Towards Culturally Responsive & Decolonized Place-Based Environmental Science Education

Abstract

This paper examines how place-based environmental science education can be made more culturally responsive and inclusive of different relationships to land and community. It draws on research about place-based education, culturally responsive teaching, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and decolonizing science education. This research is used to identify practical strategies for connecting environmental science with students’ lived experiences, cultural knowledge, and local environments while maintaining alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards.The paper presents five adaptable lesson frameworks centered on community mapping, environmental language, interviews about environmental change, environmental case studies, and environmental policy. These frameworks encourage students to investigate local phenomena, consider multiple perspectives, use scientific evidence, and reflect on how history and power influence environmental issues. They also demonstrate ways to include community and Indigenous knowledge alongside Western science without treating these perspectives as supplemental. This paper suggests that environmental science instruction can be both scientifically rigorous and responsive to the communities in which learning occurs. The proposed frameworks offer educators starting points for helping students connect science to their own lives, participate in environmental decision-making, and recognize themselves and their communities as sources of meaningful environmental knowledge.