Throughout the year, our staff reserve several of the "Touch A Trunk" kits from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. In addition to touchable items such as bear skins and deer antlers, these trunks also include instructional aids to ensure the teachers can most effectively present the material. They are an excellent addition to our nature-based curriculum and support themes such as Woodland Adventures and Me (White-Tailed Deer Trunk), and Animal Homes: Preparing for Winter (Turkey Trunk and Furbearer's Trunk). Our staff learned of these trunks from the staff at Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center several years ago and these continue to be a highlight of our school year.
Teacher presenting a Touch a Trunk
Many of our staff members have attended the professional development conferences for Nature Preschools, held at Irvine Nature Center in 2016 (5 of 8) and 2017 (3 of 8). They came back inspired and motivated to enhance our lesson plans and further Green our schoolyard.
3 of our 8 staff members took the Pedagogy of Play online conference courses in 2018, many of which focus on learning through outdoor, nature based, and all-weather play.
Our staff have taken a wide assortment of nature and conservation-focused continuing education classes, including the annual MAMEA (Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association) Conference, and courses on including natural elements in early learning spaces and running an eco-friendly child care center.
3 of our 8 staff members have bachelors degrees in environmental subjects, with one each of Marine Ecology, Biological Science, and Veterinary Science.
3 of our 8 staff members took the Pedagogy of Play online conference courses in 2018, many of which focus on learning through outdoor, nature based, and all-weather play.
Our staff have taken a wide assortment of nature and conservation-focused continuing education classes, including the annual MAMEA (Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association) Conference, and courses on including natural elements in early learning spaces and running an eco-friendly child care center.
3 of our 8 staff members have bachelors degrees in environmental subjects, with one each of Marine Ecology, Biological Science, and Veterinary Science.
Our Green Team has met annually since we became a certified Green School, evaluating our progress and looking for ideas for improvement. Our Green Team is made up of our school's director, our assistant director, two teachers, and several parent volunteers. All 8 staff members are involved in our Green School status, as we revisit and reinforce our curriculum's focus on environmental education. All are aware of our Green School application renewal and an update was presented at an all-school General Membership meeting in September 2018.
Excerpt from October board meeting minutes
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Sample Green Squad meeting minutes
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| General Membership education on Green School |
Our Animal Care Staff trains our other teachers and parents on the needs of our animals so that we can collaboratively care for them over the summer months. They continually share their expertise so that all of our teachers are well versed in animal facts to share with the students.
Our quarterly Teacher Inservice Days all contain collaborative planning time for the teachers to share methods and activities for nature based learning. During these meetings we also discuss specific Green initiatives in the school, such as encouraging waste-free snacks and lunches, limiting trash for class holiday celebrations, and trail use and expansion.
Sample lesson plan collaboratively developed by our Pre-K teachers.
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February Teacher Inservice Agenda
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