Dr. Patrick Curley,

Division of Academic Innovation and Global Initiatives

Onslow County Schools

pat.curley@onslow.k12.nc.us

Why EE is Important

Today's generation of children is the first to grow up indoors. Their plugged-in lives are often devoid of exploring the natural world. Consider these facts:

American children ages 3 -12 spend 27 percent of their time each week watching television, and only 1 percent outdoors (Hofferth & Sadberg, 2001)

Children ages 8 – 18 engaged in over seven hours of media time (e.g., watching TV, listening to music, using the Internet/computer, playing video games) each day (Rideout, Foehr & Roberts, 2010)

Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2—19 years were obese  in 2008 (Ogden & Carroll, 2010)

 In 2000 two-thirds of the public failed a basic environmental quiz and 88 percent failed a basic energy quiz (Coyle, 2005)

Benefits of Environmental Education

Research suggests that environmental education brings a slew of benefits to students.  A few key findings include:

EE Helps Build Critical Thinking, and Relationship Skills - Environment-based education emphasizes specific critical thinking skills central to “good science”—questioning, investigating, forming hypotheses, interpreting data, analyzing, developing conclusions, and solving problems (Archie, 2003).

EE Instructional Strategies Help Foster Leadership Qualities - Environmental education emphasizes cooperative learning (i.e., working in teams or with partners), critical thinking and discussion, hands-on activities, and a focus on action strategies with real-world applications (NAAEE & NEETF, 2001).

Increased Focus/Improved Cognition - Wells observed that proximity to nature, access to views of nature, and daily exposure to natural settings increases the ability of children to focus and improves cognitive abilities. (Wells, 2000).

Benefits of Environmental Education

Self Control/Self Discipline Benefits for Children with ADD - Taylor and her colleagues found that children with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) benefited from more exposure to nature –the greener a child’s everyday environment, the more manageable are the symptoms of ADD (Taylor, 2001).

Health Benefits - At the school environment level Bell and Dyment observed that children who experience school grounds or play areas with diverse natural settings are more physically active, more aware of good nutrition, more creative, and more civil to one another. (Bell, 2006).

Studying EE Creates Enthusiastic Students, Innovative Teacher-Leaders - EE offers opportunities for rich, hands-on, real world and relevant learning across the curriculum (Archie, 2003).

About PLT

Project Learning Tree Is a program of the American Forest Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works for:–healthy forests–quality environmental education–informed decision-making about our communities and our world.

In North Carolina PLT is sponsored by: NC Cooperative Extension Services, the NC Forestry Association, and the NC Division of Forest Resources.

What is Project Learning Tree?

A Comprehensive EE Program

High quality, PreK-12 EE curriculum materials

Diverse, international network of partners

Implementation via a successful delivery system of professional

development

Highly Successful Curriculum

PLT is one of the most widely-used environmental education programs in America. Today as more children are disconnected from nature, 500,000+ teachers have been trained to use PLT curriculum, opening a door to this country's outdoor natural heritage for 75 million students.

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

- Instill the confidence and commitment to take responsible action

Early 1970’s: Partnership between education, resource agencies, and businesses

started Project Learning Tree to teach young people about the environment 

1976: PLT materials first implemented in 13 western states PreK-6 and 7-12 Environmental Education Guides

1990: PLT materials revamped into PreK-8 and Secondary Modules

2006: Major revisions to the PLT PreK-8 Guide and continued development of Secondary Modules

PLT was so effective it inspired other EE programs based on the PLT model

Project WILD in 1983 Project WET in 1992

Project Learning Tree History

PLT’s Environmental Education Goals

“Teaching students how to think, not

what to think about complex

environmental issues.”

~Rudy Schafer, Founder PLT

Awareness

Knowledge

Challenge

Responsible

Action

Global InitiativesPLT’s International NetworkAll 50 states and the District of Columbia

Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Slovakia, Sweden, U.S. Trust Territories, The Peace Corps

AFF’s Center for Environmental Learning office (“National PLT”)

CEL Operating Committee

State Sponsors

State Steering Committees

State Coordinators

Facilitators

Teachers

Students

National, State, and Local Partnerships

PLT Curriculum

PLT for PreK-8– Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood– PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide– Energy and Society

PLT for Secondary– 5 printed modules– 2 online module

PLT’s PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide

New Features – Reading Connections– Technology Connections– Differentiated Instruction– New Design

Aligned to National and State Standards

Classroom Friendly – 96 hands-on, interdisciplinary activities– Indoor and outdoor activities

Energy & Society Kit

Activity Guide

Music & Dance by Billy B– Energy & Me CD– Energy & Me music and

dance DVD

Poster Set– Where is the energy?– What powers the move?

Secondary Modules (Grades 9-12)

• Focus on Forests

• Forests of the World

• Places We Live

• Municipal Solid Waste

• Focus on Risk

• Biotechnology (Online)

• Biodiversity (Online)

Correlations to State & National Academic Standards

NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES, ART AND SCIENCE IS

CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT.

http://www.plt.org/outdoors

Every Student Learns Outside

Learn how to make outdoor experiences part of everyday lesson

plans

Find a series of kids activity pages for “non-educators” based upon

PLT activities

Educator Support Materials

The Branch, PLT’s quarterly online newsletterInformation on PLT’s programs and resources

Latest in environmental education news

The PLT website, www.plt.orgResources by Activity Pages

Download student pagesFind additional resources for each activity

Calendar of PLT events

Standards correlations

and more!

Recognizing Excellence

PLT’s National Outstanding Educator Program

Recognizes educators for their commitment to EE, teaching skills, and use of PLT

Five winners chosen each year from state nominations

• Youth voice and leadership• Promote healthy and sustainable schools• Reduce environmental footprint – energy,

waste reduction, and water use reduction• Improve learning, test scores, and teacher

retention• Increase student and community

engagement• Schools can register online at

www.greenschools.org http://www.greenribbonschools.org/

Grants up to $1,000 for students to complete environmental service-learning projects.

Integrates community service with the academic curriculum.

Combines the environmental knowledge and resources of PLT with community action initiatives.

Applications Due September 30

www.greenworks.org

Project Learning Tree Works

25,000 educators trained a year

Half of users report using PLT at least

once a month

Recipient of national awards

60% of workshop participants are

referred to PLT by another educator