Students will assess their school grounds and will record the different types of green spaces, along with how those spaces are used and maintained. They will investigate the school’s natural habitats and will record the diversity of plant and animal species. Students will also assess the health of trees on the property and will develop an awareness of the many benefits that trees provide, including shade, erosion control, and water purification.
Then students will generate ideas to improve their school site, including ways to better use the outdoors to improve students’ health, recreational opportunities, and academic experiences.
Download the School Site Investigation or purchase a print copy of all 5 PLT GreenSchools Investigations plus the Adult Leader Guide.
Resources
- Download the Adult Leader Guide for tips on how to form a Green Team, suggestions for how students might conduct investigations and why, and ways to obtain grants for action projects.
- Find more resources to support this PLT GreenSchools Investigation
- View correlations to academic standards
- Try some other PLT activities to enrich and extend the learning on this topic.
Here’s a sample:- PreK-8 Envrionmental Education Activity Guide
- Activity #31, “Plant a Tree”
- Activity #96, “Improve Your Place”
- PreK-8 Envrionmental Education Activity Guide
- PLT’s high school module
- Focus on Forests: Activity #1, “Monitoring Forest Health”
- Places We Live: Activity #5, “Green Space”
