Florida Project Learning Tree Materials • Programs • Innovative Resources Nancy Peterson, Florida PLT Coordinator School of Forest Resources and Conservation, UF Florida PLT 2008

Overview What is PLT? Materials Programs Innovative resources Florida PLT 2008

What is PLT? A comprehensive environmental education (EE) program Partnerships International Network Delivery System PreK─12 Curriculum "Teaches Students How to Think, Not What to Think” Florida PLT 2008

Who Uses PLT? Classroom Teachers Youth Group Leaders Day Care Facilities Nature Center Staff Parents Community Groups Government Agencies Resource Professionals Museums, Zoos Florida PLT 2008

We’re everywhere! (almost) All 50 States plus the District of Columbia US Trust Territories Brazil Canada Chile Sweden Florida PLT 2008

PLT's mission PLT uses the forest as a "window on the world" to increase students' understanding of our complex environment; stimulate critical and creative thinking; develop the ability to make informed decisions on environmental issues; and instill the confidence and commitment to take responsible action on them. Florida PLT 2008

PLT’s goals Provide students with the awareness, appreciation, understanding, skills, and commitment to address environmental issues Enable students to apply scientific processes and higher order thinking skills to resolve environmental problems Help students acquire an appreciation and tolerance of diverse viewpoints on environmental issues, and develop attitudes and actions based on the analysis and evaluation of available information Florida PLT 2008

PLT’s goals Encourage creativity, originality, and flexibility to resolve environmental problems and issues Inspire and empower students to become responsible, productive, and participatory members of society Florida PLT 2008

PLT network Educators PLT Schools and EE Centers Facilitators State Steering Committee State Coordinator State Sponsors National Education Operating Committee National PLT Office Florida PLT 2008

Florida PLT sponsors Florida Division of Forestry School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida UF/IFAS 4-H Youth Program Florida Forestry Association Florida PLT 2008

PLT’s curricula Easily incorporated into existing curricula Interdisciplinary Hands-on, minds-on Correlated to Sunshine State Standards In line with education reform Florida PLT 2008

PLT conceptual framework Provides continuity between various content areas Promotes conceptual understanding Based on five themes Diversity Interrelationships Systems Structure & Scale Patterns of Change Florida PLT 2008

PLT curricula PreK-8 EE Activity Guide Energy and Society Kit Wildland Fire Florida Urban Forests Supplement Secondary Environmental Education Program Online Training Program Florida PLT 2008

PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Activity icons Differentiated instruction Technology connections Safety Urban and Community Forest Florida PLT 2008

PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Reading connections 3-7 books with each activity Literature piece- Introduction Read alouds Stories added to activities Improved discussion questions Educators are given additional techniques for effectively expanding upon the reading with students. -Trees as habitats- Discuss who may use the tree as a home, go outside and examine a tree for food/habitat. Write and draw pictures. Present their information as a booklet, poster, etc. Now: Discuss trees as habitats, read a story “Goodnight, Owl!” -Discuss animals in the story, sounds they made, how they used the tree -Show them examples of nuts and leaves -Create a telescope and then go examine trees closely -Then they further study the tree to see how animals and plants depend on their tree- more detailed. Florida PLT 2008

PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Authentic assessment techniques Reviewed, updated, or expanded One for each activity in order to design an evaluation to match the instructional goals of the activity Located at the beginning of the activity Students apply and demonstrate what they learned instead of stating what they learned. Instead of stating how to take care of a plant, the activity suggests they apply what they learned and actually take care of a plant in class. Looking at Leaves: Go out and pick some leaves, examine them, trade and find the plant the leaf came from. Enrichment: leaf rubbings, leaf prints. Assessment- Student page with a learn on one side and a tree with its name on the other. Now- -Collect leaves. -Work in groups to observe leaves and sort into groups -Exchange leaves and find the plant it came from Enrichment: rubbings, prints. Create leaf cards for concentration or to share with another class- class index. Assessment: Use a Venn diagram students can compare two leaves according to different characteristics -Answer: are these leaves more alike or different and explain. -Provide rubric Florida PLT 2008

PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Differentiated instruction enhancements Provide additional challenges for gifted or quick learners Ensure that the lesson is comprehensible and accessible to those still acquiring English Language skills and to students with disabilities Incorporated methods include: highlighting key vocabulary, creating links to prior knowledge, and providing nonlinguistic representations Example: The Forest of S.T. Shrew- learn about some animals in the microhabitat (soil/underground) of a forest. -Teacher reads the story out loud and there are questions afterward. Now- 1. show pictures of the animals that are encountered: Mole, shrew, spider, moss 2. Afterwards ask questions. Have youth draw pictures with windows of what’s underneath- DI- work in teams . 3. In teams to retell the story in sequence using sentence strips Florida PLT 2008

PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Technology connections Throughout the PreK-8 EE Activity Guide Word processing software Spreadsheet/database software Presentation and graphics software Graphic organizer software Digital/video cameras Internet resources Earth & Sky radio show correlations Technology connections are suggestions for activities. Non-technology suggestions are also included. Facilitator ReTREEt 2006

Florida urban forests supplement Understand urban forests through science-based investigations Designed for youth in grades 3-8 Based on three themes Urban forest ecology Benefits of an urban forest Strategies for improving urban forest health -While some of the PLT activities are well suited to urban areas, few of them convey the many benefits of urban forests to city residents. -The Florida PLT Urban Forests Supplement is a companion document for educators who have the PreK-8 PLT Activity Guide. -For example, one activity focuses on the links between tree health and placement, hurricanes, and a tree’s level of wind resistance to help explain what happens to trees during hurricanes. Total of 57 activities Florida PLT 2008

Secondary modules Available/Under revision Coming soon The Changing Forest: Forest Ecology Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Risk EEI: Focus on Forests EEI: Municipal Solid Waste EEI: Places We Live Biodiversity (available to download online) Coming soon Forests of the World Biotechnology Florida PLT 2008

Online training Intended to replace an in-person workshop Introduce and orient educators to the selected activity guide Self-paced program Available as of March 2008 Places We Live, $9.50 registration fee Florida PLT 2008

Programs Earth & sky Urban and community forestry GreenWorks! Florida PLT school Florida EE center Florida PLT 2008

Earth & sky for teachers Integrated multimedia educational experience Access to accurate, reliable, and understandable scientific research and data Correlated to EarthCare series Includes a list of additional resources -Combines the power of radio, the internet, and PLT -Earth & Sky is a successful short format radio program -Highlights the wonders of science and nature through daily radio shows -EarthCare = specifically address vital conservation issues, such as water quality, habitat preservation, endangered species, forest regeneration, aquatic ecosystems, the safeguarding of natural resources, energy. -Correlated to help enhance teachers’ use of the radio shows and all PreK-12 PLT materials. -Includes a list of additional resources Background materials Supplementary resources Related web links Suggested speakers Field tour sites Florida PLT 2008

Urban and community forestry education Enhances the teaching of PLT activities related to urban and community forestry Searchable database Includes an annotated bibliography and links to websites of urban and community forestry organizations - Searchable database by guide, category or keyword Funding provided by National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council Florida PLT 2008

GreenWorks! Community action and service learning program Encourages students to participate in community-based partnerships by developing and implementing action projects $500-$2000 awards twice a year Florida PLT 2008

FL PLT schools At least 50% of the teaching faculty from an elementary school or 50% of the teaching faculty at grade or subject level in a middle or high school have participated in a PLT educator workshop Organize a PLT Week or Incorporate at least 5 PLT activities into lesson plans A PLT Coordinator from the faculty 7 schools Florida PLT 2008

FL PLT schools Approved PLT Schools receive: A colorful PLT School flag An engraved plaque A Tree Trunk of teaching aids An opportunity to participate professional development opportunities Florida PLT 2008

FL PLT ee center The center agrees to: Hold at least one PLT educator workshop a year Have a staff member or volunteer become a PLT Facilitator Nature centers, ee centers, school district sponsored centers, etc. 14 centers Florida PLT 2008

Innovative resources Searchable resource list Children’s literature list Florida resources Florida PLT 2008

Searchable resources list Many “student pages” in a downloadable pdf format  Technology connections Assessment opportunities Earth & Sky radio show correlations Urban & Community Forestry web site connections Additional resources Go to www.plt.org, click on Curriculum, then PreK-8, then scroll down to "Resources for 2006 PreK-8 Guide By Activity."   Florida PLT 2008

Children’s literature list Sorted by author or PLT activity Title Publisher ISBN number Year published Synopsis Appropriate grade level Suggested location= book store or if out of print, it tells you and suggests the library Florida PLT 2008

Florida Resources Florida PLT Web site: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/plt Resources web pages Florida Correlations Professional Development Series Florida PLT Web site: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/plt Florida PLT 2008

Resources web pages Activity enhancements Activity materials Annual FL PLT awards Florida PLT listserv Memorial and recognition giving program PLTree Line newsletter Resource links Florida PLT 2008

Florida Correlations Prek-8 Activity Guide Energy & Society Kit Places We Live FCAT-like Prompts Florida PLT 2008

Professional development series Compliment educational materials from Florida PLT with Florida specific content Online Self-paced No time limit Computer components usable by teachers and students Goal is to have this available by Fall 2008. No cost Modules in development: tree products, tree id, invasive species Florida PLT 2008

Questions? Florida PLT 2008