Florida PLT 2008

Florida Project Learning Tree

Materials • Programs • Innovative Resources

Nancy Peterson, Florida PLT CoordinatorSchool of Forest Resources and Conservation, UF

Overview

What is PLT? Materials Programs Innovative

resources

Florida PLT 2008

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, "Teaches Students How to Think, Not What 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

School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida

UF/IFAS 4-H Youth Program

Florida Division of Forestry

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

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

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

Facilitator ReTREEt 2006

PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Technology connections Throughout the PreK-8 EE Activity

GuideWord processing softwareSpreadsheet/database softwarePresentation and graphics softwareGraphic organizer softwareDigital/video camerasInternet resources

Earth & Sky radio show correlations

Florida PLT 2008

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

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

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

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

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 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

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.

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

Florida PLT 2008

Children’s literature list

Sorted by author or PLT activity Title Publisher ISBN number Year published Synopsis Appropriate grade level

Florida PLT 2008

Florida Resources

Resources web pages

Florida Correlations

Professional Development Series

Florida PLT Web site: Florida PLT Web site:

http://sfrc.ufl.edu/plthttp://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

OnlineSelf-paced

No time limit

Computer components usable by teachers and students

Florida PLT 2008

Questions?