Knee High Nature
KNEE HIGH NATURE: professional development workshops for early childhood educators
Knee High Nature helps improve learning opportunities for very young children by providing science-focused professional development for early childhood educators and child care providers. In each of the different workshops offered by Four Winds Nature Institute's professional staff, participants are presented with natural science curriculum appropriate for children ages 3-6.
Knee High Nature is a nature study curriculum designed to increase children's awareness of, curiosity about, and appreciation of the natural world through investigation, creative and interactive play, and direct outdoor experiences. The units draw from children's own experiences outdoors with plenty of hands-on opportunities that encourage children to raise questions, explore objects and materials, spend time outside, make careful observations, share and discuss ideas.
Each professional development workshop includes:
- Seasonally Related Topics
- Natural Science Background Information
- Modeling and Active Participation In Hands-On Age-Appropriate Activities with attention to Early Learning Standards and Core Competencies
- Printed Guidelines and Teaching Materials
Knee High Nature workshops are offered in communities across Vermont and New Hampshire.Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Winston Prouty Center, Brattleboro, VT
9AM to 12PM TRACK DETECTIVES (3 hour workshop)
Use tracks and traces as clues to discover animal habits and activity in winter. Through movement, puzzles, games, and track stories, get to know the prints and patterns made by our animal neighbors. Fee $40.
CLICK HERE for a registration form for the January 23rd workshop in Brattleboro.
Saturday, February 6, 2010 at the Springfield Area Parent Child Center, Springfield, VT
9AM to 12PM WINTER WORLD (3 hour workshop)
It's a season of long nights, cold temperatures, snow and ice. But there's still lots going on outside! Explore the winter world of plants and animals through a puppet show, games, imaginative play, and nature discovery walks. Fee $40.
CLICK HERE for a registration form for the February 6th workshop in Springfield.
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Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the Winston Prouty Center, Brattleboro, VT
9AM to 12PM OWLS (3 hour workshop)
Discover the special adaptations of owls by investigating what they eat and how they hunt under cover of darkness. Learn how owls communicate and how to recognize different owls by sight and sound. Fee $40.
CLICK HERE for a registration form for the March 13th workshop in Brattleboro.
KNEE HIGH NATURE WORKSHOPS
Spring Workshops
The three themes for Spring workshops are Honeybees, Wonders of Water and Frolicking Frogs. In Honeybees, we'll examine the unique adaptations of these remarkable insects with a look at their life cycle, how they communicate, and their role as pollinators. Frolicking Frogs let's us look at frogs from eggs to adults through role playing, observation, puppet show, and imitating frog calls. Wonders of Water encourages children to investigate properties of water through hands-on explorations, games, songs and outdoor discovery.
Fall Workshops
The two fall workshop topics are Insect Hide & Seek and Sensational Spiders. In Insect Hide & Seek, we'll hunt for insects in the wild and learn how protective coloration helps them to survive. In Sensational Spiders we'll investigate the amazing life of spiders through song, interactive play, and outdoor observation of spiders and webs.
Winter Workshops
The three winter workshop topics are Winter
World, Track Detectives, and Owls. In Winter World we'll explore the winter world of plants and animals
through a puppet show, games, imaginative play, and nature discovery walks. In Track Detectives we'll use tracks, patterns, and traces as clues to discover animal
habits and activity in winter. In Owls
we'll discover the unique adaptations of owls by investigating what and how
they
eat, and how they communicate and hunt under the cover of darkness.
trainings.