Did you know that indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than outside air due to the accumulation of volatile organic compound (VOC) levels caused by chemical cleaning agents? Have students investigate the impact of common cleaning products on their environment, learn about “green cleaning,” and how to create their very own… Read more »
There are over 7,000 school gardens across the nation and you can have one at your own school! This fact sheet from USDA’s Farm to School program provides successful gardening examples and tips in PreK-12 school settings.
Have a Netflix account? Bill Nye (The Science Guy) is staring in a new Netflix original series, Bill Nye Saves the World. The first episode “The Earth is a Hot Mess” discusses climate, how greenhouse gases affect our climate, and the science behind global climate change. Each episode is roughly 30 minutes long, includes short… Read more »
The Teaching in Nature’s Classroom: Core Principles of Garden-Based Education e-book highlights 15 principles and best practices for successful garden-based education programs. Use this guide to deepen elementary and middle level students’ connection to nature, food, and outdoor education.
Forest management in the eastern United States is faced with many modern challenges. To address the changes, researchers designed a long-term, large-scale experimental study of forest management and its impacts on plants and animals. This study, referred to as the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, is in its 10th year and there are already some interesting findings.
Videos from California Academy of Sciences explore today’s environmental issues related to water use, from water shortage to waste water recycling. Intended for middle school students, these short videos come with background information for better understanding. You can extend the concepts covered by facilitating a student-led discussion or making connections to the Next Generation Science… Read more »
Check out the Science of Seasons page from the Forest Service Northern Research Station. This extensive resource includes podcasts, research stories, and publications related to the impacts winter has on forest ecosystems. Learn why you should resist the temptation to call winter the “dormant season.” From the soil to hydrology to wildlife, there is much… Read more »
Almost everyone who attends a PLT in-person workshop praises the experience. In our continual efforts to innovate based on educator needs, PLT offers online professional development for our new e-units, PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide, Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood, as well as GreenSchools.
Energy in Ecosystems for grades 3-5, and Carbon & Climate for grades 6-8. These new units are available online to educators across the country, just in time to plan for the upcoming school year.
In an exciting move that positions PLT for future growth, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced today that PLT has been transferred to SFI Inc. from the American Forest Foundation.