Idaho Project Learning Tree

Biodiversity is the spice of life! Did you know that biologists estimate that Earth’s current biodiversity is somewhere between 10 million and 1 trillion different species? And they’ve only just scratched the surface, classifying only about 1.7 million species.

For International Day for Biological Diversity, check out PLT’s Biodiversity Blitz activity collection and these accompanying resources: https://www.plt.org/activity-resources/grades-3-5-activity-charting-biodiversity/

🐝 What’s the buzz all about? It’s World Bee Day! Check out these fun activities to do with your students to celebrate these small but mighty insects that are powerful pollinators and vital to our entire ecosystem, especially forests.
https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/pollinator-activities-world-bee-day/

Each year, millions of birds migrate to their nesting sites in the spring, traveling hundreds and even thousands of miles. With PLT’s activity collection, Together for Birds, take your learners outside to explore the wonders of birds, their habitats, and why they’re so important to ecosystems.

In our constantly connected to devices world, kids today spend more time in front of screens, anywhere from 6-9 hours a day! This Screen-Free Week, unplug and head outdoors for fun, hands-on learning with PLT activities. They get you outside to enjoy nature, and teach students about math, science, language arts, and more.

Here are some of our favorite lessons to do outdoors!
For little learners, check out Trees & Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children:
🌲Sounds Around – In this fun activity, children explore the sounds of nature and imitate them using their own voices and instruments that they make together.
🌲Home Tweet Home – Children head outdoors for a nature excursion to find examples of animals and plants that depend on trees or shrubs.

For elementary & middle schoolers, try these activities from the Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide / Explora tu Ambiente: Guía de Actividades K-8:
🌲Neighborhood Naturalist / Naturalista del Patio – Students explore a nearby habitat to look for signs of animals living there
🌲Get Outside! / ¡Sal al Aire Libre! – Students examine the physical and emotional effects of a task done outdoors versus indoors.
🌲Improve Your Place / Mejora tu Lugar – Students plan and carry out a service-learning project focused on making positive environmental changes in their community.

Get more tips for teaching outdoors: plt.org/resources/educator-tips/teaching-outdoors/