Explore EarthGen Programs

Tukwila School District students monitored the air quality on their campus as part of EarthGen's Breathing Easier program this summer.

EarthGen’s programs equip teachers and students with essential knowledge and skills, and give them meaningful opportunities to improve their communities.

EarthGen offers professional development opportunities for teachers; customizable environmental science programs for students from kindergarten through high school, and resources for schools and districts to take action for sustainability and justice.

Science Units

EarthGen’s educational programs engage students, educators, and school communities with science-based, hands-on environmental learning projects that align with Next Generation Science Standards. They also incorporate student-led action projects in the local community and are customized to meet the needs of participants. The programs prioritize sustaining and nourishing students’ cultures and well-being by centering their unique backgrounds and experiences in the learning resources and tools.

2 students transfer an insect into a viewing capsule for closer investigation.

Monarch Mystery

Lower Elementary | Available in Spanish

Monarch Mystery is a science-based program that follows the story of Violeta, a young girl from a migrant community in central Washington. Through engaging STEM activities and outdoor field experiences, students learn about natural phenomena such as metamorphosis, pollination, and migration while exploring their own family journeys. The program encourages students to lead action projects that support biodiversity in their community and celebrate cultural connections to the environment.

4 students are looking into a mason jar full of soil with an apple slice in it

Zombie Guacamole

Upper Elementary | Available in Spanish

Zombie Guacamole teaches upper elementary school students about the science of decomposition; energy cycling in ecosystems; and how to reduce waste at home and school. Featuring a hands-on “Race to Decomposition,” Zombie Guacamole’s lessons about food cycles can complement garden-based learning programs in schools. The program also teaches students about natural and human-made systems of food production and waste management, encouraging them to take action in their school community to protect the environment.

A close up image of an air quality meter in a student's hand overlooking a road and buildings

Breathing Easier

Upper Elementary | Available in Spanish

Breathing Easier introduces upper elementary school students to the impact of local air quality issues on families and communities. While investigating air pollution in their neighborhoods, students learn the causes of air pollution and why some communities are more impacted than others. Students lead their own action project to improve community health.

2 students look at a model demonstration of permeable pavement

Stormwater Stewards

Middle & High School

Stormwater Stewards is a program for middle and high school students to learn about watersheds and how to reduce the impact of stormwater. Students investigate their local watersheds, and then design and implement green stormwater infrastructure projects to improve water quality in their community. EarthGen facilitates connections to stormwater professionals who introduce students to pathways into environmental careers.

EarthGen School Certification

Four elementary students sorting food waste into multi-colored bins

School Certification

Recognition for Environmental Action

EarthGen’s school certification program provides a framework for students to investigate environmental issues and apply their learning to make a meaningful, lasting change at school or home. Projects include activities like establishing recycling programs, cultivating food gardens, or switching to green cleaners. To be recognized as an EarthGen Certified School, schools complete projects in at least one of seven environmental categories every two years. School communities achieve higher levels of certification when they complete additional projects.

Professional Development for Educators

5 teachers sit at a table engaged in a discussion at a ClimEd training

Climate Science Professional Development

Professional Development for Teachers

EarthGen’s ClimEd program trains teachers in the science of climate change, its local impacts, and potential solutions, and equips them with resources to bring climate science into their classrooms. Through participating in student activities, teachers learn how to engage their students and address academic standards. Trainings feature university scientists and local experts who emphasize locally relevant topics such as wildfires, agriculture, and coastal hazards. 


Interested in participating in an EarthGen program?