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Florida Project Learning Tree Materials • Programs • Innovative Resources Nancy Peterson, Florida PLT Coordinator School of Forest Resources and Conservation, UF Florida PLT 2008 Overview What is PLT? Materials Programs Innovative resources 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, Not What to Think” Florida PLT 2008 Who Uses PLT? Classroom Teachers Youth Group Leaders Day Care Facilities Nature Center Staff Parents Florida PLT 2008 Community Groups Government Agencies Resource Professionals Museums, Zoos 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 Florida Division of Forestry School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida UF/IFAS 4-H Youth Program 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 Florida PLT 2008 PreK-8 activity guide highlights: Technology connections Throughout the PreK-8 EE Activity Guide Word processing software Spreadsheet/database software Presentation and graphics software Graphic organizer software Digital/video cameras Internet resources Earth & Sky radio show correlations Facilitator ReTREEt 2006 Florida urban forests supplement Understand urban forests through sciencebased 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 Florida PLT 2008 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 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: http://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 Online Self-paced No time limit Computer components usable by teachers and students Florida PLT 2008 Questions? Florida PLT 2008