Let’s Talk Trees
You already know that the team at TreesCharlotte spends a lot of time in the dirt, planting and distributing trees throughout the city. But did you also know that we have a robust educational program ready to be shared with you?
TreesCharlotte offers a wide array of presentations and activities to tree-lovers from elementary students to corporate groups. Most talks and activities can be done in-person or virtually. We can tailor any presentation or activity to fit your group’s needs.
If you would like a TreesCharlotte representative to come to your group, fill out our Education Request Form at the bottom of this page!
Adult Education
The only way to save our urban forest is if everyone is on board, and no matter what age you are, you can always learn more about the trees that surround us here in the city of trees. To that end, TreesCharlotte offers educational presentations to adults of all ages so that everyone can be well informed about the many benefits of trees, the importance of tree care, and the state of our tree canopy.
Some of our adult education opportunities include…
- State of the Canopy presentation: Did you know that Charlotte is losing about 3 football fields worth of tree canopy per day?! Find out what is going on, why this tree loss is occurring, and what you can do to stop it.
- Tree Care Workshop: Perfect for proud tree-owners and those who just want to improve their environment. We’ll cover the basics of planting, pruning, and caring for trees so that they can grow and thrive. We’ll also talk invasive species control and the importance of maintaining a healthy urban ecosystem. Depending on your needs, this workshop can be outdoors with live demos or in presentation form.
- Tree Biology and Identification: Join us at your local park, greenway, or tree campus to learn the basics of how trees work and how to tell them apart. By the end of this lesson you will be a tree expert!
Elementary – High School Education
The best way to save the future of Charlotte’s urban forest is to engage passionate young people to care for our valuable greenspaces. TreesCharlotte offers a variety of activities and presentations that we can’t wait to share with your class, after school club, or summer camp.
Explore the various programs that we can offer and fill out the Education Request Form below.
State of the Canopy presentation
- Grade level: 4th-12th
- Location: Indoors
- Time of Year: Any
- Description: In this presentation, students will learn about the many benefits trees provide us, the current pressures on our tree canopy and the reasons for its decline, and ways they can get involved to push back against this decline. Students will be invited to discuss these issues throughout the presentation to create an engaging atmosphere as we discuss these important issues.
Junior Arborist:
- Grade level: 1st-2nd
- Location: Outdoors
- Time of year: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Description: Trees, like people, need doctors (aka arborists) to take care of them. During the Junior Arborist activity, we will discuss what an arborist does and why it is important to make sure trees are healthy. Then, students will be invited to become arborists for the day! They will be taught how to do a “checkup” to determine if a tree is sick or healthy and will record their findings in their “Arborist Checklist”.
Biodiversity Buddies:
- Grade level: 1st-3rd
- Location: Outdoors, best for spaces that have many different trees and plants
- Time of year: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Description: Biodiversity may seem like a big concept for young students, but with the Biodiversity Buddies activity, they’ll learn how important it is to plant and preserve lots of different types of trees. Students will be challenged to hunt for leaves, twigs, and flowers of different sizes, shapes, and colors. They will then be lead in a discussion to determine how their findings reflect the biodiversity of the area.
Arborist’s Apprentice:
- Grade level: 4th-7th
- Location: Outdoors
- Time of year: Spring, summer, fall
- Description: In the arborist apprentice activity, students will learn by doing by conducting a “checkup” on a tree on their campus. After learning about what an arborist does, students will inspect a tree and record their assessment of the health of the tree as they go on the “Aborist’s Apprentice” worksheet.
Environmental Justice for All:
- Grade level: 7th-10th
- Location: Indoors
- Time of year: Any
- Description: Planting and preserving trees isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a social justice issue as well. For this activity, students will reflect on a scenario describing a school that is facing tree-related environmental inequity. After discussing these issues and brainstorming potential solutions, students will be challenged to redesign the school’s playground to alleviate the environmental injustice this fictional school faces.
Analyzing Charlotte’s Microenvironments:
- Grade level: 6th-9th
- Location: Outdoors
- Time of year: Any
- Description: We all know that different parts of the world have different climates, soil types, and wildlife, but did you know that we can observe vastly different environments within the same space? And did you know that the presence of trees drastically impacts the quality of our local environment? During this activity, students will explore different “microenvironments” and observe how maintaining healthy greenspace improves these environments.
DIY Activities and Lessons
Below, you’ll find resources for youth to learn more about the benefits of trees, how to care for them, and fun tree activities.
TreesCharlotte Activity Sheets
Download our activity sheet for children that includes a maze, word search and crossword puzzle.
(Download Answer Sheet)
Tree Age Equation Worksheet: This is a simple, fun way to learn the approximate age of the trees in your neighborhood with some measuring tape and math.
Biodiversity Worksheet: This teaches students how important plant diversity is to the health of a forest.
How Tall is that Tree?: With just a pencil, some measuring tape, and a buddy, kids can measure the height of a tree with no climbing involved.
Leaf Collection Scavenger Hunt: Let students explore the world around them from a new lens with this leaf scavenger hunt.
Seed Pods and Cones Activity Go beyond the leaves– This activity sheet encourages students to understand the function of seed pods, cones, and fruit on trees.
Life in Tree Death Activity: This activity allows students to search for the unexpected life that comes from tree death.
Companion Curriculum
The following curricula are written with the intent to provide interdisciplinary opportunities in the use of a school’s tree garden, outdoor classroom or learning environment. Thank you to TreesGreenville for allowing us to share these.
NC Wildlife Federation Great Outdoors University
Great Outdoors University of Greater Charlotte is a conservation-based experiential education program created by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and National Wildlife Federation, designed to bring life-changing experiences to kids 6-18 who have limited opportunity to explore the natural world.
Mecklenburg County Nature Centers & Preserves
Latta Plantation Nature Center serves as the gateway to the 1,351 acres of Latta Plantation Nature Preserve and is the source for educational programs and information on the preserve’s natural communities, flora, and fauna. The preserve, Mecklenburg County’s largest, forms a green peninsula extending into Mountain Island Lake and protects a natural heritage site and several endangered plants.
McDowell Nature Center serves as the gateway to the 1,108-acre McDowell Nature Preserve and is the source for educational programs and information on the preserve’s natural communities, flora, and fauna. The preserve, the oldest in Mecklenburg County, has been left 90% undeveloped and protects mostly forested, rolling terrain along the banks of Lake Wylie.
Reedy Creek Nature Preserve protects 737 acres of natural, forested habitat within Reedy Creek Park. Reedy Creek Nature Center and Nature Preserve is located at 2900 Rocky River Road in northeastern Mecklenburg County.
Nature Explore
Nature Explore is a collaborative program of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. The goal of Nature Explore is to support efforts to connect children with nature.