The effectiveness of a head-heart-hands model for natural and environmental science learning in urban schools

•The NtN program design uses John Dewey's active learning strategy and implements the Head-Heart-Hands model to inform the eco-literacy movement.•NtN is designed as a classical experiment with random assignment to the NtN group and a control group of students beginning in grade 4.•Analyses show that 3 of 6 NtN cohorts show significant, consistent and positive changes in their math grade relative to their control group peers.•Four of the six NtN cohorts exhibit considerable positive and significant impacts in their school science grade.•All six cohorts show substantial, positive, and significant gains in their science knowledge compared to the control group students.

We describe an environmental and natural science program called Nurture thru Nature (NtN) that seeks to improve mathematics and science performance of students in disadvantaged communities, and to increase student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers. The program draws conceptual guidance from the Head-Heart-Hands model that informs the current educational movement to foster environmental understanding and sustainability. Employing an experimental design and data from seven cohorts of students, we find some promising, albeit preliminary, indications that the program can increase students' science knowledge and grades in mathematics, science and language arts. We discuss the special adaptations that environmental and sustainability education programs need to incorporate if they are to be successful in today's resource depleted urban schools.