Nature at Play

sponsored by Germantown Academy In partnership with DVAEYC and the Schuylkil Center for Environmental Education Saturday, April 16th, 2016 8:00am – 12:15pm

Early childhood research reveals the critical connection between time spent in nature and a child’s developing brain. Nature-based experiences facilitate the development of a child’s imagination, promote a respect and appreciation for the natural world, and build physical skil s in growing young ones. Join us as we explore this engaging work in “Nature at Play,” a conference for early childhood educators.

Participants wil engage in hands-on workshops that provide practical, developmentally appropriate ways to integrate nature into your everyday practice. Workshop sessions are designed for those new to nature as well as experienced practitioners. Children’s Book World wil be on hand to share the latest collection of quality fiction and non-fiction nature books, as well as professional literature. We hope you wil join the early childhood community for a morning of conversation and active experiences around the value of nature education for young learners.

Warm Regards, Amanda Mitchell Early Childhood Coordinator Germantown Academy amanda.mitchell@germantownacademy.org

Keynote Speaker: Cheryl Charles

The Ecology of Hope: Celebrating Children and Nature Cheryl Charles, Ph.D., is an innovator, author, organizational executive and educator. Cheryl is the Co-Founder, President and CEO Emerita of the Children & Nature Network (www.childrenandnature.org). Currently she coordinates the Network’s international activities and participates as a member of the Science of Nature-Based Learning Collaborative Research Network, a major three-year project funded by the National Science Foundation.

Recently, Cheryl was named Research Scholar and founding Executive Director of the Nature Based Leadership Institute at Antioch University New England (AUNE). The vision of the Institute is a world in which all humans live, learn, lead and serve in healthy balance with the natural world. AUNE's Nature Based Leadership Institute applies nature’s lessons to achieve economic, environmental and social justice.

Speaking topics of special interest to Cheryl are the benefits to everyone’s health and well-being, and that of the Earth itself, from direct experiences in nature; children’s optimal cognitive, emotional and physical development; developing executive function skil s in children through nature-based experiences; applying nature’s lessons to organizational and community development; inspiring a new generation, including mil ennials; creating nature-rich environments, including homes, schools, and cities; biophilic design; the importance of intergenerational learning; and trends in the worldwide movement to reconnect people with nature.

Throughout Cheryl’s keynotes, workshops and presentations, she combines a comprehensive understanding of research with common sense approaches for making positive change.

Conference Schedule April 16, 2016 8:00am-12:15pm 8:00-9:00 9:00-9:45 9:45-10:10 10:15-11:10 1 :20-12:15

Registration, Book Sale & Continental Breakfast Keynote Speaker, Cheryl Charles Book Sale Break Workshop Session I Workshop Session II

* 3 hours of PQAS credit is available for educators. * Participants are welcome to bring their lunch and enjoy our outdoor campus after the conference.

Session I (10:15-11:10) Thriving through Nature: Developing Executive Function Skills in Young Children One of the keys to success in school and in life is the development of what are called executive function skil s in early childhood. This nature-based workshop provides evidence and hands-on experiences to nourish children’s cognitive, emotional, social and physical development, including executive function.

Presenter: Cheryl Charles, Co-Founder, President, and CEO Emerita of the Children & Nature Network

Bringing Nature Into Your Classroom New to nature-based play? Explore ways to enhance children’s experiences and understanding of nature by bringing nature activities into your classroom. We wil look at the research and then try a few strategies for nature-based play inside. Examine ways to tie nature exploration to literacy and math.

Presenter: Peg Szczurek, Associate Director DVAEYC

Using Nature to Promote Healthy Eating This workshop wil fol ow the path that food takes from seed to soil, to vegetables in the garden, to a meal in the kitchen. We wil show you how gardens serve as a springboard for connecting young children to nature and incorporating nutrition into your curriculum. Sensory explorations and a cooking activity are among the hands-on learning experiences you wil enjoy.

Presenters:

Dr. Leigh Serra, Pediatrician, Germantown Academy Lisa Martin, LS Science Teacher, Germantown Academy

Nature as Art: Creative Experiences with the Natural World During this hands-on session, participants wil familiarize themselves with a variety of ways to incorporate the natural world into art experiences for young children. Spend time outdoors, gather materials, share resources, create ephemeral art, and learn ways to connect the creativity of students to relevant curriculum and standards.

Presenters:

Nicole Brin & Rebecca Dhondt, Lead Preschool Teachers, Schuylkil Center for Environmental Education

Session II (11:15-12:15) Innovating in Nature with Design Thinking As educators, how can we foster our students’ individual creativity, help them think critically, generate questions, try new things, make mistakes, and learn? The answer: Design Thinking. Children can learn how to use tools, identify problems, and make things work through their experiences in nature. As educators, come and learn a few ways to help your budding engineers in the open air of the outdoors!

Presenters:

Germantown Acadmey Sue Szczepkowski, Head of Lower School Betsy Duryea & Rose Mirable, Prekindergarten Teachers

Building Bonds Outdoors: Family, Friends & Nature A glimpse into the Schuylkil Center Nature Preschool reveals how experiences outdoors can strengthen relationships between families and children, and create new connections with friends. Teachers wil have the opportunity to identify key components of family events and examine how planning and implementation happens in a preschool setting with an emphasis on the outdoors and nature.

Presenter:

Shannon Dryden, Preschool Manager, Schuylkil Center for Environmental Education

Mud, Sand, and Loose Parts – Oh My! How does play with sand, mud, and loose parts align with the PA Early Learning Standards and PA Core Standards? Explore environments, activities, and materials that benefit children’s intellectual growth, health, and social development. Participants wil have the opportunity to get down and dirty with some natural materials and develop ideas to use in their own outdoor play spaces. Resources, including websites and children's literature, wil be shared.

Presenter:

Eileen Kupersmith, Early Childhood Education Consultant, Space for Childhood

Weaving Children’s Literature, Music, and Outdoor Learning Adventures This workshop wil be a potpourri of favorite natural science activities for children ages 4-8. Meet a tree, play camouflage, create your own micro-park, role-play the life of a honeybee, and find out what lives under a log. Leave with a bibliography of books that connect children to the outdoors and a songbook of nature songs.

Presenter:

Craig Newberger, Lower School Science Teacher, Germantown Academy