This professional development course is designed for Maui County secondary school teachers who want to build climate literacy among their students through learner-centered, active learning strategies. Participants will explore both Problem-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning approaches, empowering students to research, apply knowledge, and tackle real-world climate challenges. Teachers will engage with curriculum resources from Maui Huliau Foundation’s Climate Literacy Project, in use since 2017, and gain insights from Problem-Based Learning resources shared by University of Hawaiʻi staff. Throughout the course, participants will be guided through the process of designing an inquiry-based, climate change unit plan adaptable to any subject area. The course will also connect teachers with local community groups working on climate adaptation and mitigation, offering valuable partnership and resource opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom. Since this is a new course, teachers who completed our previous climate course can still join.

Customized Climate Literacy Curriculum

This 20-minute workshop video presents an overview of resources available for grade 8-12 teachers as part of our Huliau Climate Literacy Project. It shares a brief overview of the units focusing on climate change causes, impacts, and solutions, including example in-class and virtual activities. It also shares information on student-led projects, field trips, and ways that our staff can assist teachers in implementing a customized program for their students ranging from 2-10 weeks. We can also provide teaching assistance and help facilitate student-led projects focused on climate change solutions. Visit our program page using the button below to access our online classroom and learn more.

Hoʻākea partnership

Hoʻākea – Mauka to Makai honors the rich history and traditions of Hawaiian voyaging. Sponsored and supported by the DOE, various waʻa (canoe) and aloha ʻāina (land and ocean based) organizations will provide hands-on learning experiences that perpetuate foundational values and perspectives of the canoe and those who came before us. In partnership with the Moananuiākea Voyage of our beloved Hōkūleʻa, this event aims to inspire our students, schools, and larger community to embrace the “Navigator Mindset” and become the leaders, stewards, and critical thinkers that can meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

From September 17-21, 2024 we collaborated with Hui O Waʻa Kaulua and Lele Aloha to host four days of field trips for over 1,250 students, ending with an ʻOhana day for DOE families. Students enjoyed a full day of outdoor learning activities immersed in Hawaiʻi’s cultural practices. This statewide partnership includes plans for a hands-on teacher workshop in November (date TBA) with waʻa and ʻāina-based partners. Above are the kaiapuni students of Pāʻia Elementary with Mānaiakalani after releasing sail with the crew. Below are photos from the workshops we helped host for teachers on Maui and in Kualoa, Oʻahu in summer 2024.

In October, we are also assisting Polynesian Voyaging Society with another two weeks of field trips for over 1,000 students as part of the Hōkūleʻa’s Pae ʻĀina sail visit to Māʻalaea.

Kūkulu Pilina Professional Development

Kūkulu Pilina is a professional development series and PDE3 course for Maui DOE secondary school teachers focused on the potential for community partnership and ʻāina-based education to deepen HĀ (BREATH) through ʻāina aloha practices contextualized to their particular place and community. Both the PD series and the PDE3 course are facilitated by Maui Huliau Foundation staff in partnership with various ʻāina-based organizations on Maui. We recently launched a new page on our website dedicated to these programs.

 ʻĀina-based Resources for Teachers

During the 2021-22 school year, we launched a new page on our website to provide resources to promote community partnership and ʻāina-based learning both in the classroom and in our Maui community. On that page you will find virtual huakaʻi (field trips) and online activities created with program partners during the 2020-21 school year as part of our Maui Aloha ʻĀina Virtual Classroom. We also added a list of community partners and teachers professional development resources.

Field Trip Support for Teachers

As a part of the Kūkulu Pilina program, we are able to support teachers with planning field trips for whole grade levels or single classes. How we can help:

• Coordinating buses 
• Connecting with partners
• Customizing lessons & activities
• Day-of chaperoning
• Pre/post field trip lessons

 In-School Filmmaking Support for Teachers

Maui Huliau Foundation now offers support for in-school filmmaking projects with teachers, as well as student-led film projects. This initiative launched in spring 2022 has allowed us to reach more students and respond to the growing number of requests we have received from teachers and community groups. Teachers can visit our filmmaking program page using the button below to request support for film projects with their students that have an environmental or ʻāina-based focus.

Student Produced Films

Our YouTube Channel contains nearly 100 films created over the past decade by students in our Huliau Environmental Fimmaking Club program! These films have been selected over 160 times in festivals around the world. These films are organized in to playlists by topic such as “Plastic Pollution”, “Native & Invasive Species” and “Sustainable Agriculture”, making it easier to find a relevant film to show to your class (they are also organized by the year they were created). We also have a virtual huaka’i (field trip) playlist (shown right) containing 12 virtual field trips created during the 2020-21 school year with our students and program partners. These field trips also have self-guided and virtual activities for students in our Maui Aloha ʻĀina Virtual Classroom, which you can find on our Virtual Classrooms page.