After being contacted several times a year by teachers who ask for forestry units, curricula, and lessons to teach at middle/high school levels, LEAF assembled a Forestry Task Force made up of educators and stakeholders committed to the development of an online secondary education Forestry curriculum resource, specific to Wisconsin.

LEAF is proud to introduce the High School Forestry Scope & Sequence, a free online resource by teachers for teachers which could be tapped for a simple lesson, unit, or complete semester or yearlong course. Thank you to all the Wisconsin educators and forestry stakeholders that made this possible, we will be reaching out with recognition soon!

Please welcome Gina Smith, who joined the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education as the Resource Specialist in June of 2021. Gina assists the center with curriculum support and development for both KEEP and LEAF and manages the WCEE Trunk & Kit lending program. She earned B.A.s from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in Earth Science, Life Science, and Middle School Science Education. Prior to joining the WCEE team, Gina taught middle school students and helped develop interdisciplinary learning expeditions at an Expeditionary Learning school in Central Wisconsin. Gina is an endurance activity enthusiast and enjoys spending time in nature with her family.

To learn more about our curriculum and resources, contact Gina at gsmith@uwsp.edu or 715-346-3005.

Over the past school year, we limited kits that were made available to educators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, we have made the decision to make all kits available to borrow until further notice. To find a list of all of our kits visit, Trunks & Kits.

Find our on-demand, asynchronous professional development workshops for educators below. Participants have 30 days from registration to complete the modules, which should take approximately seven hours. The certificate of completion states seven hours of participation and satisfies the Environmental Education Stipulation through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

 “Green” jobs represent one of the fastest growing and changing segments of the global economy. At the same time, today’s youth are seeking rewarding careers that help us move toward more sustainable lifestyles and economies, and Wisconsin’s K-12 educators are being asked to incorporate more career information into their curriculum. To help meet this need, this course is designed for middle and high school teachers and support staff who want resources and activities to help introduce their students to the wide range of careers related to forests. Participants will receive an e-book copy of Project Learning Tree’s “Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers” curriculum, as well as specific training in how to effectively use these hands-on activities to help youth research different forest sector careers and learn what it takes to perform these jobs. The Green Jobs activities can be used as individual, stand-alone lessons, or all together as a cohesive unit of instruction. Participants in this course will also explore career-related resources from LEAF (Wisconsin’s K-12 Forestry Education Program) and the Wisconsin Tree Farm Committee. The cost is $25 for the course, which includes the e-book, and participants can add on a paper copy of the guide for an additional $10.

Project Learning Tree is now offering online training for its new curriculum units. “Treemendous Science” for grades K-2, “Energy in Ecosystems” for grades 3-5, and “Carbon & Climate” for grades 6-8 are outstanding resources for integrating forest-based environmental education into your existing curriculum. These new e-units feature comprehensive, interactive connections to academic standards, including NGSS, Common Core State Standards for ELA and Math, and the C3 Framework for Social Studies. The online training is interactive, self-paced, and fully prepares you to bring these engaging new PLT activities to students. Learn more about the e-units in this short video. The curriculum is only available through professional development, so sign up for your online training today!

Harness the benefits of the most interactive instruction possible: learning on school grounds, outside the four walls of the classroom. This workshop is designed for K-8 teachers who are new to conducting class outside and are looking to boost their skills with beginning level resources. Participants learn how to conduct class outside on any type of school grounds (from urban concrete to rural forests) in order to engage and inspire students in learning. Guidelines, rules, safety considerations, resources and handouts will be provided so teachers have everything they need to lead confidently. The class also includes training in Project Learning Tree’s K-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide, and you will receive an e-book version of the PLT guide. You'll also receive a Step Outside kit in the mail for hard copies of resources and supplies for conducting a project-based environmental education product. Cost is $50

Learn how to use the Wisconsin Community Tree Map, a compilation of city and township tree inventories from around the state, with your students! With the pursuit of a tree inventory, students can learn more about the trees and forest ecosystems around them, becoming more intimately familiar with the places and spaces in which they live. Students work in groups to access the tree map via a smart phone or other device and collect data related to the species, size, condition and location of the trees. Students learn technical skills using equipment and observation, real-world critical literacy, outside field collection, data analysis and interpretation, systems thinking processes, and civic science practices. Participants will receive access to a growing library of resources which include curriculum connections, data collection and analysis documents, and a collection of articles and resources on urban tree benefits. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion and an organizational login and password for using the WI Community Tree Map as an inventory, research, and, citizen science tool with students. This online course will take approximately 3-4 hours to complete. Cost is $25.

Training in PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood that can be completed whenever and wherever is convenient to you.

​Training in PLT's Environmental Education Activity Guide that can be completed on your own time, at your convenience.

KEEP K-12 Energy Education Program Lessons for Distance Learning: These lessons allow students to work individually or through socially distanced group work, use limited shared equipment, and can be conducted remotely.

LEAF Lessons for Distance Learning:  This document includes LEAF's K-12 forestry education lessons that work well through a remote learning platform, as well as activities that can be taught outdoors with students six feet apart, with minimal modifications.

Project Learning Tree's K-8 Environmental Education Activities for Distance Learning: This document includes PLT environmental education lessons that work well through a remote learning platform, as well as activities that can be taught outdoors with students six feet apart, with minimal modifications.

METERhero: In partnership with KEEP, this web-based platform and curriculum will help students build STEM skills while discovering ways to reduce utility costs and protect our air and water supplies. METERhero connects students with their utilities through exploration and data collection.