LIFE Program

Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) is an initiative to establish a series of field-based, environmental-science, education programs around the state. Each program will represent a partnership between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and a local school district. The goal of each LIFE Program site is increased student achievement and teacher professional development in science. The content and delivery of each program will vary from site to site, however, each LIFE Program will share a core set of guiding principles:

• Alignment with Florida Sunshine State standards;
• Multi-day, field experiences emphasizing current technologies for environmental science will serve as the entry-point for learning;
• Emphasis on observation and inference as critical components of the scientific method;
• Long-term partnerships between DEP and a local schooldistrict(s) that include teacher professional development;
• Program content derived primarily from teacher-identified needs and priorities;
• Integration of all subject areas by connecting field experiences with pre- and post- classroom lessons;
• Focus on underrepresented and underserved audiences.