Jeffers offers several different workshops
All of our workshops are tailored to the specific school or venue,
All workshop participants receive great ideas and useful tools,
&
All of our workshops are FREE of charge
Team Teaching with Mother Nature
For In-Service & Pre-Service Teachers*
*Make TTw/MN part of your Teaching Methods courses. Click here to check out lessons inspired by participation in this Jeffers Pre-Service Workshop!
Resources: Participating teachers receive a Jeffers Journal, a Teacher LooKit, a Good Sense Booklet, a current Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar to use during the workshop. Classroom teachers also receive a class set of journals for their students upon completion of the workshop. The School will also receive a set of 30 student LooKits
Optional resources include: a set of EcoTime cards and a Nature Detective bandanna
Cost: No charge, however, a deposit may be required
Length: 4 hours
Team Teaching with Mother Nature workshop objectives:
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Increase observational skills – Using all your senses
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Learn skills, strategies & tools for successful outdoor learning
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Use multidisciplinary journaling activities that encourage “focus” for outdoor learning
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Recognize your schoolyard (and school garden) as a learning resource
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Identify lessons in your classroom curriculum that are easily taught outdoors
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Identify state academic standards that can be attained by outdoor instruction
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Feel confident about outdoor instruction as a way to spark a student’s sense of wonder while increasing academic knowledge and achievement
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Incorporate phenology in daily lessons or morning meetings
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Have fun learning outdoors!
*In-Service workshop: Host a workshop for your entire teaching staff or host a regional workshop at your school. In-Service workshop are available for all grade levels, elementary, middle school, or high school.
*Pre-Service workshops are available for Methods/Pedagogy courses for elementary licensure and 5-12/9-12 licensure.
NEW!
EcoTime 2.0
EcoTime 2.0
This workshop will introduce teachers to the redesigned EcoTime lessons which focus on three dimensions of science instruction emphasized in the NEW Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Science: Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core ideas. Lessons written by teachers for teachers.
Workshop objectives:
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Promote investigation, analysis, and interpretation of data
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Encourage outdoor learning while incorporating the use of science journals
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Build community and engagement in science concepts
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Extend science instruction to language arts, math, art, and engineering
Click here to go to our EcoTime page
Resources: Participating teachers receive a paper set of EcoTime Cards, a Jeffers Journal, and a Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar
Cost: No charge, however, a deposit may be required
Length: 3-4 hours
NEW!
Preschool Outdoors
Resources: Participating teachers receive a Jeffers Journal, a Good Sense Booklet, a current Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar, set of GO Cards, a copy of A Parents’ Guide to Nature Play, and a Jeffers Nature Guide
Cost: No charge, however, a deposit may be required
Length: 3 hours
Preschool Outdoors workshop objectives:
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Recognize your outdoor space as a setting for place-based, seasonal, and authentic nature play and learning experiences
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Focus on observational skills to use one’s senses alongside curiosity to safely explore nature
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Learn how to encourage student inquiry and to be co-learners as you explore nature
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Develop rituals and routines that provide for safe and engaging play and learning experiences
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Recognize how nature-based play and learning meets expectations of Minnesota’s Early Childhood Indicators of Progress
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Build a relationship with Jeffers as a partner to help you provide engaging nature-based experiences for your preschoolers
Click here to go to our Early Childhood page
Calendar in the Classroom
Calendar in the Classroom
The Calendar in the Classroom (CIC) workshop introduces elementary teachers to the Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar and grade-level lessons designed by Minnesota teachers. The CIC lessons fit within five themes: Astronomy, Gardening, Phenology, Water, and Weather. Participants will experience CIC lessons while incorporating data and resources found within the calendar.
The Calendar in the Classroom lessons promote daily use of the Freshwater Calendar, including:
Daily weather data
- Sunrise/sunset
- Normal temps
- Record temps
- Cloud types
- Beaufort Scale (wind speed)
- Wind Chill/Heat Index Charts
Weekly Phenology Notes
Monthly Astronomy Phenomena
- Morning Sky
- Evening Sky
- Astronomical Highlights
Featured Species of the month
Fabulous Nature Photography (from all around our beautiful state)
Click here to go to our Calendar in the Classroom page
Resources: Participating teachers receive a Jeffers Journal and a Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar
Cost: No charge, however, a deposit may be required
Length: 2 hours
Content Institutes
Resources: Depends upon the Institute
Cost: No charge, however, a deposit is required
Length: Varies, 2-3 Days depends upon the content
Content Institutes
Our outdoor classroom methods used along with investigations focused on pattern, structure/function, and more while working with ecological systems, birds, insects, etc. will help teachers provide meaningful science lessons for students that will address standards as well as connect science to other disciplines with the use of journaling.
Content Institutes Include:
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Birding Institute (Spring)
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Ecology Institute (Summer)
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Patterns in Nature Institute (Summer)
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Insect Institute (Summer)
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Environmental Engineering Institute (Winter)
Click here to go to our Content Institutes page
