Project Learning Tree – How to get Involved

Project Learning Tree® (PLT) is an international program that works with thousands of teachers each year, giving them award-winning environmental education curriculum materials and training to help them weave the environment into their everyday lesson plans and take their students outdoors to learn.

Virginia PLT is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Forestry Association, and the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources & the Environment. Project Learning Tree is one of the cornerstone environmental education curricula and its current guides contain activities that are engaging, hands-on, & aligned with the state’s education standards.

VMN is working to build volunteer involvement in Project Learning Tree, which is a fantastic environmental education curriculum for youth. Involvement by VMN volunteers can include taking the PLT educator workshop (learning to use the curriculum for youth programs), taking the PLT facilitator training (learning to train other educators, such as fellow VMN volunteers in how to use the curriculum), facilitating programs for youth using the curriculum, and/or giving training workshops for other educators (for those who complete the facilitator training.)

To this end, our FMN Chapter has approved PLT as a CE Provider and established Activity Service code E003: Project Learning Tree Facilitator.
FMN CE hours may be recorded for taking the required training and then service hours may be recorded for actually preparing material and teaching the curriculum.

Project Learning Tree has two components where VMNs can be involved:

1. The educator workshops are eligible for continuing education hours per the discretion of the local chapter. Those are offered around the state at various times throughout the year.

2. Part two is adding an Outreach service code for trained PLT instructors for when they actually teach course criteria. They can’t teach until they have been trained. PLT sessions could be arranged with schools or county nature centers.

Educator Workshops may also be arranged for a specific chapter, which segues to the ‘big ask’ of this article. FMN Wendy Cohen, is a certified facilitator and has volunteered to lead a workshop for our chapter. PLT likes to have at least ten people attend these workshops. Because of the preparation required to develop a chapter workshop, FMN would like to gauge the potential interest of our membership.

FMN is targeting the workshop for the February/March 2025 timeframe.

FMN is not asking for a commitment at this time but if there is potential interest on your part to participate in a workshop, please respond with a ‘Yes, I am interested in a workshop in [Feb or Mar or either]’ to the following email address:

Jerry Nissley (Hours co-chair) – [email protected]

Results will be communicated in January 2025.

Acknowledgements:

Cover photo by Kara Zimmerman – Bigleaf Magnolia leaf found by Isaac. Kids love nature programs.