Sustainable Agriculture & Environmental Learning

La Rana Roja

Curriculum & Standards Alignment • Your Next Stop Travels • Barra de Parismina, Costa Rica

Connect the La Rana Roja experience with high-school classroom learning. Explore ecosystem factors, biodiversity, sea turtle habitat conservation, regenerative agriculture, sustainability, and human–environment relationships through field observations and follow-up learning activities.

High School
Kentucky / Tennessee / Texas / Louisiana
Environmental Learning
Curriculum Connections
Explore the Learning Connections

La Rana Roja Curriculum & Standards

Choose your state to explore curriculum connections related to Costa Rica’s rainforest ecosystems, biodiversity, conservation, and environmental stewardship, followed by national frameworks.

Showing Kentucky standards first. National frameworks (NGSS, ACTFL, C3, NCSS) follow below.

Kentucky — Kentucky Academic Standards

Science • 2022 KAS

HS-LS2-1 / HS-LS2-2

Ecosystem Factors, Population Patterns and Biodiversity

Standard: Ecosystem factors, population patterns and biodiversity.

Program Connection: Apply learning through field observations or follow-up data analysis.

HS-LS2-6 / HS-LS2-7

Ecological Relationships and Ecosystem Resilience

Standard: Ecological relationships, ecosystem resilience and reducing human impact.

Program Connection: Explore turtle habitat, beach protection and conservation decisions.

HS-ESS3-1 / HS-ESS3-3 / HS-ESS3-4

Natural Resources, Sustainability and Environmental Solutions

Standard: Natural resources, sustainability and possible environmental solutions. Computational simulation or technological-design expectations require a teacher-directed follow-up task.

Program Connection: Connect eco-farm activities with sustainable practices and resource-use decisions.

Social Studies

KENTUCKY SOCIAL STUDIES

Geographic Inquiry, Culture and Civic Participation

Standard: Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies address geographic inquiry, human–environment interactions, culture and civic participation. Relevant strands vary by course.

Program Connection: Compare rural community needs and environmental stewardship.

World Language / AFNR

WORLD LANGUAGE / AFNR

Spanish Communication and Agriculture

Standard: World-language interpersonal communication and cultural understanding, subject to language support; agriculture, food and natural resources pathways. Course-specific CTE codes are determined by the teacher.

Program Connection: Connect Spanish interactions with regenerative agriculture and ecological resource management.

National Frameworks — Always Display Below the Selected State

These national frameworks are displayed below the selected state standards for every state.

NGSS

Next Generation Science Standards

Standards: HS-LS2-1 / HS-LS2-2 — ecosystem and biodiversity data; HS-LS2-6 / HS-LS2-7 — ecosystem dynamics and environmental protection; HS-ESS3-1 — natural-resource considerations; HS-ESS3-3 / HS-ESS3-4 — sustainability and solution evaluation. HS-LS4-6 is an optional extension only if students create or revise a simulation.

Program Connection: Field participation alone does not satisfy every performance expectation. Teacher-designed analysis or modeling may be necessary.

C3 / NCSS

Social Studies Inquiry and Civic Engagement

Framework: C3 Inquiry Arc: Dimension 1 (developing questions), Dimension 2 (geography and human-environment relationships), Dimension 3 (evaluating evidence), and Dimension 4 (communicating conclusions and taking informed action).

Program Connection: Community discussions, field inquiry and reflection support these dimensions.

ACTFL

World-Readiness Standards

Framework: Communication (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational), Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities.

Program Connection: Spanish-language evidence depends on access to Spanish communication and school-selected language tasks.

NAAEE · K–12

Environmental Education

Framework: Four strands: Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills; Environmental Processes and Systems; Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues; Personal and Civic Responsibility.

Program Connection: Support environmental inquiry, ecosystem observations and responsible conservation decisions.

OCEAN LITERACY

Ocean Biodiversity and Human Connections

Framework: Principle 5 (ocean biodiversity) and Principle 6 (ocean-human connections).

Program Connection: Explore these connections through sea turtles, beaches, watersheds and coastal environments.

AFNR CAREER CLUSTER

Natural Resources and Environmental Services

Framework: Natural Resource Systems, Plant Systems and Environmental Service Systems. Course-level alignment varies.

Program Connection: Eco-farm activities, habitat care, reforestation and responsible resource use.

ELA / COMMUNICATION

Evidence-Based Writing and Communication

Framework: Evidence-based writing, short research, structured discussion and student presentations can connect to adopted state ELA standards. Specific Common Core codes are not listed as universal requirements because states use differing ELA standards.

Program Connection: Students can document field observations, support conclusions with evidence and present their learning.

OPTIONAL ENRICHMENT

AP Environmental Science and CASEL Competencies

Framework: AP Environmental Science: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Land and Water Use, Global Change. CASEL competencies: social awareness, relationship skills, self-management and responsible decision-making. These are connections, not graduation standards.

Program Connection: Extend learning through environmental research, collaborative reflection and responsible decision-making.

Implementation Notes
  • These are curriculum connections, not claims that merely attending the trip automatically completes a performance expectation.
  • Seasonal sea turtle activities are subject to local conservation permissions and conditions. Offer alternative habitat learning when unavailable.
  • Use “may connect to” or “supports inquiry about” for standards requiring computational models, simulations, research papers or design solutions not guaranteed by the itinerary.
  • Keep national frameworks visible immediately after each selected state rather than forcing teachers to find a second tab.