TruGreen's MyBotanicPlanet.com Kicks-Off Educator Sweepstakes in Collaboration with TheMailbox.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today TruGreen launched its "Make Science Fun" educator sweepstakes at www.themailbox.com/mybotanicplanet in collaboration with the leading educational industry source TheMailbox.com. Now through December 17, 2013, educators can go to the sweepstakes microsite to enter for a chance to win gift cards ideal for purchasing classroom supplies. Celebrating its 40^th anniversary, TruGreen, a subsidiary of The ServiceMaster Company, is the nation's largest professional lawn care service provider. Based on the classroom experience offered through Memphis Botanic Garden, TruGreen created its MyBotanicPlanet.com free online educator resource with standards-based lesson plans and interactive games for K-5 students to explore basic botany and water conservation/quality.

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"Make Science Fun" Sweepstakes
The "Make Science Fun" sweepstakes asks teachers to share feedback about what science materials they need. One lucky teacher will win a $500 Target gift card. Four runners-up will each win a $250 Target gift card. No purchase is necessary.

The sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (except Rhode Island) and District of Columbia who, at the time of entry, are 21 years of age or older, are currently employed either full-time or part-time in the field of education as classroom teachers in grades preschool through grade 12, and are located in the United States. Go to terms and conditions for details.

MyBotanicPlanet.com Curricula Now in Spanish
In response to numerous educator requests, TruGreen now offers science lesson plans on MyBotanicPlanet.com in English and Spanish. Educators can go to the Teacher's Resource board at MyBotanicPlanet.com and navigate to "Click here for lessons in Spanish" to access the free curricula.

MyBotanicPlanet.com website curricula span Flavorful Explorations, Flower Mysteries and Water Ways. Each curriculum has a Teacher's Guide, 2-3 lessons, an educational website game for students K-5, and a supplemental image glossary. All curricula were developed by professional curriculum developers to meet National Education Standards, which are outlined in each Teacher's Guide. For example, Watershed Fred will show students where water comes from, where it goes, and what happens to it when it is out of sight — in the atmosphere as invisible humidity or moving through roots and soil in the first stage of filtration.

"I thought it [MyBotanicPlanet.com] was really interesting because you could adapt it to any grade level, K-5. It seems incredibly engaging. We have a SMART Board in our classroom, so I feel like I can use it with the whole class and I can use it individually with small groups," said Chris Carter, grade 2 teacher, Brooklyn, N.Y. "I think what is really neat about it [MyBotanicPlanet.com] is you can use it in the classroom and the students can use it at home too and share with their parents. So it makes a connection between home and school."

With MyBotanicPlanet.com, TruGreen aims to inspire students' interest in the diverse plant world around us and deliver on the ServiceMaster brands' commitment to being effective stewards of our environment. TruGreen also actively supports fighting childhood obesity by partnering with communities to create healthy, green spaces for kids to play.

"We are continuously receiving positive responses to TruGreen's educator resource, reinforcing the need for free science curriculum that can inspire our next generation," said John Crossmock, director of technical training and support, TruGreen.

MyBotanicPlanet.com is featured in the online NSTA Science Supply Guide, included under the curriculum solutions section.

About TruGreen
Celebrating its 40^th anniversary, Memphis-based TruGreen is the nation's largest lawn care company, serving approximately 2 million residential and commercial customers across the United States with lawn, tree and shrub care. As the industry leader, TruGreen continues to pioneer the development of new technology for lawn care and devotes substantial resources to evaluate new products and equipment. The company is committed to responsible lawn care, including offering and promoting the use of natural services and sustainable practices. Today, there are approximately 250 TruGreen branches in the United States and Canada, including about 50 franchise locations. TruGreen is a subsidiary of The ServiceMaster Company, one of the world's largest residential and commercial service networks. The company's brands include Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Go to www.TruGreen.com for more information about TruGreen or follow the company at twitter.com/TruGreen or facebook.com/TruGreen.

About Memphis Botanic Garden
Memphis Botanic Garden strives to enhance lives by connecting people with nature, increasing awareness and appreciation of our environment. The 96-acre property in Memphis includes 28 specialty gardens, which provide an in-depth look into various families of plants, flowers and trees. Memphis Botanic Garden serves more than 43,000 school-aged children annually through organized education programs, offering them the opportunity to get outdoors and learn through hands-on activities and nature play. Go to www.MemphisBotanicGarden.com for more information about Memphis Botanic Garden.

About ServiceMaster
With a global network of more than 7,300 company-owned, franchise and licensed locations, Memphis-based ServiceMaster is one of the world's largest residential service networks. The company's high-profile brands are Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Through approximately 20,000 corporate associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 31,000 additional people, the ServiceMaster family of brands provided services and products to approximately 8 million customers during the last 12 months. The company's market-leading brands provide a range of residential and commercial services including termite and pest control; lawn, tree and shrub care; home warranties and preventative maintenance contracts; furniture repair; home inspections; home cleaning; janitorial services; and disaster restoration. Go to www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at twitter.com/ServiceMaster or facebook.com/TheServiceMasterCo.

SOURCE TruGreen