As we say goodbye to November and jump into the holiday season, we are grateful for the moments of connection, reflection, and generosity that Thanksgiving and this time of year brings. Our team has enjoyed some down time with our families as we look forward to the wonderful things to come over the next few months, and we hope you have enjoyed it as well.
We are excited to share that our survey questions will launch next month as we prepare for our 2026 Climate Ready Classroom Research Study in San Diego County! We are also looking for 10 San Diego County schools, and 20 teachers and summer camp providers to participate in our research as we head into 2026! If you or someone you know might be interested, please visit our website for more details.
We are also excited to announce that we will be giving away FREE class packs to Chicagoland and San Diego County teachers as part of Giving Tuesday. Class packs include a picture book, and enough project materials for the entire class to participate. Check out our social media pages on Monday and Tuesday or use this form to enter to win a class pack for your school (parents can also enter to win for their student's classroom)!
Thank you for being part of our mission and for helping us inspire young explorers to care for their world all year long. We look forward to working with you in the coming months to create a more sustainable world for our kids.
Warm Regards, The Green Explorers Club Team
Nonprofit Storytelling Conference This month, the California team attended the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, where we learned from experts and seasoned veterans about the power of meaningful, mission-driven storytelling for nonprofits. During these workshops our team learned tips and strategies to bring the best experience for our donors, and we also learned new and exciting ways to bring maximum impact for our supporters and the incredible kids and schools we serve.
CLIMATE-READY CLASSROOMS
Launch Date: December 2025 The California Team is also thrilled to announce the launch of our Climate-Ready Classrooms Study in San Diego County! This new research explores access to elementary environmental education across San Diego County, and also examines the best vehicle for teaching elementary students about the environment -- are after school programs, summer camps, traditional classroom curriculum, scout troops, or volunteer opportunities most effective for teaching 4-10 years olds about the environment?
We are currently recruiting 10 schools as well as several teachers and after school program providers to participate in our research. If you are a teacher or principal of a public, private, religious, or Montessori school in San Diego County and you are interested in trying our curriculum as part of this study, please register as a potential partner. Study participants will receive free Green Explorers Club curriculum and project materials for six months, with both weekly after-school program options and monthly in-class book club options available.
Donations help us cover the cost of books, activity kits, art and science materials, and teacher support so every participating classroom has access to identical materials. Your contributions ensure that all students—regardless of school funding—can participate in this study and have access to quality environmental education that inspires them to protect and care for their world.
Your contribution of $35 sponsors a session for one student, and $250 provides a full classroom set of books for a lucky San Diego County classroom. If you are able to donate to our study, please use this link to access or donations page!
In November, Chicago planted 68,000 new trees in a major effort under its Our Roots Initiative to expand the urban tree canopy. That kind of large-scale tree-planting activity helps reduce heat, improve air quality, and create greener, healthier neighborhoods around the City. Click here to read the full article.
(Nov 2025) California has a long tradition of outdoor and open-air schools. Outdoor schools have existed in California since the early 1900s, leveraging the state’s moderate climate to enhance student health and learning. From courtyards and green schoolyards to nature-based classrooms rooted in the idea that fresh air, natural light, and outdoor time benefit children’s wellbeing.
Today, as climate change brings more unpredictable weather and environmental pressures, the movement toward outdoor education is being renewed — not only because it connects kids to nature, but because it supports academic performance, mental and physical health, and social-emotional growth.
In winter, some trees “hibernate” by slowing down their food-making process and conserving energy. Deciduous trees enter a state called dormancy, which is similar to hibernation, to survive the winter by slowing their metabolism and growth. This process allows them to conserve water and energy during the cold months when they cannot photosynthesize or grow with frozen ground. To achieve this, trees drop their leaves, their cells develop antifreeze properties, and they store nutrients in their roots. Evergreens trees, however, keep their needles because they’re coated in a natural wax that protects them from freezing! It’s a great reminder that nature has its own clever ways of staying resilient through the colder months.
