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VT Project Learning Tree

Vermont Project Learning Tree envisions a future where every young person understands, appreciates and loves the natural world, and enjoys spending time outdoors. Our community's future depends on a strong connection between children and the natural world.

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VT PLT classroom experience

Outdoor Learning

July 30, 2014 By vtplt

Marilyn Thompson and Linda Burnett found success in teaching students at the Mountain School at Winhall outdoors after participating in a Project Learning Tree facilitator training at Seyon Lodge State Park in 2010. Since then they trained all their colleagues at the school in PLT and made the school grounds into an effective outdoor classroom.

“I was attracted to PLT because we have a large outside space at our school that was not used for teaching. I saw so much opportunity for outside learning and PLT seemed like a great fit for our needs.

I was not disappointed.” said Marilyn Thompson after training her fellow teachers in PLT. The activities in the Prek-8th grade PLT guide gave all teachers at the school the tools they needed to share the natural world with their students and reach their curriculum goals through effective outdoor learning.

This small private school in southern Vermont became so engaged in outside learning and studying trees that the entire school participated in the Arbor Day Growing Works of Art contest every year since, fielding contest winners and lots of high quality artwork and writing. Students continue to be engaged in outside activities at the school, work with PLT has been expanding into other areas, including a Learn about Food and Farming Project connecting children to the food they eat. There is so much that PLT can provide and these two teachers used it as a tool to transform this school.

Filed Under: Classroom Stories, Home Page, Latest News Tagged With: environmental education in Vermont, Mountain School

We invest in the teachers who invest in our children

Research shows that people who enjoyed meaningful experiences in the outdoors as a child, are able to think critically and act responsibly on behalf of the ecological, social, and economic values of our forests and other natural resources as adults.

VT Project Learning Tree achieves its mission by training educators in Project Learning Tree®, the time-honored environmental education curricula developed by the American Forest Foundation.

VT Project Learning Tree relies on the support of every facet of the community--businesses, individuals and government--to accomplish its mission.

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