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Project Learning Tree ®
Project Learning Tree-Ohio is a comprehensive environmental education program that strives to deliver all aspects of the award winning international Project Learning Tree program.
PLT helps educators with balanced, non-biased learning experiences for early childhood through 12th grade that encompass the total environment-land, air, water, plants, and animals (including humans). PLT activities are correlated to state and national education standards (please see “Academic Correlations” in the sidebar)
Since 1980, PLT-Ohio has provided workshops to more than 20,000 educators throughout the state to learn about using the PLT activities with young leaders. Currently, more than 300 formal/non-formal educators and natural resource experts are certified PLT volunteer workshop facilitators. Originally managed by the Ohio Department of Education, PLT-Ohio is now a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization. PLT-Ohio is managed by a board composed of educators and natural resource professionals, and is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry.
“Teaching students to observe the world around them-wherever they might be”- High School educator
The History of Project Learning Tree
Nationwide, PLT is a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF), a non-profit organization that strives for healthy forests, quality environmental education and informed decision making about our local communities and our world. PLT was developed by classroom educators, as well as by representatives of conservation and forestry groups. The AFF continues to update and develop new PLT materials to keep up on current issues relating to environmental education. Since inception in 1976, PLT has reached more than 100,000 educators and over 20 million students across the globe. Over the years, several research and field surveys have shown PLT to be an effective teaching tool.
In addition to the PLT activity guides/modules, PLT GreenSchools! and PLT GreenWorks! provide students with the opportunity for leadership and service learning in their school or local community. PLT GreenSchools! Program provides educators with the appropriate tools, resources, and training to help promote student initiated projects that make their school or community more environmentally sound. Such projects include energy audits, PLT GreenWorks! Program supports funding for organizations that create service learning opportunities for children to improve their local community’s environment. Since 1992, over 1,000 projects have been funded by PLT’s GreenWorks! Program.
“New ways to make activities hands on, yet still meet standards”- Preschool Teacher/Administrator
The Benefits of PLT…
For Children:
- Develop skills in problem solving, critical thinking, evaluation, research and discovery, and decision making.
- Begin to make wise personal choices about everyday matters that affect the natural world.
- Learn how to think, not what to think, about the complex environment.
“The activities have so many parts and offer so many possibilities for use with all the levels of kids I work with. I love the background they provide”- Suburban Elementary/High school educator
For Educators and Other Educational Leaders:
- Participate in creative, hands-on workshops that help improve teaching skills.
- Receive a ready-to-use PLT guide which actively involves students in their own learning process.
- Find that PLT activities work with a variety of teaching and learning styles.
- Receive an electronic periodical called “The BRANCH, with updates and additional teaching ideas, activities, and information.
- Able to received support materials, such a resource kits and other activity supplies from PLT-Ohio and the national network.
- Guides/Modules are correlated to national and state education standards.
“Great cross curricular activities”- Rural elementary school educator
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