These Are the Trees in Your Neighborhood
Our Town Trees sparks curiosity and wonder in young minds. A mobile exhibit designed by Tree Trust and the Minnesota Science Museum, Our Town Trees connects students to the trees in their community. Children learn about many benefits of trees as they navigate a series of interactive learning stations. Engaging in sensory exploration, students learn why trees are important and, during the process, they connect with the natural world. Our Town Trees is the classroom component of Tree Trust’s environmental education program, Learning with Trees™.
Cultivating Connections
The Our Town Trees exhibit comes to each school for a week. Every station in Our Town Trees connects children to trees like those in their community. Students see how trees absorb and filter water with an interactive water table. At the Things Trees Provide Us station, students discover products made from trees. Youth excitedly pull out clear compartments from an interactive log to reveal tree-related products like toothpaste, lipstick, medicine, and even tape. Next, youth explore the power of trees to provide shade. They use small toy trees and work together as a team to decide where a tree would provide the most benefit in a yard. Other stations explain how trees create oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. After connecting to trees in new and exciting ways, students are ready to put their knowledge into practice with a planting day!
Planting Community
A school-wide planting day is the exciting Learning with Trees™ program finale. Each classroom works together to plant and name their very own tree. Students and staff celebrate the greening of their school post-planting. From tree parades to poetry and even songs, students and teachers welcome the new trees into their school community. Moving forward, they will water and care for their new green community members. Green space at schools offers many educational benefits, promoting a positive learning experience. According to researchers at Penn State University, trees stimulate learning. “The presence of trees and vegetation at schools, parks, and neighborhoods supports children’s development, learning, [and] focus, and can reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).”
Growing Green Futures™
Learning with Trees™ is a full-service educational planting program available to Minnesota elementary schools for FREE. With the support of this year’s generous sponsors – Cargill, CenterPoint Energy, Dakota Electric Association, Hennepin County, and Xcel Energy – we will transform lives and landscapes! This year, we are helping nearly 2,000 elementary-age students connect to trees at six Minnesota schools!
The Learning with Trees™ program is just one of the ways Tree Trust is committed to creating Green Futures™ and building community. With your support, we can continue to grow greener communities, one tree at a time. The Green Futures program, powered by generous donations, adds thousands of trees to our environment annually, contributing to a more sustainable urban forest. Your donation to Green Futures today will help us continue this important work.
