Project Learning Tree, the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, has created a new secondary curriculum for high school students entitled Exploring Environmental Issues: Places We Live, available to teachers through one of PLT's many professional development workshops.

Places We Live is designed to connect students to their neighborhoods and involve them in community action projects so that they have a stake in the decisions made about those places. By enhancing students' critical thinking and problem solving abilities, it improves their capacity to think about the natural environment in the context of their communities.

The curriculum's eight inquiry-based activities are interdisciplinary, covering topics such as social studies, geography, civics, language arts, health, and science. Developed by educators, technical experts, and resource management professionals in correlation with national and state education standards in social studies and science, the activities get students to explore their communities, how they grow, and possibilities for positively influencing that growth.

Places We Live can be easily adapted for adult or middle school students. APA members and staff provided content guidance during the development of the curriculum.