The Science of Sustainability
Exposure to STEM topics at a young age is the number one driver for students to pursue a career in these fields. Across Massachusetts, as well as the country as a whole, there are significant gaps in access to STEM education. This is especially true for minorities and those in underserved communities. In fact, according to researchers from the Equality of Opportunity Project, we are leaving behind millions of would-be STEM innovators, a significant portion of whom are women. According to their data, “innovation in the U.S. could quadruple if women, minorities, and children from low income families became inventors at the same rate as men from high-income households”, and “at the current rate, it will take 118 years until women make up 50 percent of America’s inventors”. Simply put, we need to increase exposure and access to STEM opportunities to close this gender equity gap. “These findings suggest that there are many “lost Einsteins” –individuals who would have had highly impactful inventions had they been exposed to innovation in childhood – especially among women, minorities, and children from low-income families”. "In Massachusetts, student exposure to STEM is incredibly varied. Students in low income communities receive significantly less exposure than their counterparts in higher income communities..." Many districts simply cannot afford science enrichment to boost STEM engagement at their schools. This lack of exposure leaves many students by the wayside.
This is also a story of environmental justice, as many of these communities are the ones that will bear the brunt of climate change as our planet warms. Access to crucial STEM education has become a limiting factor in the fight against climate change. These careers are crucial in our efforts to promote a cleaner, brighter future. As a result, we are leaving behind millions of children, especially women and minorities, who if given the opportunity, could be the scientists and engineers innovating for a sustainable tomorrow. It is essential to project these issues, and the solutions to them, to the most diverse audience we can, for everyone in society has a role to play. This is where Change is Simple (CiS) is uniquely positioned to make an impact.
Our program provides an equitable solution to STEM education because we offer it to all students in our partner schools at no cost to students. Many of our public school partners are in underserved communities, allowing us to fill a crucial gap in STEM enrichment. The Change is Simple curriculum is built from K-8th grade, and uses STEM as a vehicle to teach sustainability and climate issues to help students to gain the knowledge and skills they need to grow up on a rapidly changing planet. The program is designed around concepts of emotional appeals, social incentives and choice architecture as outlined in Climate Change Needs Behavior Change: Making the Case For Behavioral Solutions to Reduce Global Warming. Our methodology is predicated on breaking down high level topics and communicating them effectively for students with very little understanding of science. Through a mixture of STEM, experiential, hands-on and social emotional learning, our pedagogy allows us to teach complex science topics and make them approachable and engaging for all students. From pollination, oceans and endangered species, to plastic pollution, sustainable energy and the global food system, our STEM content touches upon nearly every aspect of climate change and environmental science. Our team works with teachers to ensure the program seamlessly fits into the curriculum of any public school. CiS’s multi-year classroom program consists of over 30 units of experiential learning, providing us an effective model for infusing STEM, sustainability and climate education into the public schools. Furthermore, the program is designed to grow with learners. In younger grade, students learn about foundational topics such as understanding what makes up our environment, why animals need to thrive in a habitat, and how our typical season patterns occur, so that as they get older they can apply this knowledge to understanding lessons on issues such as renewable energy and waste. While the program is built around STEM education, every workshop is taught through the lens of climate change, sustainability, and environmental science.
On top of our classroom programming, CiS operates a 30 foot mobile science lab dubbed SCiLL, (Sustainability and Climate Innovation Learning Lab). SCiLL serves as an educational center, science lab, outdoor classroom and workshop space. Due to its mobile nature, SCiLL has the opportunity to exponentially increase exposure to STEM in underserved communities throughout the commonwealth. This lab is focused on educating about the impacts of climate change by exposing people to hands-on activities that will inspire children and families to adopt more environmentally responsible lifestyles and gain experience in STEM fields. Loaded with a plethora of microscopes, touchscreens, interactive displays and other learning tools, SCiLL was specifically designed to bring crucial STEM education to where it is needed the most.
Our target population are students K-8, who as young children are at their formative years to establish values and positive behaviors. Through our STEM program, we aim to educate on the importance of the environment and the natural world, and to encourage students to become active stewards of the environment through small, tangible actions. Many of these students have minimal exposure to STEM topics, so lessons are tailored for all types of learners with diverse knowledge bases. Since 2011, we have been working hard to implement best practices for the program as we grow and move into new schools. The program is designed to work in any public school and is built with variance in mind. Schools can choose their own lessons based on what is the best fit for them and their students.We account for learning variabilities in reading comprehension levels, English language learning, physical and cognitive special needs, social emotional factors and more to ensure our programming is successfully received by as many learners as possible. Since we educate thousands of students every year, we are constantly adapting and improving the program to make it more equitable and engaging for everyone. Our program has 3 main goals; to instill an understanding of and responsibility for the environment through STEM learning, inspire students to pursue science careers, and to improve core learning skills. It is our goal to show that science can be fun and approachable to all students. Our team is an incredibly diverse and enthusiastic group of young educators, a majority of whom are female. On top of the educational content they provide, they serve as role models and show that careers in STEM can be cool and exciting. We aim to inspire those we work with to become advocates for the natural world, environmental justice, and to connect environmental health with the health of their families and communities. Elementary school is an ideal time to instill a sense of environmental responsibility and stewardship, as it is at this point in their lives that children build the foundational knowledge and beliefs that will propel them throughout their lives. Without this education, children may miss out on opportunities to develop environmentally conscious habits and empathetic behaviors towards nature and their communities. A lack of climate education for elementary school students deprives them of essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to address climate change effectively and contribute to a sustainable future. Additionally, as our program aims to boost education engagement and skills in the core subjects that will serve students in all aspects of their life, CiS is not just preparing them to be successful environmentalists, but to have successful futures, whatever their path may be.
For over a decade, CiS has been serving communities of varying socioeconomic status throughout the commonwealth. What started out in one classroom has grown into an organization that now partners with 35 schools and teaches 8,000 students annually in the Greater Boston area. We thoroughly understand the students we teach, and have developed a formula that has proven effective at engaging and educating students in STEM. Since 2011, we have seen students thrive in our program, as indicated by their improved skills and comprehension in core subjects of math and literacy. We strive to boost engagement in STEM and inspire pro-environmental behavioral changes. To validate outcomes, CiS has utilized The Evaluation Institute led by two Northeastern University Graduate Professors of Education (Dr. Sara Ewell, Dr. William Ewell). In 2019, they embarked on a longitudinal evaluation. This study was a comprehensive assessment of our program and of student knowledge growth within four of our partner schools of varying socioeconomic statuses (Essex, Woburn, Salem, Revere). The report for the 2019-2020 school year is available upon request. The evaluation examined both qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate how we are boosting student engagement, improving established learning skills, and instilling pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. Some results:
100% of the time observed was time-on-learning
100% of the time students were visibly engaged in the lesson
Students scored 85% higher in environmental science content knowledge
Students demonstrated marked improvement in their understanding of math, literacy and science
Students demonstrated a 90% engagement rate in their learning with Change is Simple
Students & teachers recognized a significantly higher level of motivation to learn about climate change and environmental sustainability
Students reported a higher degree of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors
The research conducted by The Evaluation Institute revealed the strength and efficacy of CiS programming and teaching methods for increasing student engagement, boosting core learning skills, and instilling environmental values. The Institute’s investigations into student engagement over the course of our lessons revealed elements of our teaching practices that work especially well when traditionally, student engagement is lost.This knowledge helped us to shift our teaching practices to maintain high engagement throughout the entire lesson, and structure new engaging new lessons founded in our evidence base. The Evaluation Institute interviewed stakeholders to assess organizational strengths and weaknesses. Guided by recommendations from this assessment, CiS has employed a program director to work directly with schools and has begun diversifying funding streams through the pursuit of large grants and a professional development program design to empower teachers to educate their students on environmental stewardship throughout their entire classroom curriculum, not just when CiS comes to visit.
- Support K-12 educators in effectively teaching and engaging girls in STEM in classroom or afterschool settings.
- Scale: A sustainable enterprise working in several communities or countries that is focused on increased efficiency
We currently serve 35 schools in the Greater Boston area and reached 11,040 students in the 2021-2022 school year. Since 2011 Change is Simple has had 35,000 students participate in at least one year of our programming.
Change is Simple was founded 12 years ago and has since been developing and delivering curriculum to schools, refining teaching methods and monitoring outcomes. We have developed a strong and successful program that is captivating students and teachers. Requests for our partnerships far outpaces our capacity. There has never been a more pressing time to take on environmental challenges. Students are in dire need of exposure to quality STEM so they can be the hope for our future. We are seeking a partnership to refine our model, and scale the capacity to execute our mission. We see support from this initiative as a means to connect with new corporate partners and experts that can help develop solutions to expand our capacity to deliver the mission.
Furthermore, we have developed two additional solutions to expose students to climate STEM: a training program for teachers and an online library and resource portal for teachers, students, and families. Both of these tools will allow us to expand the geographic reach of our mission to a national or global scale. We would be seeking to leverage this partnership to develop business models that will help us grow these offerings and secure expertise in the development of the online tools.
Lauren Belmonte is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Change is Simple. She attended public schools k-12 in the town in which the organization was founded (Beverly, MA), where her passion for science began. She is a lifelong MA resident, is a Rotarian in her local Rotary Club, and Change is Simple is a member of both the Beverly and Boston Chambers of Commerce. Lauren started Change is Simple to make a difference in her community; it remains just as important to her now to ensure that the program impacts local students, and to increase access for others beyond where Change is Simple can geographically reach.
Change is Simple has developed a new and successful model to communicate environmental issues through STEM programming. We have torn down the walls of the classroom, done away with books and instead have infused hands-on, experiential learning directly into the public school experience. Most importantly, we are making learning fun, engaging and relevant for all students.
Incorporates innovative methods that are feasible for classroom teachers
By aligning our program to existing curriculum and standards, our model can be easily adopted into classrooms, allowing any teacher to infuse our program into their classroom. Our hands-on and experiential approach creates a formula that engages every student, which can be replicated in classrooms across the country. As well, we have developed a full curriculum complete with extensions, background information, parent take-home guides, activities and libraries of books and videos all meant to reinforce our content and keep students learning.
Delivers exciting, developmentally appropriate hands-on learning
Our program resonates with students because we are able to communicate highly complex topics in ways young students can relate to and comprehend. If presented the right way, topics like sustainable design, clean tech, product life cycle and bioaccumulation can all be taught effectively to young learners. The success stems from getting the students excited about learning. Our goal is to bring education to life for these students and inspire them to think critically. Every lesson is loaded with unique engaging elements including exciting science tools, giant puzzles, astronomy tents, jenga blocks and much more. Keeping student learning objectives in mind, lessons are designed to not only introduce new ideas, but offer opportunities to practice all their other core learning skills.
Empowers students with hope
Climate education contains topics that are both highly complex and sometimes, downright depressing. Yet, we frame these heavy topics with hope. Instead of gloom and doom, we present these concepts as an opportunity for our young learners to change the world for the better. This empowers students with tangible actions they can take each day to create a cleaner future. However, the magic of the program doesn’t end with our students. By sparking curiosity and excitement about the environment, we are connecting them to the bigger picture and helping them change the conversation about our relationship to one another. This conversation radiates far beyond the classroom, engaging parents, teachers and the wider community. It is our hope that the values we instill through our program can become a catalyst for environmental and social action in every community of which we are a part.
1 year: Increase capacity to serve additional schools
Expand the number of schools we are able to serve with classroom programming, mobile lab programming and partnerships
Increase our staff size to invest more time in measurement, outcomes and partnerships with underserved communities.
Develop strong training program for teachers that can be accessed in-person or remotely
5 years
Continue to grow our capacity to be able to serve 50 partner schools in the Boston area with classroom programming. Have the resources necessary to ensure many of these schools are in underserved areas.
Develop capacity to consult with schools to help them align with core values of Change is Simple and be able to infuse climate STEM into their schools without the need for our team to be physically in their schools regularly.
Create an online learning platform to house the content that we have developed that aligns with our and school curriculum standards. The online learning platform will be accessed and used by teachers, students and families
Strengthen the financial sustainability of the organization by growing the teacher professional development program. Our aim is to generate >20% of our revenue through that program in the next 5 years.
Continuing the work of the Evaluation Institute, Change is Simple has hired an Evaluation Coordinator to continue measuring the outcomes of our program.
Mixed Methods Longitudinal Design- Program effectiveness is measured utilizing a mixed method research design integrating qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis to improve reliability and validity of the research findings. The program evaluation utilizes a longitudinal design to track participants during and beyond their engagement with the SCiLL program to measure the long-term program impacts. The following sections detail the quantitative and qualitative components of the program evaluation research design.
Quantitative Study Design. The program evaluation utilizes a pre and post-intervention design. pre- and post-intervention design is a form of quasi-experimental research where participants are assessed before and after they receive an intervention. The pre- and post-survey intervention design also isolates the program impacts and minimizes confounding variables.
The program evaluation pre- and post-intervention data are collected using a survey
instrument. The survey instrument is validated by establishing face validity, pilot testing
and checking internal consistency. Pre-intervention surveys are utilized to identify a
baseline of participant access, knowledge, interest, and engagement in climate science. This
data will be statistically compared to the post-intervention survey data collected after participation in the program. In the second and third year of the program evaluation and two years following the initial grant, we also plan to survey program participants to measure long-term program impacts on access, knowledge, interest and engagement in climate science and pro-environmental behaviors.
Qualitative Study Design: Qualitative data collected includes interviews, observations and document analysis. Interviews will be conducted with a random sample of program participants immediately after completing the program and at one and two-years post program completion. Observations of program participants and Change is Simple educators will be conducted, as well as an analysis of program documents.
Qualitative data allows for a thick description of personal circumstances and beliefs to be uncovered in order to understand participants’ comprehension, motivation, and program experiences. Interviews will be conducted using a semi-structured approach with open-ended questions. These will include an interview protocol that can be adapted and expanded during the interviews. This strategy allows for the participants’ voice and stories to be the focal point of the interviews. Interviews will be audio recorded and transcribed.
Conclusion: The pre and post-intervention survey and interview data are analyzed on an ongoing basis to provide both an overview of the program effectiveness, plan short-term program adjustments, and understand long-term program impacts.
The program is effective because it impacts and empowers children at a critical time in their development. Our framework weaves social emotional learning with STEM and hands-on, engaging activities. By bringing education to life, we provide students with core learning memories and inspire them to care about their environment and community.
CiS lessons are designed to grow with students as they move through school, and scaffold age-appropriate knowledge and concepts. Students are not overwhelmed by the content, but instead are able to climb one more rung on the STEM ladder after each visit. A teacher highlighted the program's impact on kindergarteners as the foundation of CiS teaching for years to come:
“My students were really impacted by the first lesson. They talked about [it] for days after, about how some changes people make to the world can harm plants and animals and how we have to think about the "environment". They’d just learned the word "environment" and learned that it is valuable and something that they can help protect. It was very meaningful.”
CiS utilizes several theories of change to achieve our longer term outcomes.
Social Incentives: Changing social norms to influence adoption
CiS utilizes college student educators to serve as mentors and role models. This is notable in relation to gender equity, as the majority of our college mentors are women studying STEM, who demonstrate to students not only that sustainability is cool, but that careers in science can be achievable. Additionally, peer to peer collaboration and group adoption of new behaviors acts as an influencer throughout our program.
Emotional Appeals: Unleash the power of emotions to drive change
While climate change can be an overwhelming topic, CiS turns it into opportunities for kids to feel empowered and proud to take action. By creating a personal connection, children feel more strongly that they can be part of the solution. From caring about the habitat of a piping plover, to becoming a bee trying to navigate a maze of pesticides, students are encouraged to use empathy as an inspiration for action.
Choice Architecture: Utilize context and timing to support change
Students take guides home and place challenges around their schools that help redefine default choices. Throughout the year, students are presented with opportunities to make positive choices for the environment. For example, choosing organic & local foods, turning off lights to reduce pollution etc.
CiS’s logic model posits that by increasing students’ knowledge of environmental science, motivation to learn STEM material and engagement in school, students feel more empowered to act positively for their environment, share their attitudes with their friends and family, and ultimately adopt lifelong commitments to environmental stewardship. However, CiS goes beyond simply teaching about the issues; our theory of change extends to that put forth by Hungerford and Volk (1990), wherein students are given knowledge, ownership, and empowerment over environmental issues and the result is lasting pro-environmental behavior change. Our program’s effectiveness is evidenced by our 3rd-party mixed-methods research results, outlined in previous sections.
- Nonprofit
11 full time, 1 part time
12 years
Change is Simple prioritizes reaching more underserved and underrepresented students and communities. Over the past 4 years, the program has expanded into Boston, Lynn, Revere and Salem, doubling the number of low income and high need students that we serve.
Because we teach in public schools during the school day, the program is designed to be inclusive. It is not elective or selective and is provided at no cost to students and their families; it provides all students with the opportunity to receive meaningful STEM education.
Our Lead Educator staff members are supported by college interns who mentor students and foster social emotional growth. Those college students, many of whom are from Northeastern University, work with our team full time to assist (and eventually lead) our education programming in schools. Over 75% of our college student mentors are female.