Education

Teaching children HOW to think, not WHAT to think, about the environment

high-quality instructional materials for grades PreK-12,
carefully designed professional development, and
an extensive distribution and support network

Project Learning Tree (PLT) and Project WILD's PreK-12th grade educational materials are flexible, engaging, and easy to integrate into your existing curriculum. Foster academic and social-emotional growth through nature-based learning activities that are aligned to state learning standards.

Our staff and facilitators offer workshops for school districts, natural resource professionals, childcare providers, and preservice education students throughout the year and by request. We would love to come help you make the outdoors your classroom!

Why Should Your School District Use PLT? Learn more about Project Learning Tree Learn more about Project WILD Request a Training

Two young girls look at dead branches on a tree

A woman with a ponytail shows two other women how to identify a tree

A woman looks at a tree's leaves to identify it to a man

A couple measure a tree around its trunk

Two women smile holding up a drawing of leaves

A group of women work together to put straws into a toilet paper roll to model the parts of a tree

A woman rubs a crayon on a piece of paper on a tree to capture the bark texture

Two educators use a ruler to measure the height of a tree

Educators hold their arm up as the sign for tree on a nature walk

A man uses an increment borer to take a core sample from a tree

Educational Resources

Forestry Fridays

Want to learn more about the forest resources in North Dakota and how to manage them? Visit our Forestry Fridays Youtube page for information about community forestry, forest health, stewardship, and more!
Wildfire Prevention with Smokey Bear

Since 1944, Smokey’s been working hard to inspire Americans of all ages to prevent wildfires. Understand the basics of wildfire, prevention how-to's, and resources for teaching about Smokey Bear and his message.
Key to Common Trees and Shrubs in North Dakota

Practice using a dichotomous key to identify trees and shrubs found in our state.

Upcoming Workshops

Mar. 11, 2026

ND Soil Conservation District Annual Meeting

You’re invited to a hands-on workshop for North Dakota conservation district employees focused on sharpening job knowledge, sharing best practices, and gaining practical tools you can use right away. This event is held March 10-12 in Bismarck, ND.

A group of people play a game where they emulate how pollinators collect nectar from flowers and how flowers share their pollen

Mar. 17, 2026

National Association of Interpretation - Heartland Region Conference

Attendees of the NAI Heartland Region's Spring Conference can choose to attend this concurrent session learning how best practices for creating meaningful, outdoor experiences for youth using Project Learning Tree. The session is March 17 from 9:30-10:30 AM in Fargo.

A man reads from a resource book with a project screen behind him that reads "Teaching students HOW to think not WHAT to think about the environment"

Jun. 22, 2026

Outreach and Education