January 2007

This special edition of PLTree Line is for you. Let me know what type of information you would like to see. I invite everyone to submit an environmental related article or blurb that would be of interest to PLT educators and supporters.

Thank you for all your support,
Jennifer Seitz
Florida PLT Coordinator

Inside this edition:

Florida PLT Awards- Nominations Open

Here's your chance to recognize an individual or organization for their efforts in promoting and enhancing environmental education. Nominate an educator, PLT facilitator, or business partner of the year for the Annual Florida PLT Awards.

  • Nominate an educator that incorporates PLT activities into the classroom or their programs and encourages the use of PLT activities by their colleagues.
  • Nominate a facilitator that has energized you to bring the environment into the classroom by using PLT.
  • Nominate an organization or business that has supported your efforts of using PLT in your school, center, or programs.

Additional criteria for each award are listed on the nomination forms that can be downloaded from the PLT web site. Deadline for all nominations: May 5.

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Florida School Awarded a GreenWorks! Grant

Fruitland Park Elementary (Fruitland Park) is one of the 32 grant recipients of National PLT’s support for community-based environmental projects. Their “Ain’t Nature Grand” project focuses on creating an outdoor classroom to teach life science with hands-on learning. The project will recreate a nature area for attracting different animal species for students to study. The outdoor classroom will include a butterfly garden, square foot gardens, and bird habitats equipped with nesting boxes, feeders, and baths.

Congratulations to Karen Driesbach and her colleagues in Lake County!

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PLT Activity #84 Global Climate

At a recent gathering of PLT Facilitators a lively debate about how to graph the data in this activity ensued. The vagueness of the “How to Do the Activity” led me to contact National PLT to find out the intention. The answer: Instead of connecting the dots per month, the graph should be a saw pattern.

National PLT will add this clarification to the next printing. If you find other ambiguities in PLT materials please let PLT Central know and we’ll find an answer.

Another question that was asked: Why the months October and May? These months were chosen to reflect each extreme. This is connected to the growing season. The CO2 level is lower in October because vegetation has recently gone through it's growing season in the spring and summer and absorbed more CO2. The web site listed in the activity provides data for every month from the scientists that did the study.

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LEEF Conference

Join us in West Palm Beach for the 2007 LEEF Conference March 15-18. Special highlight is a keynote address by Denny Olson. Numerous field trips and presentations are scheduled for this event. For more information visit http://leeflet.brinkster.net/.

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Turtle and Tortoise Program: K-2

Join us at the Tallahassee Museum for Wild Week: February 7-9. Students will learn what the difference is between a turtle and a tortoise. There will be biofacts, live animals, and a game to make the program both fun and educational. Pre-vocabulary and Post-activities will be provided. SSS Correlation: SS. SC.G.1.1, SC.G.2.1. For information and to register call Julie 850-575-8684 ext. 126 or jdickey@tallahasseemuseum.org.

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2007 Recycling Awards

AF&PA is pleased to recognize outstanding recycling programs as part of on-going industry efforts to increase paper recovery. In 2005, 51.5 percent (51.3 million tons) of the paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. While this is great news, there is more that can be done. The paper industry has set a goal of 55 percent by 2012. Entry forms for the 2007 AF&PA Recycling Awards are now available at www.paperrecycles.org. Deadline to apply: February 16.

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