Celebrate National Forest Products Week Oct 18-24

2026 National Forest Products Week & U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

National Forest Products Week is a time to recognize the many ways forests contribute to our everyday lives, and the people who make that possible. This year, Idaho has a special connection to that story. The 2026 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is coming from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. An Engelmann spruce will travel from Idaho to Washington, D.C., where it will stand as the Capitol Christmas Tree.

The Capitol Tree is one product of a working forest. Use Project Learning Tree’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree activity guide to explore what forests are, why forests matter, and how we sustain our forests. The activity guide is free and includes four forest-focused activities. Each activity includes a lesson plan, background info, forest facts, and take actions (extended learning and connections).

Tree Cookies: explore environmental changes using a cross-section of a tree.
Every Tree for Itself: youth model how forest management practices can support a tree’s needs of sunlight, water, and nutrients. Videos for Every Tree for Itself: indoor example, outdoor example, tree thinning video (1 minute).

Our Federal Forests: students learn how national forests are managed for many uses, then examine a national park or forest to identify land management challenges and suggest solutions.
Who Works in this Forest? Youth investigate different forest sector careers.

To extend the learning from “Who Works in this Forest,” we invited several people who work across Idaho’s forest sector to share what they do, how they got there, and what they want young people to know about careers connected to forests.

Green Jobs Panel

Watch the recorded panel (50 minutes)
Green Jobs Panel student worksheet (complete while watching)
Meet the Panelists PowerPoint (background on each panelist)

Learn More About the Tree

Explore More Green Careers

Project Learning Tree offers these guides for learners aged 12 to 25 in classrooms, community youth programs, and college and career prep. They work for educators, counselors, Scouts, 4-H and FFA leaders, foresters, and job training advisors.

Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers
The Journeys of Black Professionals in Green Careers
A Guide to Green Jobs in Canada, featuring Indigenous professionals (Canadian resource)
Find Your Green Job quiz: A short online quiz adapted from Activity #1 in the Green Jobs guide. Students answer a few questions and get career suggestions that fit their personality.

For Educators

The Green Jobs Online Professional Development Course shows how to adapt the activities for different learners and for virtual settings, and offers Continuing Education Units or Continuing Forestry Education credits.

To build your own forest literacy, try the free two-hour course Forest Literacy: Understanding the Values of Trees, Forests, and Sustainability, developed with Project Learning Tree and Texas A&M Forest Service.

2026 City Nature Challenge

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is a global citizen science event held each year at the end of April. Through a community bioblitz, urban residents observe and document the wild plants and animals living alongside them — data that is then reviewed by experts and contributed to ongoing biodiversity records. Learn more at citynaturechallenge.org.

To help educators bring this experience into the classroom, Idaho PLT and Boise Parks and Recreation developed a lesson plan designed for high school students.

Access it here.

Ideas for Grades K-8

Explore biodiversity and habitats using the following Project Learning Tree lessons, available in the Explore Your Environment K-8 Guide: Trees as Habitats; The Fallen Log; Life on the Edge; Field, Forest, and Stream; Backyard Naturalist

FREE Sample lessons: Backyard Safari; Charting Biodiversity; Field, Forest, and Stream

FREE PLT activities: Green Schools Site Investigation

Biodiversity Bingo from PBS

PLT’s New Activity Collection for Grades 9-10: Forests, Water & People

Project Learning Tree’s newest activity collection includes three inquiry-based lessons that examine the connections between forests and watersheds while investigating their impacts on communities.

PLT and the USDA Forest Service collaborated to create a special digital activity collection – Forests, Water & People. The lessons are designed for educators to use with learners in grades 9-10, with variations for grades 6-8.

Hands-on Learning

The three downloadable activities invite students to investigate the relationship between forests and watersheds as they investigate the source of their own drinking water. It’s place-based learning that also incorporates technology to study our environment.

From Tap Root to Tap Water: Students use maps to identify local watersheds and forest cover, evaluating the extent to which their community’s water supply depends on forests.
Mapping Your Community Through Time: Students investigate the history of their community and make map overlays to look for patterns in how its housing, water systems, and green spaces have changed over time and in relation to each other.
Watershed Watch: Students examine different perspectives on a community issue related to forests and watersheds, and plan to take action on a local watershed issue.

Forests to Faucets 2.0 Toolbox

In each activity, you’ll find a special Toolbox section. Using the GIS mapping tool, Forests to Faucets 2.0, created by the USDA Forest Service, learners explore watersheds in their own communities. You’ll be able to see why sustainable forest management is vital to maintaining quality drinking water supplies.

Backgrounder

New to this collection are “backgrounders”, which highlight relevant information on activity topics. You’ll find things like key vocabulary terms and ways to engage students in each activity.

Download your copy of Forests, Water & People today at shop.plt.org.

Connecting to Standards

Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core ELA Standards

United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. These 17 goals were adopted by all UN members in 2015 in an effort to “improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

Connecting to Careers

Idaho Resources

Laws protect Idaho Forests

Idaho Forestry Best Management Practices – Forest Water Quality (video from University of Idaho, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences)

Forest Fast Break: Water

Forest Issue Brief: How Do Forests Affect our Drinking Water?

Water & Forests

Journey of Idaho Water (video from Idaho Farm Bureau Federation)

General Resources

Healthy Forests, Clean Water Poster

U.S. Geological Survey’s National Map

Forests to Faucets 2.0 Data Explorer – USDA Forest Service

How’s My Waterway – EPA Tool

Watershed Story Maps from Idaho Water Resources Research Institute

There are many more resources on each lesson’s page linked above.

PLT’s Connecting for Health and Planet

For grades 3-5, with adaptations for 6-8
A growing body of research confirms that children are healthier, happier, more creative, and have better knowledge retention when they consistently play and learn outdoors. Some benefits of time outdoors for youth include:

Increased attentiveness and better recollection of information, even after they go back inside.
Improved performance on tests and other external measures of knowledge gains.
Greater feelings of competence and motivation to learn.
Elevated mood and better ability to regulate emotions.
Decreased stress and anxiety.
More physical activity and improved physical health.
Improved balance, coordination, and problem-solving skills through less structured play.

This Project Learning Tree activity collection includes three lessons that invite learners to investigate how being outside—and among trees, specifically—provides people with many different physical, emotional, social, and learning benefits.

GO TO Connecting for Health and Planet

Free WEBINAR

Supporting Students Social Emotional Learning Through Nature-based Activities

Tuesday, September 17, 2024 | 4 – 5 pm PST / 5 – 6 pm MST

The first 5 attendees of this 1-hour webinar will get a free digital copy! Register HERE.

Connecting for Health and Planet lessons

PLT provides three downloadable student pages and additional resources for each:

Connecting to Standards

Idaho Standards – ELA/Math/Science

STEM Strategies

Streaming/on-demand

Natural Inquirer’s Virtual Learning Adventure – Nature Health Benefits LIVE: https://naturalinquirer.org/resource/virtual-learning-adventure-nature-health-benefits-live/

More Resources

Free family activities to get outside; https://www.plt.org/activities-for-families/

SEL through Nature: https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/sel-with-nature/

Back to Nature Activities: https://www.plt.org/news/back-to-school-back-to-nature

BIRDS

Birds are a wonderful introduction to the natural world and happen to be just outside your door! Whether in town or in the country, birds are usually within easy eyeshot or earshot. Project Learning Tree and American Bird Conservancy collaborated to develop a special new digital activity collection–Together for Birds. The lessons are designed to use with K-5 students. The collection enhances PLT lessons with bird-specific content, including digital student pages, enrichment experiences, recommended reading, forest facts, accompanying posters and charts.

Download your copy here (FREE until December 31)

Free Birds for All WEBINAR – October 26, 2023. 2-3 pm MT/1-2 pm PT. Watch the webinar recording, access abundant resources that were shared, and see the webinar chat here.

Together for Birds includes three lessons (Don’t miss the download button above so you can access the lessons).

PLT provides downloadable student pages and additional resources for each:

Connecting to Standards

Idaho Standards-ELA/Math/Science: Birds and Bugs

Idaho Standards-ELA/Math/Science: Neighborhood + Backyard Naturalist

Idaho Standards-ELA/Science: Trees as Habitats

Next Generation Science Standards

Common Core English Language Arts and Math

Connecting to Careers

Read how Lindsey Webb, a Senior Wildlife Biologist for Manulife Investment Management Timberland and Agriculture Inc (Manulife), manages forests for valuable habitat for wildlife, including birds at Forest Careers: For the Birds.

Local Resources

Teachin’ Turkey – FREE event for teachers! (Space is limited)
October 26, 2023. 4:30-6:30 pm, MK Nature Center, 600 S Walnut, Boise
Email lori.wilson@idfg.idaho.gov for more information and to sign up.

Wildlife Express from Idaho Fish and Game is a wonderful online newspaper for elementary readers. To support your Together for Birds learning, we recommend the Songbirds issue from April 2021 and the Forest Grouse issue from October 2020. Don’t miss the associated learning activities here and here. Be sure to check out other timeless archived titles.

Science Trek from Idaho Public Television is another terrific educational resource, with videos and other educational materials. To support your Together for Birds learning, we recommend these topics:
Bird Migration
Birds of Prey
Owls
Urban Wildlife

Forests and Wildlife activity sheet

Wildlife Habitat varies from forest to forest

Why Forest Animals Live Where They Do

Idaho Birding Trail – over 250 sites statewide