Jeffers offers several different workshops

New Covid-19 sensitive Online options!

 

All of our workshops are tailored to the specific school or venue
&
All workshop participants receive great ideas and useful tools

Schedule a Jeffers Workshop

Here below review some of the more popular Jeffers workshops

Team Teaching with Mother Nature summer workshop

Team Teaching with Mother Nature

Resources: Jeffers Journal, current Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar, Teacher LooKit, set of EcoTime cards, Nature Detective bandanna.

Cost: No charge, however, a deposit is required.

Team Teaching with Mother Nature workshop objectives:
  • Increase observational skills – Using all your senses
  • Learn skills, strategies & tools for successful outdoor learning
  • Use multidisciplinary journaling activities that encourage “focus” for outdoor learning
  • Recognize your schoolyard or school garden as a learning resource
  • Identify lessons in your classroom curriculum that are easily taught outdoors
  • Identify state academic standards that can be attained by outdoor instruction
  • Feel confident about outdoor instruction as a way to spark a student’s sense of wonder while increasing academic knowledge
  • Incorporate phenology in daily lessons or morning meetings
  • Have fun learning outdoors!

Why Outdoors? Why Not?

Why Outdoors? Why Not?! workshop objectives:
  • Introduce the concept of students learning in the outdoor classroom to teachers and other staff members interested but not familiar with the idea
  • Build teacher enthusiasm for outdoor learning
  • Increase observational skills
  • General introduction to Ecotime Cards
  • General introduction to Calendar in the Classroom
  • Introduction to Jeffers resources

Resources: Jeffers Journal, current Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar, Teacher LooKit, set of EcoTime cards.

Cost: No charge, however, a deposit is required.

Getting our Youngest Learners Outdoors

Resources: GO Cards, A Parents’ Guide to Nature Play

Cost: No charge, however, a deposit is required.

Getting our Youngest Learners Outdoors (Pre-K) workshop objectives:
  • Increase observational skills using all your senses
  • Learn skills, strategies, & tools for successful outdoor learning
  • Identify activities that can be taught outdoors
  • Become familiar with Early Childhood Indicators of Progress
  • Gain enthusiasm about outdoor learning as a way to spark a child’s sense of wonder
  • Incorporate phenology into classroom activities
  • Have fun learning outdoors!

 

Click here to go to our Early Childhood page

Calendar in the Classroom

Calendar in the Classroom workshop objectives:
Discover, Receive, & Learn to use the fabulous Freshwater Calendar.
Use the Calendar in the Classroom daily to illustrate:
Daily weather data
  • Sunrise/sunset
  • Normal temps
  • Record temps
  • Cloud types
  • Beaufort Scale (wind speed)
  • Wind Chill/Heat Index Charts
Weekly Phenology (What’s happening in Nature; when & where)
Monthly Astronomy
  • 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 out Calendar in the Classroom page

Resources: Jeffers Journal, Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar

Cost: No charge, however, a deposit is required.

Pre-Service Team Teaching with Mother Nature

Resources: Jeffers Journal, current Freshwater Minnesota Weatherguide Environment™ Calendar, Teacher LooKit, set of EcoTime cards, Nature Detective bandanna.

Cost: No charge, but in-kind teaching support from college faculty.

Pre- Service Team Teaching with Mother Nature workshop objectives:
  • Increase observational skills – Using all your senses
  • Learn skills, strategies & tools for successful outdoor learning
  • Use multidisciplinary journaling activities that encourage “focus” for outdoor learning
  • Recognize your schoolyard or school garden as a learning resource
  • Identify lessons in your classroom curriculum that are easily taught outdoors
  • Identify state academic standards that can be attained by outdoor instruction
  • Feel confident about outdoor instruction as a way to spark a student’s sense of wonder while increasing academic knowledge
  • Incorporate phenology in daily lessons or morning meetings
  • Have fun learning outdoors!
To schedule a Jeffers Workshop
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"I have participated in the Team Teaching with Mother Nature workshop and partnered with the presenters on several other teacher workshops. The teachers develop a joy of learning in the outdoors which can inspire their students. They learn how to craft the student experiences toward skills and attitudes that will enrich the lives of the children and make their school learning more relevant."
John Olson Science Content Specialist - Minnesota Department of Education
"My colleagues and I were part of a very fun PD last night. We learned ways to incorporate our outdoor classroom in our daily routines and curriculum. The staff is passionate and knowledgeable. Jeffers Foundation not only provides all of us with ideas, but tools and connections to successfully implement these ideas. They took into consideration multiple grade levels and multiple positions in the staff. I feel everyone walked out excited and curious to try these in their learning space.  ps- dinner was delicious as well. They are the best!!"
Maria Villavicencio Elementary Classroom Teacher - Eden Lake Elementary School, Eden Prairie, MN
"Thank you for your wonderful presentation on team teaching with Mother Nature. There has been a lot of conversation centered around the information you presented and there have already been classes out in the courtyard."
Laurie Sherman Principal St. Jerome School
Dear Tom, Holle, & David, Thank you for an incredible morning of outdoor learning! The elementary EL teachers were impressed and invigorated by the workshop you facilitated. I received a lot of positive feedback about the learning and one veteran teacher emailed me to let me know it was one of the best PD sessions she’s ever attended! We were able to see a lot of ways to integrate the morning's environmental learning into both our summer program and the Units of Study curriculum of each grade level. The resources you provided are incredible and will be very useful to teachers. Despite a windy, cold day we thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience and will definitely use our learning this summer and throughout the school year. I greatly appreciate the organization and skill it takes to make professional development opportunities meaningful and enjoyable for teachers. You definitely accomplished this! I will
Jenny Leroux EL Lead Teacher Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools Independent School District #196
Sil, David, & the Jeffers Foundation, Thank you so much for providing a great learning experience for the new teachers of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. Thank you for the financial donation to the lunch and for being a great collaborative partner! We hope to keep this great tradition going!
Ben Tressel PLSAS Prof. Dev.