THE NOTEBOOK: Eco schools turn kids green and increase test scores

Here's an idea that will make some schools green with envy.

The National Wildlife Federation is recruiting schools to participate in environmental education.

Eco-schools USA is a new program that  is already in 47 nations. The idea is to create volunteer teams of students, teachers and others to make their buildings, grounds and curriculum more green.

One example they give is a "math and the environment" class taught at COuntry Day School  in Savannah, Ga. The school  volunteers installed  a 2,000 gallon cistern that collects 50 percent of rain water runoff.  Students regularly measure the water and figure out  how much is needed to water their organic garden and wash down outdoor classrooms.

The federation notes that a study of 9th and 12th graders in Florida found a correlation between participation in environmental education programs and higher  grades on  tests that measure critical thinking.

For more information visit nwf.org.