ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: New York Restoration Project
EDUCATION PROGRAM: RespecTree
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 4
CONTACT: Nahomi Cobar, Educator
GRADES SERVED: Fourth


A series of lessons and individual assignments that will empower classrooms to create a greener schoolyard or playground. Students survey school grounds for greening opportunities, learn the role of trees in natural ecosystems and urban communities, participate in campus tree-planting, develop an outreach strategy to communicate their tree-planting efforts to the school community and engage the student body in tree-planting and stewardship activities. The program includes a field trip to NYRP’s Swindler Cove Park and culminates in a schoolyard planting day and celebration. NYRP will provide lessons for long-term tree care and maintenance.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Trees New York
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Youth Environmental Literacy Programs
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: Varies
CONTACT: Cheryl Blaylock, Director of Youth Programs
GRADES SERVED: Elementary-High School

Hands-on activities as well as classroom studies that expand students’ knowledge of the environment while advancing their reading, language and investigative skills. Trees New York's Youth Environmental Literacy Program course curricula are customized to accommodate students' age and classroom schedules. Programs range from one to twelve hours and include learning materials. Meets several New York State Learning Standards. Schools can request to have trees planted on school grounds. For the Young Urban Forester certificate program, students are introduced to urban forestry issues such as invasive pests, the urban heat island effect, global warming, green careers and environmental advocacy.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Urban Park Rangers
EDUCATION PROGRAM:The Natural Classroom: “TreesNYC: Something Big Is Taking Root”
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1-2
CONTACT: The Rangers at the Nature Center closest to your school or 311
GRADES SERVED: K-8

Interactive, park (or field)-based program focusing on the importance of trees in urban areas. This series of hands-on programs helps students meet Department of Education performance standards and is available through any of New York City’s nature centers, which are staffed by Urban Park Rangers. Program held in nearby parks or available outdoor space or the classroom during winter months.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Hudson River Park Trust
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Garden Trees, Insects & Birds Tour
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: E-MAIL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT or call: 212.627.2020

Field trip that begins with a discussion of the plant kingdom from the smallest algae to acorns and trees. Identifying trees is the main focus, and the tour highlights pines, tupelos, sweetgum, goldenrain, gingko, and a variety of oaks. Participants then use leaf stamps to mark different tree species on maps as they find them during a plant hunt.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Staten Island Greenbelt
EDUCATION PROGRAM: All About Plants
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: Maritza Cuevas, Director of Education

Depending on grade-level, students may conduct a sensory exploration of the forest; learn to identify plant’s parts; explore how plants use the sun’s energy, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water to produce carbohydrates for plant food and study plant reproduction, pollination and seed dispersal. All seasons.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Central Park Conservancy
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Keeping It Green
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: 212.360.1439 or email youth@centralparknyc.org

School classes can serve their community and help keep Central Park clean and green through a combination of stewardship and environmental education. Registration required at least 2 weeks in advance and each school is limited to 2 sessions per school year.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Human Impacts Institute
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Growing Our Roots
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: Info@HumanImpactsInstitute.org
GRADES SERVED: Third grade-adult

Engages youth and community members in supporting a healthy community through tree stewardship, sustainable water management, and creative gardening practices. All Human Impacts Institute programs are adapted to the specific needs of participants and are based upon staff availability. To request a program, email your contact information, date request and program interests.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: GreenApple Corps
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Street Tree Stewardship Workshop for Schools
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: Susan Kornacki, Stewardship Coordinator
GRADES SERVED: K-5

In class and outdoor hands-on service-learning about trees. GAC provides free workshops in street tree care to schools. This includes a brief introduction to the life cycle of a street tree, challenges faced by our urban forests, and steps we can take to mitigate these forces. The class then makes its way outdoors to engage in actual, hands-on street tree care. Students also may be able to adopt a tree near your school. Appropriate for schools in areas with limited park amenities and open space.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: NYC PARKS: YOUTH STEWARDSHIP
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Street Tree Care Workshop for Classrooms
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: Jamie Daugherty, Forester
GRADES SERVED: ALL

NYC Parks Forestry Department and representatives from MillionTreesNYC provide an introduction to the initiative and free workshops in street tree care to classrooms that have several young trees near their campus. Classrooms may receive a free tree care toolkit if they commit to adopting nearby trees.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Lower East Side Ecology Center
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Street Tree Care, Water in NYC, Greening Parks, Waste Reduction
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: Dan Tainow, Director of Education
GRADES SERVED: K-12

Your school can help care for the city’s open green space. LESEC’s school programs focus on open space preservation and maintenance, wildlife habitat creation, urban gardening, and street tree care. Learn about the ecological importance and environmental benefits of street trees and how your school or community group can adopt and care for the trees in your neighborhood. The Ecology Center will also provide your school with free resources to care for local street trees.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: NYC Department of Sanitation: Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling (BWPRR)
EDUCATION PROGRAM: School Recycling
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT:Natalie Wesson, Project Coordinator, NYC Compost Project in Manhattan
GRADES SERVED: K-12

DSNY’s Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling (BWPRR) offers decals, signage, curricula, and support to help schools set up their school recycling programs, and to educate students and staff about what and how to recycle. School resources include the NYC Teachers’ RRResource Kit, along with a literacy component of grade-specific coloring and Marvel comic books for grades K-5; and the Golden Apple Awards contests for applied learning projects on recycling, waste reduction, cleanups and gardening, plus composting. Go to www.nyc.gov/wasteless/schools to find ideas for student activities.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNER: Bronx River Alliance
EDUCATION PROGRAM: Bronx River Classroom
NUMBER OF SESSIONS: 1
CONTACT: Damian Griffin, Director of Education

Offers support to a growing number of teachers and community educators who use, or would like to use, the Bronx River and adjacent areas as outdoor classrooms. BRA provides teachers and community-based educators with training, curriculum consulting, lesson plans, equipment, supplies, in-field support and a network of experts to help them become more aware of the river, understand its importance and take part in its protection.

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