PLT Materials Foster Academic & Social-Emotional Growth

Children examining technical toys while sitting together at the table during STEM class. Engineering, afterschool activity.

Academic Standards Alignment

PLT meets local, state, and national academic standards and we’ve already done the hard work of aligning all our activities to them. Our materials are correlated to the following national standards as well as state standards:

While PLT may be most often associated with meeting science requirements (and we do that very well!), our materials also effectively address STEM, English language arts, mathematics, social studies, service learning, and more. We demonstrate these connections in our professional development, so teachers can easily see where our materials will fit right into their lesson plans and help them meet important standards.

Two women review teaching materials together at a table

Professional Development for Your Teachers

PLT is on the leading edge for designing and delivering high quality professional development for new and veteran teachers. In fact, our literature review, The 5+ Guiding Principles for Professional Development, has become a go-to reference for injecting research-based best practices into adult learning and professional development. PLT offers affordable and engaging professional development workshops throughout the year, with in-person, online, and hybrid options available.

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Learning Objectives & Student Outcomes

Nature and inquiry-based learning benefit students inside and outside the classroom, with increased test scores, improved academic achievement, and greater engagement. We rigorously test our materials through formative and summative evaluations and field test them with hundreds of classroom teachers before they are published. Independent evaluators have determined that our hands-on, investigation-based activities help to build 21st century skills, stimulate knowledge gains in science, STEM, and environmental content, and engage teachers and students, all while making learning fun.

Nine in ten educators say their students showed moderate to significant gains in knowledge about the environment. Nearly eight in ten say students showed moderate to significant gains in other academic subjects and reasoning skills. 

Social-Emotional Learning

Children don’t just benefit academically from nature-based learning. Research has shown that students also reap a multitude of social and emotional benefits when they’re exposed to nature ranging from:

  • Decreased anxiety
  • Reduced stress
  • Improved attention/engagement
  • Growth of critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills
  • Increased empathy, self-awareness, and creativity

The skills and knowledge students gain from hands-on, engaging PLT activities help them become the future leaders and environmental stewards our world needs.

Young teen examining the tree stem through with magnifying glass.

STEM Learning

PLT uses instructional strategies that model STEM practices, including hands-on activities, promoting teamwork, building investigation and research skills, problem-solving, and so -on. By incorporating real-world lessons, students make connections between school, community, and the natural world. Our interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach helps students experience the world in new ways.

 

elementary students using navigation tools outdoors

PLT’s Approach

Project Learning Tree uses trees and forests as windows on the world to increase students’ understanding of the environment and actions they can take to conserve it. We use an extensive, multi-layered curriculum development process.

PLT’s Professional Development Model

PLT understands that not all professional development programs adhere to the same high standards. We design and deliver the highest-quality professional learning experiences, focused on outcomes and improving student achievement.

Happy kids in the park

Why Environmental Education

PLT’s environmental education for PreK-12, homeschooling, after-school and more helps learners become future leaders inspired to tackle complex world issues like natural resource conservation and climate change.