browse Units by Grade Level
What Teachers Are Saying
“I heard comments like, ‘I didn’t realize how much climate change affects my community,’ and, ‘This project made me think about what I can do to help.'”
“My kids have said, ‘Oh good, I like doing this,’ when we were starting the lesson each day. It’s a great topic. I also think it has made them more curious and do their own research.”
“Using the maps and seeing things like schools and how close they are to hazards is really cool. They may not be super connected personally, but they can put themselves in the shoes of other kids and try to relate. I know it’s working because I have a kid that just watches Netflix all day, every day and he pulled out his earbud and participated!”
“For my students who may not engage with abstract concepts, the real-life relevance of turning waste into soil for growing plants offers a clear, meaningful goal that they can understand and feel proud to participate in.”
Who We Are
Seeds to Solutions was developed through a unique and diverse partnership of community organizations, experts in science and traditional ecological knowledge, educators, youth leaders, and curriculum-development specialists.
Instructional Model
Seeds to Solutions uses the Storyline Instructional Model. Students engage in sense-making as they work together to explore questions and understand real-world phenomena. This sparks students’ curiosity and teaches them how to think, not what to think.
Thank You to Our Funders
Seeds to Solutions was developed using funds provided by the California Department of Education through Assembly Bill 130, Chapter 44, Statutes of 2021 Section 151(a). Additional support was provided by the Cisco Foundation, First Republic Bank Foundation, S.H. Cowell Foundation, and Ten Strands for the development of these materials.
