Each day trees provide many benefits for all people. Through these experiences, children will explore the many products and benefits that trees provide.
This is one of 11 activities that can be found in PLT’s Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood guide. To get the activity, attend a training either in person or online and receive PLT’s Early Childhood guide. Below are some supporting resources for this activity.
Download the copyright free student pages that are included with this activity:
Family and Friends Page
Spanish Student Page:
Familia y amigos
Every month we carefully select new tools and resources that enhance PLT’s lessons. These include educational apps, videos, posters, interactive websites, careers information, and teacher-generated materials. Browse a chronological listing below:
The Evergreens in Winter document provides outlines of common tree shapes during winter.
This printable cutout of Smokey Bear, courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, can be colored, shared on social media, and sent through the mail to help teach kids about preventing wildfires. Created in 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history. Learn the Story of Smokey, find more activity ideas for kids and resources for elementary and middle school educators at SmokeyBear.com, and review these fire safety tips.
Dirt with Sid the Science Kid
Dirt on Dirt, an episode of Sid the Science Kid produced by PBS Kids, explores what makes dirt, dirt! In this episode, Sid and his friends learn about the different types of soil. Paired with a Dirt on Dirt Activity, students ages PreK-2 can follow Sid’s adventure and investigate the dirt and soil on their school grounds.
Kea: Learn Birds Through Play
Kea: Learn Birds Through Play is a free mobile app that turns the process of learning to recognize birds into a game. The app has games for beginners and seasoned bird watchers to recognize birds and their calls, and includes an extensive species database. Download the Kea app designed for both iPhone and iPad.
Why Would Anyone Cut a Tree Down? – for Grades 1-3
In order to reduce tree hazards, protect other trees, or to get wood, it is sometimes necessary to cut trees. Why Would Anyone Cut a Tree Down?, a 41-page book published by the U.S. Forest Service, teaches students in grades 1–3 why it is important to sometimes remove trees from the environment. The book also provides tips for planting a new tree. It is available for free download as a PDF, or you can purchase a hardcopy.
Mighty Mole and Super Soil – for Grades 1-3
What creatures live in the ground and how do they help make the soil healthy? A book from Dawn Publications, Mighty Mole and Super Soil introduces children to an underground ecosystem that is largely invisible to humans but vital to the health of the planet. In this short story, children follow a mole as she digs tunnels, finds food, escapes predators, and raises a family, all the while aerating and enriching the soil around her. With Mighty Mole and Super Soil, students learn about the importance of soil and the often unseen ecosystems underground. To take student learning even further, try pairing the story with these activities from Dawn Publications based on the book.
Early Childhood Education
Are you looking to tap into the Early Childhood education arena? Visit All Education Schools’ clearinghouse of early childhood education resources to explore professional organizations, licensing and credentials, reliable research, educator blogs, and more – all related to Early Childhood. Whether you’re just embarking on an early childhood education career or already work with children, you’ll find plenty of useful information.
Leafsnap is a free app that can be downloaded onto Apple and Android devices. Leafsnap uses visual recognition software to help identify tree species from individual leaf photographs you take in the field. This application contains high-resolution images of bark, flowers, fruit, seeds, and more. Currently Leafsnap specializes in tree species found in the Northeastern United States, but expansion to include all US regions is underway.
Tree Product Images
Print-out pages containing many examples of everyday products that come from trees!
A free app that can be downloaded onto Apple and Android devices. AllTrails helps users to get out and discover the outdoors. Use it to plan a national park visit, find a hiking path near home, or map a new trail of your own! AllTrails can help you find local places to run, hike, bike, fish, and more in the outdoors. You can even upload photos and images to trails you create.
Epic! For Educators
Are you looking for new literature connections to support your favorite PLT lessons? This growing Epic! online library offers thousands of picture books, chapter books, early readers, and even nonfiction books (think Common Core Connections!) that elementary teachers can access free of cost. Registered users receive unlimited access to books and customized recommendations for readers’ age levels and interests. Epic! is available for iPads, iPhones, and Android devices.
Nature Maestro® App Series
With Nature Maestro®, sound recordist and composer Dennis Hysom is your guide. Use this series of applications to explore sounds in nature. You might compose a soundscape for the rainforest, build a nature scene using audio paired with imagery, and discover fun facts about animals all along the way. Immerse yourself in these biomes to compose and share creative soundscapes and then share them with others.