What is PLT?
PLT Workshop Information
PLT Educator of the Year
WHAT IS PROJECT LEARNING TREE?
Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning international environmental education program designed for teachers and informal educators who work with students from early childhood through high school.
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PLT uses the forest
as a "window" into the natural world, helping young people gain an
awareness and knowledge of the environment and their place within it.PLT Works!
The North American Association for Environmental Education evaluated 240 teachers and 5,000 students in the U.S. and Canada who used PLT over a period of 12 months and found that short term exposure to PLT produces positive, long term effects when it comes to improving environmental knowledge and attitudes. Researchers further concluded that PLT increases knowledge in surprisingly little time. In fact, the average knowledge growth for students in grades 2-8 who were exposed to PLT for two to three weeks was no less than the equivalent of seven months. * Further national research has concluded that using the environment as a multidisciplinary medium increases student achievement, involvement, and lowers discipline problems (*Closing the Achievement Gap—Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning”, 1998).
Visit the National PLT website for more about PLT!
Workshops
Project Learning Tree offers 9 activity guides: 1 for early childhood, 1 for preK-8th, and 7 secondary modules. Learn more about the activity guides. How can you obtain one of these great resources? Attend a PLT professional development workshop!
Workshops offered:
Early
Childhood Workshop: for those who teach
ages 3-6; minimum of 2 hours
PreK-8
workshops: 6 hour workshop
Secondary
workshops: for high school teachers, minimum of 2
hours; choose from 7 secondary activity guides
In South Carolina, there is a $20 per participant workshop fee. The
fee is waived for pre-service students who take the workshop as a part of their
course curriculum. A minimum of 15 participants is desired for any workshop.
Want to attend a workshop?
Find out about PLT workshops in SC here.
How can I arrange a workshop for my staff?
Contact:
Stephanie
Kolok - SC PLT Coordinator
PO Box 21707
Columbia,
SC 29221
Phone (803)
896-8855
FAX (803)
896-8896
E-mail: skolok@forestry.state.sc.us
Since 1981, over 19,000 educators have participated in SC PLT workshops!
BECOME A PLT FACILITATOR
Join the list of volunteer professionals who conduct workshops throughout
the state. If you have participated in a PLT educator’s workshop, you
may want to become a SC PLT trained facilitator.
Facilitator training is a two-day leadership workshop where participants learn
how to conduct workshops. Once trained, facilitators can organize and conduct
workshops throughout the state. All materials and help will be provided. Volunteers
can be reimbursed for travel expenses and substitute’s pay if the facilitator
is an educator. Contact
the State PLT Coordinator for more information.
SOUTH CAROLINA PROJECT LEARNING TREE’S
Jerry L. Shrum Outstanding Educator of the Year Award
Each year South Carolina Project Learning Tree (PLT) recognizes one PLT trained
teacher for exemplary or outstanding PLT projects or use of PLT in the classroom.
Nominations may be from schools or self-nominations are accepted.
The award winner is presented a plaque recognizing their contribution to environmental
education and an all expense paid trip to the S.C. Forestry Association’s
Annual Conference. Winners are also offered admission to the S.C. Teachers’Tour -
an all expense paid four-day summer tour of the forests and forest industry
in South Carolina, a two-year position on the state Steering Committee, as
well as possible nomination for the National PLT Outstanding Educator’s
Award.
Benefits for the
S.C. PLT Educator of the Year
- All Expense paid opportunity to attend the annual State Forestry Association Conference and receive your plaque recognizing your accomplishments.
- $100 to spend on educational materials
- Recognition in the local newspapers, statewide forestry publications, on the district level and at the SC Science Conference exhibit.
- All Expense paid opportunity to attend the SC Teachers’ Tour in June and learn more about forestry in South Carolina.
- An opportunity to serve for two years on the state PLT Steering Committee as an educational representative.
- A chance to participate in the National PLT Educator of the Year Award program.
Recognize one of your teachers for their Excellence In Environmental Education Award Nominations (pdf file)
2012 Winner: Michele Powell
The 2012 S.C. Project Learning Tree Jerry L. Shrum Outstanding Educator of the Year* award winner is Michele Powell, a teacher at Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant. Powell serves as the Dean of Math, Science, and Engineering School of Study at Wando High School.
Her initiative has lead her to seek out real-world learning experiences for
her students, and her students love the hands-on aspect of her classes. “Project
Learning Tree is extremely important to students as it incorporates real-world
plus project based learning,” she says. “The enthusiasm of my students
going outside and getting excited about learning is what motivates me!”
In addition to incorporating PLT into her lessons, each class that she teaches
selects, plans, and develops an environmental project. “What I
hope most to achieve is for my students to learn about their own community:...our
local ecosystem, the impacts humans have on these systems, the management,
conservation, protection of our forests, and finally an intrinsic appreciation
of our resources,” she says.
Ms. Powell was presented her award at the South Carolina Forestry Association’s
44th Annual Convention in North Charleston. Congratulations to Michele
Powell!
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