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Project Learning Tree (PLT)-Ohio is a comprehensive environmental education program that strives to deliver all aspects of the award-winning international Project Learning Tree.
PLT helps educators with balanced non-biased learning experiences for PreK through 12th grades that encompass the total environment - land, air, water, plants and animals (including humans).
Since 1980, PLT-Ohio has provided workshops to more than 20,000 educators. 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 resources professionals, under the sponsorship of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Forestry.
New State Education Standards & PLT
Many educators have been involved in the development process to create a user-friendly database to integrate Project Learning Tree activities into learning experiences. For information regarding the Ohio Content Standards of PLT activities, click here.
The Benefits…
Children:
- Develop skills in creative problem solving, critical thinking, evaluation, research, and decision making.
- Begin to make wise personal decisions about everyday matters that affect the environment
- Learn how to think, not what to think, about our complex environment.
Teachers and Other Leaders:
- Participate in creative, hands-on workshops that help improve their teaching skills.
- Receive a ready-to-use PLT guide which actively involves students in the learning process. The activities in the guide are also correlated to education standards
- Find that PLT activities work with a variety of teaching and learning styles.
- Receive a periodical called “The BRANCH”, with updates and additional teaching ideas, activities, and information.
- Receive support from PLT-Ohio and the national network.
- Are able to participate in special advanced PLT workshops on a variety of themes.
- Learn about the annual Greenworks! Grant Opportunity, for community-action projects that involve a PLT participant, youth and local partner groups. Amounts vary ($200 - $2000) and more information is available through the National PLT office.
The PLT Story
Nationwide, PLT is a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF), a non-profit organization that works for healthy forests, quality environmental education and informed decision making about our communities and our world. PLT was developed by classroom teachers and other 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 in education and the environment.
PLT has reached more than 100,000 educators and more than 20 million students in all 50 states and several foreign countries since it was field tested and revised by classroom teachers in 1977. Research and field surveys have shown PLT to be an effective teaching tool.
In Ohio, Project Learning Tree began in 1980, and it has been received enthusiastically by teachers and youth leaders. More than 300 people are currently certified as volunteer workshop leaders and more than 15,000 teachers and youth group leaders have attended a local workshop to learn about using the activities with young people. A strong state board committee, made up of education and resource professionals, is responsible for financing and operating the Ohio PLT program.
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