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The lessons in this module reference the Arc platform for building performance management. Arc is currently undergoing some updates to improve its functionality and user experience. Please see the Arc resource page for more details on the update.

The Intro to Benchmarking lessons - two each for lower elementary, upper elementary, and middle school, and three for high school - are designed to help your students understand the science behind buildings, while exploring sustainability concepts and actions to improve the ongoing operations of the school itself.

• What if you did not have to leave the school to provide real world learning experiences for your students?
• What if the “real world” experiences you provide your students are right under your feet; or right down the hall?
• What if the experts you need to help deepen understanding were actually already in your school building and waiting for you to “see” them?

These lessons will help you find answers to these questions in the building where you work, and where your students learn and play.

The Intro to Benchmarking lessons are part of the Building Learners Program. The lessons will ease both you and your students into the topic of green building science by introducing key vocabulary and concepts through a case study of the Boston Latin School (BLS), the oldest yet greenest school within Boston Public Schools. This case study provides a foundation that will allow you and your students to discuss green building science with each other and explore elements of your own school building. The lessons introduce models and best practices for using data to improve a school's "sustainability performance" related to energy, waste, water, transportation, indoor air quality and occupant comfort.

These lessons were developed by Green Schools National Network (GSNN) for USGBC as an exemplar of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned instruction.