About Roots of Connection
The Roots of Connection project is designed to inspire the next generation of environmental storytellers by providing Hawaiʻi’s keiki with tools and skills to imagine, explore, and share their personal connections to community forests. Through this work, keiki will discover the cultural, ecological, and social roles that trees play in their daily lives. By learning to create animations, they will not only strengthen their storytelling skills but also deepen their relationship with Hawaiʻi’s community forests, helping to carry forward our collective vision of fostering awareness of the cultural, ecological, and social significance of our community forests.
What will students learn from this curriculum?
- The nuanced roles that community forests play in their lives, highlighting the cultural, ecological, and social benefits they receive from trees in their communities.
- Through creative tools and opportunities, students will develop the ability to tell their unique stories about their relationships with trees, deepening their understanding of local ecosystems, cultural heritage, and the importance of environmental stewardship.
- Learn storytelling techniques & writing scripts
- Learn to build an animation through coding using Scratch MIT
For Teachers: Preparing For Your Roots of Connection Workshops
- Create Teacher Account
- Create Scratch MIT accounts for your students
- Download Illustrations to student computers
- Have students sign into their Scratch MIT accounts prior to workshops
- Make sure students know where the illustrations are located on their computers
- Email Your Workshop Teacher Classroom visitor protocols & other information
- Lookout for check in emails from your workshop teacher confirming tech requirements are met & address any last minute questions
Tech Requirements
Here’s your quick-start outline for setting up a Scratch MIT teacher account before your workshops:
About the Partnership
This opportunity was made possible through a partnership with Kaulunani, the State of Hawaiʻi’s Urban & Community Forestry Program and Wāhine Freelance Alliance as part of a unique grant opportunity for their Year of Our Community Forests campaign. This initiative aims to celebrate, raise awareness, and engage communities around the vital role of our community forests— our trees and green spaces where we live, learn, and play.
Curriculum Packets & Supplies
Curriculum packets and additional supplies are provided through a partnership with Nā Pua Noʻeau at UH Mānoa, with funding support from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health.
About Our Project:
Our project aims to inspire the next generation of environmental storytellers by equipping Hawaiʻi’s keiki with the tools and skills to explore and share their connections to community forests through a Community Forests Illustration Library and an Animation & Storytelling Curriculum.
Teacher Call! Let's Bring this Workshop To Your Students in Fall 2025
Please take a moment to review our teacher info packet to learn more about the workshops & timelines & tech requirements. There are limited workshop opportunities available, so please complete the scheduling form as early as possible!
About the Partnership
This opportunity was made possible through a partnership with Kaulunani, the State of Hawaiʻi’s Urban & Community Forestry Program and Wāhine Freelance Alliance as part of a unique grant opportunity for their Year of Our Community Forests campaign. This initiative aims to celebrate, raise awareness, and engage communities around the vital role of our community forests— our trees and green spaces where we live, learn, and play.
Apply to be a Workshop Teacher
Applications are due next Friday, July 11 @ 5 PM.
TIP: Review the teacher’s packet for more information!
