Education Mission Statement – Fostering environmental literacy through exciting individuals about their natural environment with hands-on learning experiences, civic engagement and environmental stewardship.
Asheville GreenWorks offers free environmental education programs on waste reduction through recycling and composting, urban forestry and water quality.
Pollinator Activities & Resources
As leader of Bee City USA - Asheville, and in honor of our 2020 Pollination Celebration, we're uploading some of our pollinator activities for kids!
Shadow Spy Pollinators
![]()
|
Match different types of pollinators with their shadows! Intended for preschoolers.
|
Reading of On Meadowview Street - a children's story about creating habitat in your yard!
Tree Education Resources
Tree Discovery Guide & Tree Time Episode 1
Our Tree Discovery Guide is intended to enhance a walk around the block during this time of social distance. It will help you identify native trees in the city and has several sensory exercises to get you further engaged with your surroundings!
The Tree Time! video below is a visual accompaniment that allows you to see some of the trees, and their characteristics, mentioned in the Guide. Our Mapping Trees video goes on to show how we can use tree ID skills and other simple tools to help paint a better picture of our urban forest.
The following resources have been produced for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.
Our Tree Discovery Guide is intended to enhance a walk around the block during this time of social distance. It will help you identify native trees in the city and has several sensory exercises to get you further engaged with your surroundings!
The Tree Time! video below is a visual accompaniment that allows you to see some of the trees, and their characteristics, mentioned in the Guide. Our Mapping Trees video goes on to show how we can use tree ID skills and other simple tools to help paint a better picture of our urban forest.
The following resources have been produced for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.
|
![]()
|
|
|
Dichotomous Key Lesson Determine the species of ten native trees using a simplified dichotomous key! Suggested for grades 5th through 8th. ![]()
To Build a Tree
Build your own tree and act out the parts! Suggested for grades 3rd through 5th. ![]()
|
Leaf and Seed Matching Activity Match leaves and seeds (technically fruits) that come from the same tree species. Suggested for grades 3rd through the 5th. ![]()
|
|
Waste Reduction Resources
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat - by Simms Taback
Read by Finn Digman Super Sorters Lesson
Students will sort various items into recycling, composting, donation, grocery store and landfill bins. Suggested for grades K through 2nd.
![]()
|
Recycling Videos
What is the Bag Monster? The Bag Monster is a personified representation of the number of plastic bags the average American uses in a single year - which is 500. That's a lot of bags. He's gruff, full of attitude, and always trying to weasel his way into a recycling bin. The videos below chronicle our environmental educator's efforts to keep Bag Monster from contaminating the blue bin, while offering valuable recycling tips along the way.
|
|
|
|
Waste Reduction through Recycling and Composting
Since the beginning, GreenWorks has focused on waste reduction education, making sure generations of children learn the basics of living lightly on the earth. Our educators teach the 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - through hands-on activities and lessons. |
Composting
Lessons on the 3 main types of composting and hands-on applications. These lessons can be held at community gardens, school gardens or offsite at a local commercial composting facility. This program is flexible enough to challenge students K-12.
Urban Forestry
Initiated in 2015, GreenWorks is developing urban forestry curriculum that introduces children to tree identification and explains the important social, ecological, economic and health benefits of trees in the urban landscape. “Tree Detective” Kits are available in libraries and schools for self-directed, hands-on learning about our forested ecosystems. YELP
Founded in 2014, GreenWorks’ Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP) is an eight-week paid internship program for local young people of color in Buncombe County. YELP is a grassroots effort to challenge the status quo and advance equity in the environmental field and youths’ connection to our ecological community. Please contact Joele Emma at [email protected] or 828-254-1776 for more information. |