Summer Teaching Institutes
Summer Teacher Institutes at The Nature Museum at Grafton:
Please scroll down to see descriptions of the two teacher training institutes we are offering for the summer of 2008. Please call 802-843-2111 or e-mail staff@nature-museum.org for more information or for a registration form.
Nature Writing
Summer Institute for Teachers
Dates: June 24-26, 2008Location: Moose Mountain Lodge, Etna, NH
Instructors: Margo Ghia, executive director and Betsy Bennett Stacey, curator and educator for The Nature Museum at Grafton
Register: call us at (802) 843-2111
Credit: Graduate Credit Available, Please Inquire
The Nature Writing Institute is designed to give teachers the tools and inspiration to create nature writing curriculum for their own classroom. Participants will also have time and space to work on their own writing and journaling through writing prompts and exploration of the natural world. During the course we will create a community of educators and museum staff that will provide support and inspiration throughout the year. A professional writer will also lead us through activities. Nature writing easily lends itself to cross curricular activities, and different interdisciplinary approaches to nature writing will be explored. We will use Nature Writing as a way to explore teaching science, literature, and writing skills while encouraging a sense of place for students.
Moose Mountain Lodge will be our base while we explore and draw inspiration from the surrounding trails, overlooks, meadows and ponds. You’ll enjoy healthy meals, comfortable accommodations, and pristine air as we delve into the writing process and connect it to the natural beauty all around us. Moose Mountain Lodge overlooks the Connecticut River Valley and the Green Mountains. To find out more about Moose Mountain Lodge, and to see photos of the site check out www.themoosemountainlodge.com.
Course Goals
The main goals of this summer institute are:- To provide a foundation in what nature writing is and the benefits of using nature writing in a classroom setting using examples from well-know authors, children’s books, writing prompts, activities and curriculum.
- To personally inspire teachers in their own writing so that they can lead their students by example.
- To provide practical applications on how to extend nature writing in many academic disciplines.
- To engage educators in first hand natural history opportunities and accurate natural science information.
- To create a community of educators who are using nature writing and nature journaling to provide to provide support and inspiration.
Course Objectives
Upon the completion of this institute, participants will be able to:- Have concrete plans of how to integrate nature writing into their academic applications,
- Draw upon a wide variety of resources, including books, websites and curriculum guides to assist with the development or implementation of nature writing activities.
- Creatively use nature writing as a tool for meeting state and local curriculum standards and grade level expectations.
- Draw upon a community of educators who are using nature journals as a curriculum tool.
- Experience opportunities to reconnect with the natural world.
Fees: Nature Writing Institute
3 days of workshops, all meals and snacks, 2 nights at the Moose Mountain LodgeSingle occupancy - $ 450* Double occupancy is available on a limited basis. Please call for details.
2 Optional Graduate Credits - $ 220
Special Offer for Educators in the Upper Valley of VT/NH
Please call the Nature Museum to see if there are still spots available for the receiving 50% off the base price of the Institute. 802-843-2111.Funding for this discount is made available through the Wellborn Ecology Fund, a component of the NH Charitable Foundation.
Nature Journaling
Summer Institute for Teachers
Nature Journals Across the Curriculum
Date: August 11 - 13, 2008Location: The Nature Museum & The Old Tavern, Grafton, VT
Instructors: Margo Ghia and Betsy Bennett Stacey
Register: call us at (802) 843-2111
Credit: Graduate Credit Available, Please Inquire
Spend three days and two nights exploring and experiencing the hills and valleys of Grafton, Vermont while you learn how to use Nature Journaling to bring hands-on science into your classroom and how to integrate nature journals across your curriculum. By the end of this multi-day workshop all participants will have developed individual curriculum units that suit the needs and resources of their own school.
This Institute will take us throughout the quaint village of Grafton and its surrounding natural areas where we will meet up with expert speakers, and participate in hand-on activities. Teachers will receive their own journal that we will work with throughout the course. We will use aquatic environments as the focus of our own journals, which will mean visits to local ponds, streams, and wetlands.
After a day with so much learning and activity, you will be happy to have accommodations and wonderful meals at the historic and beautiful Old Tavern. Check the Old Tavern website for more information about accommodations.
Highlights from the Teachers’ Institute Schedule
Monday:- Journaling and Drawing Exercises
- Journals in the Classroom-Evaluation
- Pond Exploration and Scientific Drawing
- Beaver Ponds- History/Ecology Study
- Stimulating Writing Activities
- Curriculum Design Time
- Bookbinding Workshop
- More examples of Journaling Activities
- Curriculum Design and Final Project
- Final Project Presentations
Course Goals
The main goals of this summer institute are:- To provide a foundation in what nature journals are and the benefits of using them in a classroom setting.
- To learn how to use nature journaling to bring hands-on science into classrooms.
- To provide practical applications on how to integrate nature journals across the curriculum.
- To engage educators in first hand natural history opportunities.
Course Objectives
Upon the completion of this institute, participants will be able to:- Have a lesson plan of how to integrate nature journals into their academic applications,
- Have a foundation based on first hand experience in creating and using nature journals to touch on different aspects of the academic disciplines.
- Draw upon a wide variety of resources to assist with the development or implementation of nature journaling activities.
- Creatively use nature journals and nature journaling activities as a tool for meeting state and local curriculum guidelines.
- Have a better understanding of the diversity and complexity of aquatic ecosystems.
- Draw upon a community of educators who are using nature journals as a curriculum tool.
Fees
Nature Journaling Institute - 3 days of workshops, all meals and snacks, 2 nights at The Old Tavern.Double occupancy - $435
Single occupancy - $535
2 Optional Graduate Credits - $220
Special Offer for Educators in the Upper Valley of VT/NH
Please call the Nature Museum to see if there are still spots available for the receiving 50% off the base price of the Institute. 802-843-2111. Funding for this discount is made available through the Wellborn Ecology Fund, a component of the NH Charitable Foundation.
