EDC 509 Nature-based Early Childhood Curriculum
Patti Bailie 2 credits

Nature preschools and forest kindergartens have a uniquely different approach to curriculum than conventional indoor early childhood centers. This first course will focus on the distinctive elements for outdoor programming for children aged three to six.

The central organizing concept is to follow the seasons and work with the ebb and flow of nature. The teacher’s role is to embrace the opportunities that nature provides and use them to encourage growth in their children. The curriculum goals address both the developmental needs of young children and environmental literacy and learning. Children learn through play. Unstructured play in the natural world provides opportunities for children to learn about their world (through their senses), develop a sense of place, foster independence, and cultivate problem-solving skills. High-quality practices of both early childhood education and environmental education are an integral part of successfully implementing a nature-focused, play-based curriculum for young children.

Teachers will have an opportunity to be immersed in nature each day, to work in group experiences and to spend time with environmental educators on projects.

Course objectives include:

• understanding the foundations of early childhood environmental education,
• integrating the goals of early childhood education with environmental education in teaching young children,
• learning how to construct a nature-focused curriculum,
• defining and implementing high quality practice and
• articulating the benefits of a nature-based curriculum for young children to parents and the broader community.

The curriculum topics include the philosophy of early childhood environmental education and what that means, how nature experiences promote brain development, the value of unstructured outdoor play for development and environmental awareness, how to provide a safe, secure environment, developing intentions for an integrated and project-based curriculum, defining assessment and high quality practice.

Cost: $440 per graduate credit/$280 per credit to audit.

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Kim John Payne, MEd ’01, the author of Simplicity Parenting and The Games Children Play, is the keynote speaker. There will also be workshops and a panel discussion by leaders and practitioners in the field who have experience with inclusive models.

Payne is a consultant and trainer to more than 110 independent and public schools in the United States and has consulted for educational associations in South Africa, Hungary, Israel, Russia, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. He is co-director of the Simplicity Project, a multi-media social network and is the founding director of The Center for Social Sustainability.

Topics at the conference will include:

• the changing landscape of special education
• what we know–mining our cognitive capital
• benefits and challenges of collaborative models
• transformative teaching and leading–from ablesim to inclusion
• creating holistic and healthy classrooms–holding space for diversity

Cost of the conference is $125. With a discount for school teams and AUNE students/alumni, the cost is $100. The conference will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register here for the conference.

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Questions about eligibility for participating in Commencement
Contact your Department Chair or Program Director

Questions about Commencement Exercises
Contact Faith Linsky, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, at 603-283-2163

Questions about New Attire
Contact Aaron at University Cap & Gown 800-585-5500

Questions about Cap and Gown Reuse Program
Contact Faith Wilder, Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 603-283-2439

Questions about Degree conferral and diplomas
Contact Susan Chamberlin, Registrar 603-283-2472

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The schedule of the presentations is :

8:30 – 8:45    a.m.       Welcome and Overview of the day

8:45 – 9:05   a.m.         Cameren Cousins – Feeding Fenn: Using Action Research to Facilitate Farm-to-Institution Food   Connections

9:10 – 9:30 a.m.           Peter Fitz Randolph – The Cooperative Entrepreneur

9:35 – 9:55 a.m.           Kirsten Halverson- Creating Sustainable Communities of Practice through Mindful Leadership

10:00 – 10:20 a.m.       Justin Nadeau - Structuring the entrepreneur’s decision-making process: An experiential perspective

 10:20 – 10:30 a.m.      Break

10:30 – 10:50 a.m.      Duck Caldwell – Gleaning: A Revived Method for Capturing Modern Agricultural Surplus

10:55 – 11:15  a.m.    Vance Gorham – Designing Social Transformation

11:20 – 11:40  a.m.     Amanda Gourgue – Are You a Choice Architect

11:45 a.m. – 12:05  p.m.     Tom Bregman - Landscape and the Human Mind (or Why I Love Mountains)

12:05 – 1 p.m.          LUNCH

1:00 – 1:20   p.m.         Tom Burgess - How to be Sustainable: Transforming Operations in my Music Business

1:25 – 1:45   p.m.         Melinda Garland – The Value of Community Dialogue in Social Justice Communications

1:50 – 2:10 p.m.            Caitlin Jenness – Small Farm Finance: Capitalizing New England’s Next Generation of Farmers

2:10 – 2:20  p.m.          Break

2:20 – 2:40 p.m.            Geoff Riggs - Unraveling the Complexity- Why Sustainability Makes Sense and Dollars

2:45 – 3:05 p.m.           Noah Tuthill- Agents of Change:  Internal and External Consultants

3:10 – 3:30 p.m.           Scott Royael - Sustainability Leadership: Two Feet in Four Worlds

3:35 – 3:55 p.m.          Andrew Horton Hall – Ecological Motivation: A Blueprint for Consumer Engagement

 3:55 – 4:05 p.m.            Break                     

4:05 – 4:25 p.m.           Andrew Lacourciere - The Politics of Pricing Carbon

4:30 – 4:50 p.m.           Becky Holt – Never Trust a Brand You Wouldn’t Date:  Authenticity in Branding

4:55 – 5:15 p.m.      Casey Townsend – Leveraging Social Capital to Foster Community Resiliency

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3 good reasons to attend!

·     hear Peter Palmiotto talk about ‘Monadnock’s Changing Summit’ 

·     learn about the 8th Northeast Alpine Stewardship Gathering … and how to be involved with it (we need volunteers!)

·     enjoy the company of fellow AUNE community members

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Thomson has been covering the global environment for more than twenty years, beginning in 1991 as the founding producer and editor of the groundbreaking National Public Radio environmental news program Living on Earth.   He spent ten years in a variety of senior positions there before leaving for a global sojourn that eventually produced his 2007 book Sacred Sea: A Journey to Lake Baikal.

Thomson has received numerous fellowships and awards, and is a long-time member of the board of directors of the Society of Environmental Journalists, and a member of the advisory board of the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting.

The World is produced at WGBH in Boston.

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This event is apple-themed.

Feel free to bake, buy, or whip together an apple snack for our refreshments and reflection part of the event!

Hope to see you there!

Hosted by the Center for Tropical Ecology and Conservation!

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