The Partnership for Adams County Environmental Literacy (PACE), developed a comprehensive environmental literacy plan for school districts in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The project was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grant program and included a core team of teachers and administrators from three Adams County school districts, and coordination by Advancing Science at Gettysburg College. The plan integrates regional environmental literacy into K-12 education across various academic disciplines and grade levels. Through teacher professional development, partner engagement, and the creation of relevant learning opportunities, the PACE team created a living document that is a template for sustained environmental education in our region. This includes lesson plans built on the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) model, which integrates novel data collection with civic engagement on pressing regional environmental topics. These included microplastics, stream health, air quality, biodiversity, and erosion. By partnering with facilities crews, administrators, regional non-profits, utilities, media, politicians, academics, and non-formal educators, the PACE program has identified and united a network committed to advancing our students' environmental opportunities. The adoption of this plan by districts in the county will enable the integration of environmental literacy across the curriculum and embed the remarkable nature of Adams County into our students' education. 

Funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program through Grant Number NA22NMF457032 (2022-2025).  Project coordination provided by Advancing Science at Gettysburg College.

A team of teachers, an instructional coach, a librarian, a K-12 outreach coordinator, and a Biology professor spent 3 years and 1,620 hours of professional development (36 hours annually per teacher) engaged in the development of this plan and supporting resources.

• In Year 1, the team developed their understanding of environmental literacy, the new PA science education standards (STEELS), and the MWEE Model.

• In Year 2, the team developed K-12 investigations that combine PA’s Environmental Literacy and Sustainability standards with the Earth, life, and physical science standards and provided professional development for district colleagues. 

• In Year 3, the team finalized investigations and supporting documentation, engaged in green school conversations to identify connections between facilities and learning, and continued professional development for district colleagues.

1. Engage students in outdoor learning rooted in the local environment and aligned with the STEELS standards.

2. Ensure instructional plans at each grade level include STEELS-aligned environmental literacy investigations that actively engage all students.

3. Support teachers with time, resources, and professional development from community partners.

4. Provide students with MWEE (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences) that build knowledge, skills, and a sense of responsibility to become active schoolyard and community stewards.

5. Incorporate renewable solutions, green building, and green classroom principles into district planning.

6. Connect facilities teams with student learning to enhance real-world applications.

Adams County. (1991). Adams County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 3: Growth Management Plan. https://www.adamscountypa.gov/departments/officeofplanninganddevelopment/adamscountyplans 

Adams County Fruit Growers Association. (2025). Bounty of the County. https://acfga.info/bounty 

Adams County Office of Planning and Development. (2025). Adams County Heritage Plan. https://adams-county-heritage-plan-adamsgis.hub.arcgis.com/ 

Bay Backpack. (2025). What is a MWEE? https://www.baybackpack.com/mwee/what-is-a-mwee 

CBP - Chesapeake Bay Program. (2022, October). Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. https://www.chesapeakebay.net/what/what-guides-us/watershed-agreement 

Children & Nature Network. (2017, October). Green Schoolyards and Academic Outcomes. https://eadn-wc04-796033.nxedge.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CNN_2016GSY_AcadOut_d7-23-3-24.pdf 

Future Ready PA Index. (2025). Search by IU, County, or District. Pennsylvania Department of Education. https://future-readypa.org/Search/District 

Land Conservancy of Adams County. (2025). Our Impact. https://www.preserveadams.com/impact 

(MARISA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments. (2022). Community Climate Outlook Adams County, PA. https://www.marisa.psu.edu/misc/outlooks/2022-01-11/PA/Adams_County_PA.pdf 

National Park Service. (2025). Gettysburg National Military Park – Places. https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/historyculture/places.htm 

NAAEE - North American Association for Environmental Education. (2011). Environmental Literacy Framework. NAAEE. https://naaee.org/about/ee/environmental-literacy-framework 

National Weather Service. (2021). Average Annual Precipitation in Pennsylvania. https://www.weather.gov/images/ctp/static/AnnualNormalPrecipPA.png 

PA Department of Education (2025). Standards Aligned System - STEELS Hub. https://www.pdesas.org/Page/Viewer/ViewPage/58/?SectionPageItemId=12998

PA Department of Environmental Protection. (2024). Integrated Water Quality Report. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/programs-and-services/water/clean-water/water-quality/integrated-water-report/integrated-water-quality-report-2024.html 

PA Department of Environmental Protection. (2025). PennEnviroScreen Office of Environmental Justice. https://gis.dep.pa.gov/PennEnviroScreen/ 

PA Department of Labor and Industry. (2025, May). Adams County Profile. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dli/documents/cwia/products/county-profiles/adams%20county.pdf 

Sevon, W. D., compiler (2000.) Physiographic provinces of Pennsylvania (4th ed.): Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., Map 13, scale 1:2,000,000. https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/publications/Default.aspx?id=720 

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Adams County, Pennsylvania. https://data.census.gov/profile/Adams_County,_Pennsylvania?g=050XX00US42001 

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). Census of Agriculture - Adams County Profile. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Pennsylvania/cp42001.pdf