Native species are essential to healthy ecosystems. These species have had years of evolution to adapt to weather, seasons, and other living things around them. Native birds and insects in particular keep our environments in balance. Take a look at the importance of native birds and insects in our natural environments and how we can introduce students to these concepts in tangible ways.
Summer break allows educators to recharge and reflect. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is important for students’ growth—nature-based education, like PLT activities, fosters SEL by promoting collaboration, self-expression, and emotional connection to nature. Explore ways you can incorporate SEL into your classroom this school year!
Young learners often focus on bees when learning about pollinators, but it’s important to introduce them to the diverse range of pollinators supporting our ecosystems. From birds to bats, butterflies to moths, there’s much to learn. Engaging activities like scavenger hunts, bee baths, and pollinator-themed crafts help them understand the vital role of these creatures and the importance of conserving their habitats. Explore how you can enhance activities and learnings with PLT!
Birds are a wonderful introduction to the natural world and happen to be just outside your door. Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with PLT’s newest activity collection, Together for Birds!
Natural Inquirer is a free science education journal written for middle through high school age students. Learn more about the variety of PLT resources that have been correlated to Natural Inquirer articles.
Explore fun, hands-on Valentine’s Day crafts using natural and recycled materials to try at home or in the classroom, including wreaths, ornaments, cards, textile gifts, and more!
Explore PLT resources to help you teach students about the environment, whether you’re new to teaching or looking for new environmental education resources to explore! PLT provides easy-to-teach, hands-on activities suitable for various settings, and a range of resources to support and mentor new educators.
As we ring in the New Year and look forward to all the great things to come in 2023, it’s also a perfect time to reflect on and celebrate the past year.
From launching new PLT materials like Trees & Me and our activity collections, Connecting for Health and Planet and Trillions of Trees, to the continued success of PLT state coordinators and facilitators training over 6,000 educators—we made big impacts in 2022.
Watching the seasons change can be an exciting time for students, especially if they live in a community with obvious seasonal changes! Use these lessons to foster curiosity in students wondering how some trees stay green all winter long and as a basis to learn about trees throughout the year.
The winter environment offers abundant outdoor learning opportunities for preschoolers and high schoolers alike. How do you make the most of outdoor activities for kids during the colder months? Molly Gillespie, Alaska’s PLT Coordinator, recently shared with us some tips for teaching outdoors in the winter.
