"Fantastic opportunity working with colleagues to produce a meaningful product for education in California."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"I had an 'epiphany' about the necessary standards alignment of the 'a-g' classes that I don't think I would ever have gained elsewhere."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"The entire institute was very well planned and carried out. Congratulations to all who played a role in planning and implementing such a professionally enriching experience for all participants."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"The work of combining CTE and academic teaching and learning is so powerful for students and teachers. Bravo for providing the place, organization and technical assistance to do this important work."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"It was an eye opening experience that really showed that a group of adults from different backgrounds and professions can truly work together towards a common goal of getting a new course approved for our current and future students."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"I can't tell you how enriched our team has been by the experience and how grateful we are to your team for selecting us. I am fairly new to education but have participated in enough professional development and staff 'enrichment' to see that very few treat teachers as professionals capable of much beyond whatever their credentials dictate."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"An outstanding example of collaborative practice in action!"

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"It was really encouraging and inspiring to see that CTE and academic teachers have a common language; we just need to communicate more with one another more often."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"The institute was extremely empowering and honestly allowed each person to take the knowledge, information AND experience to better their schools, their practice and ultimately opportunities for their students."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"The opportunity to creatively and collaboratively write curriculum that may be approved for California was energizing and purposeful to all of us."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"At one of the team sessions, I was working on key assignments with a CTE instructor. I had just typed up a list of assignments that I, as an English teacher, was really happy with. I had my CTE instructor partner read through them and her comment was, 'This sounds like my class!' At that moment it came full circle for me and I really understood what integration was all about."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"You put 13 strangers in a room for three days and come out with a great new course and 12 new friends."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"I had no idea there was so much actual Algebra in business applications! I always thought it was all just arithmetic. I learned so much!"

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"Being able to use projects to apply these algebraic and engineering concepts will create student buy-in."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"I have submitted the course that we worked on to my school, and then will submit it to the District with hopes of teaching it next year. Also because of this institute I am now going to get my master in Curriculum & Instruction."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"Before this week I would not have believed you could put a bunch of mathematicians and engineers in a room and arrive at a point where a written description of a student project would elicit a response of 'I like it!' from everyone in the room."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2011 Participant
"When you have a group of great minds come together, there will always be some push and pull in the beginning. Once we all went through that, we were able to come together for a common cause and I think we are on track to developing a course that will not only impress the Board of Regents, but more importantly be an engaging, rigorous course for kids."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"The UCCI Institute has been the most meaningful conference I have ever attended and it has given me practical skills and knowledge that I can take back to my district."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"I'm going to highly recommend it to anyone on our faculty that would like to attend this."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"I left Monterey inspired to bring a new way to teaching the 'same old stuff' back to my district. I am very proud of our final result, and I am excited to be able to implement my new course next year."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"The UC staff is to be commended on the organization and execution of the institute. They worked very hard to assist with the needs of the participants."

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"In my journey as a teacher both in science and now Career Tech Ed, I've come to appreciate and advocate experiences for students that go far beyond the basics or what can be tested. […] To have participated in an endeavor that placed the same value on these educational experiences so that not just my team, but [7 other] teams could develop an integrated course as we did was extremely fulfilling."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"I thought the whole experience was probably the best I've ever had. I walked away from the institute not only feeling more able to complete the rigorous task of getting my courses UC approved, but also with an incredible feeling of affirmation. I was on a 'high' for a long time afterwards, maybe I still am. I am so honored and proud of being able to be a part of this amazing group!"

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"I feel very confident in my ability to write an integrated course in the future!"

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"I am excited about the work we did here and can't wait to see it through!"

- UCCI Institute Spring 2010 Participant
"The UC team put together a fabulous Institute that brought together excellent and innovative teachers from across the state."

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant
"I loved my team and felt that the breakout sessions were great. It was wonderful to learn about CTE and write curriculum with a diverse group of teachers and facilitators. The experience was great and I would love to do it again. It was inspiring to learn so much and made me proud to be an educator!"

- UCCI Institute Fall 2010 Participant

Fall 2011 Resources: History/Social Science (A) & Laboratory Science (D)

Defining "green" themes

All courses developed at the Fall 2011 Institute will incorporate the theme of "green" in addition to integrating “a-g” and CTE content. The word "green" has many definitions, two of which are included here for your reference. The first definition below, adapted from one published by the California Employment Development Department, is useful for suggesting the kinds of career opportunities to which education in "green" issues and technology might lead.

“GREEN”-related activities or services perform at least one of the following:

Generating and storing renewable energy: includes alternative energy generated by, but not limited to, wind, solar, water, biofuels, biomass, hydrogen fuel cells, or geothermal.

Recycling existing materials: recycling or wastewater plants; environmental clean-up and remediation.

Energy and resource-efficient product manufacturing, construction, installation, and maintenance: research, development, manufacturing, and/or installation of solar panels, energy efficient lighting and transportation; or products and techniques that conserve water or land.

Education, compliance and awareness: training providers for curricula such as solar panel installation, energy auditing, water conservation, sustainability management, and environmental careers; environmental consulting; governmental/legislative compliance; conservation and wildlife programs; trading and offsets; social assistance.

Natural and sustainable product manufacturing: includes creation of products using natural materials. Also includes production of safe, non-toxic products; bamboo products; products out of previously-recycled materials, and agricultural firms that practice sustainable farming.

NOTE: The Employment Development Department acknowledges that “this definition focuses on the “supply” side of the economy or on businesses that produce products or services directly related to the functions described in this GREEN definition. Another equally important aspect of GREEN involves the companies that have adopted sustainable practices on the “demand” side [of the energy market]. Sustainable business practices might include (but are not limited to) entities that have adopted renewable energy, efficiency, and conservation strategies.”

The Global Citizens Center defines the green economy in terms of a “triple bottom line,” an economy concerned with being: environmentally sustainable, socially just (responsible stewardship), and locally rooted. A green or sustainable business is an enterprise that has little or no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy – one that strives to meet the triple bottom line.

Major sectors of the green economy include (but are not limited to):

Renewable energy (including energy generation and storage, energy infrastructure);

Green building (retrofits for energy and water efficiency; LEED construction);

Clean transportation (alternative fuels, public transit, hybrid and electric vehicles, carsharing/ carpooling/bike-sharing programs);

Water management (water-conserving manufacturing processes, water reclamation, greywater/rainwater systems, low-water landscaping, water purification, storm water management);

Waste management (recycling, municipal solid waste salvage, brownfield land remediation, Superfund cleanup, sustainable packaging, greenhouse gas management);

Land management (organic agriculture, habitat conservation and restoration, urban forestry and parks, reforestation, afforestation, and soil stabilization);

Manufacturing (resource-efficient production and packaging);

Eco-tourism (includes eco-travel and eco-adventuring; green hotels, restaurants, recreation facilities, etc. using environmentally-friendly, sustainable practices and products).