Great News from the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature - Nature Play Spaces Group

When was the last time you or your child balanced on a tree log, or jumped off a rock?

There are new nature play spaces popping off all over Maryland at local and State parks, schools and public spaces.

Explore them for yourself in the new Nature Play Spaces Pattern Book.

The Nature Play Space “Pattern Book” is a visual tool used to convey the concept of creating play areas with natural components. These areas provide an early connection for children with nature, an opportunity for both physical and creative play and support children’s physical, intellectual, and emotional development. This on-line tool provides not only a map of where some nature play spaces can be found in Maryland, but allows the user to navigate through a list of components and activities that are typically found in a nature play space such as climbing, hiding and balancing.

By showing some on the ground examples, the Partnership for Children in Nature and DNR hope to spur creativity and inspire the development of nature play spaces across the state, providing an alternative to standard metal and plastic playgrounds. Check the site often, as new images and information will be added often!

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/cin/nps/

Upcoming Events

• Registration Now Open for Regional Environmental Literacy Workshops!
  The Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature and the Maryland State Department of Education will co-host a series of regional environmental literacy workshops to discuss the effective development and implementation of county environmental literacy plans (ELPs). Anyone involved in planning, delivering or supporting school environmental literacy programs is invited to attend (county school system representatives, administrators, educators, environmental education providers, etc.). Seven workshops are planned for February and March to help school systems prepare for the April 30th ELP submission deadline. These workshops are designed to: Review environmental literacy requirements, resources and process for county ELP development; Discuss elements of effective environmental literacy programs, methods & strategies to “fill in the gaps,” and share regional examples or plans; Provide an opportunity for schools and EE providers to meet and discuss partnership opportunities ( for example, helping to meet the “every student outdoors every year” goal);  Provide break-out time for participants within each county to discuss ELP development and potential opportunities for further communication.
• TEAM Volunteer Training Opportunity
  Love children and the environment? Ever wanted to teach in the classroom about marine life or the Chesapeake Bay? Sign up for a two-day training on February 24 and March 2, 2012 to do just this. Our volunteer training will teach short, dynamic programs known as TEAM, (TEAM = Teaching Environmental Awareness in Maryland) which are geared toward grade and middle school students. Be one of over 40 volunteers who reach over 6,000 students in Maryland’s schools. No experience needed, just a love of the environment and children. Click here for Workshop Details!
• 2012 Green Eggs and Sand Workshops
  Green Eggs and Sand is an award winning middle and high school science curriculum based on the American Horseshoe Crab. To obtain the curriculum, teachers attend a three day workshop (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) that consists of several presentations (horseshoe crab biology, medical research, management of the resource, value to shorebirds, etc.) presented by experts in the field, hands-on activities with horseshoe crab molts, field trips to beaches to view spawning horseshoe crabs and the shore birds feeding on the eggs, meals, lodging, various supplies and the curriculum for a modest fee. The workshop dates, locations and contact information for 2012 are:
  *May 4-6, Univ. of GA in Savannah GA. Contact Dodie Sanders at sandersd@uga.edu or (912) 598-2340.
  *May 18-20, ARE Center, Smyrna DE. Contact Gary Kreamer at gary.kreamer@state.de.us or (302) 735-8665.
  *June 1-3, Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Cape Cod MA. Contact Amy Fleischer at afleischer@massaudubon.org or (508) 349-2615 x114.
• Project WET, WILD and Learning Tree Facilitator’s Workshop
  The workshop for these three programs will be held in Clear Spring, MD on Feb 24th-Feb 26th, 2012. The fee is $60, which includes lodging, meals and workshop materials for the weekend. In addition, certified teachers can receive 1 MSDE Professional Development Credit. Space is limited, so register early! Click here for the registration form, which should be mailed to Cindy Etgen at MD DNR. Please feel free to pass this information along to interested parties.
• Project WILD Training
  This one-day workshop will be held at the National Aquarium in Baltimore on Sat., Feb 25th, 2012 from 9:30-4:00 pm. The fee is $10 and includes snacks, beverages and materials; lunch is on your own. The training engages participants in hands-on, inter-disciplinary activities focusing on wildlife, the environment and conservation. Activities are drawn from the popular Project WILD Curriculum and Activity Guide. This workshop is appropriate for informal and formal educators of K-12 students. Participants receive copies of both the Project WILD and WILD Aquatic Curriculum and Activity Guides. To register, please contact: National Aquarium at 410-576-3833 or email reserve@aqua.org. Register by February 10, 2012. Space is limited to 20 participants.
• Project WILD Training
  During this free one-day workshop at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary on Tues., March 6th, 2012 from 9:00-3:30pm, educators will get a chance to participate in Project WILD activities, so they can learn how to use the material in the classroom. This workshop will go over various Project WILD activities that emphasize awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife and natural resources. Many of the activities also complement the new environmental literacy standards. Join us for a day of activities, fun, new resources and exploration! Bring a bagged lunch.  To register, please contact: Kerry Wixted at 410-260-8566 or e-mail kwixted@dnr.state.md.us.
   

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