Florida Project Learning Tree Materials • Programs • Innovative Resources

1. Florida Project Learning TreeMaterials • Programs • Innovative Resources Nancy Peterson, Florida PLT Coordinator School of Forest Resources and Conservation, UF Florida PLT 2008

2. Overview • What is PLT? • Materials • Programs • Innovative resources Florida PLT 2008

3. 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

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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Activity icons • Differentiated instruction • Technology connections • Safety • Urban and Community Forest

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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 Florida PLT 2008

20. Secondary modules • Available/Under revision • 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

21. 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

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

23. 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 Florida PLT 2008

24. 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 Funding provided by National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council Florida PLT 2008

25. 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

26. 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 Florida PLT 2008

27. 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

28. 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. Florida PLT 2008

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

30. 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 Florida PLT 2008

31. Children’s literature list • Sorted by author or PLT activity • Title • Publisher • ISBN number • Year published • Synopsis • Appropriate grade level Florida PLT 2008

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

33. 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

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

35. 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 Florida PLT 2008

36. Questions? Florida PLT 2008