This presentation highlights the progress of a 5-year study to utilize and assess a community of practice approach in designing an environmental justice and locally relevant curriculum that aligns directly with the Alabama State science and social studies standards. The curriculum will initially focus on 6th-8th grade students attending MCTS in Africatown. It can be expanded to include other at-risk schools in the Mobile district, summer camps and/or after-school programs. This curriculum utilizes best practices in early STEM pedagogy, service-learning, and a focused theme on the connections between the local environment, community, and individual health. Students from Africatown and surrounding communities in Mobile, Alabama will explore the impacts of years of environmental injustice and pollution in their neighborhoods.  Specifically, they will learn how the quality of the local environment impacts human and community health and how current policies, climate change, and industrial pollution impact schools and neighborhoods. 

To contextualize in-class learning, students partner with community leaders and organizations to develop and participate in service projects funded by this grant aimed at revitalizing and restoring their neighborhoods, parks, and ecosystems. This model provides students with a sense of self-agency by empowering them to become agents of change while creating impactful learning interventions that allow students to achieve the state science and social studies standards. The culminating research and work done by students, teachers, and community partners is highlighted and shared with the broader community at this program’s annual Alabama Youth Action for Sustainability Summit.

Assessment strategies include the analysis of annual ALSDE report card data, pre/post student surveys each year, teacher reflections, and workshop participant feedback. Currently, at the start of year 3, the workshop participant feedback demonstrated a strong appreciation for the community of practice approach in curriculum design from both community agencies and teachers; science proficiency nearly doubled from year 1 (9.09%) to year 2 (17.19%); and teachers reported increased student engagement with the material as a result of project based learning.