Our curriculum development workshops help staff bring math, literacy, science, and the arts more fully into their program offerings. Examples of curriculum-based trainings include:

Outdoor Science
The outdoors is a fun and exciting place for you to learn about the world around you. In this workshop we will look at ways to turn a walk into a learning opportunity. How can a scavenger hunt teach students about directions and be fun at the same time? Why do bees buzz and birds tweet? We will find out and explore many more adventures both inside and out.  Available Trainers: Tricia Pawlik, Julie Peterson, or Tami Stagner

Water Studies: Rivers and Streams
Get your bathing suit ready.  In this workshop staff will head out to a local stream or river and learn about aquatic macroinvertebrates and how to check if your local water supply is in good, healthy condition.  This is a great activity to do with students annually to monitor stream health and makes for an excellent, low-cost field trip.  Kids love it and staff will too!  Also learn about how to collect other important stream data and protecting local watersheds.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

Kids Love Bugs!
…and you will too.  In this hands on workshop you will participate in activities and simple experiments about pillbugs, earthworms and other outdoor critters.  Learn and experience how to apply a child’s natural curiosity to meaningful learning opportunities.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

That’s Science?
In this workshop you will learn a variety of ways to include a varying level of science activities through hands-on, fun filled experiments, work in stations, and interactive literature.  After-school care and summer programs will benefit from keeping children actively learning in ways that they won’t even realize they are learning or keeping their skills sharp.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

Plant Party!
In this workshop staff will participate in a variety of activities focused on the multiple intelligences to help children learn about plants and their value in the world.  Stimulate children in after school and summer programming by making science education fun.  Staff will also learn how to take their children on many scientific adventures while focusing on exploring plant life.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

Exploring Nature: Trees
In this workshop staff will learn how to take their children on many scientific adventures while focusing on exploring trees.  In this program staff will learn how to identify different trees and great activities to make science fun while also connecting learning to children’s literature.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

That’s Math?
In this workshop you will learn a variety of ways to include a varying level of math activities through hands-on, fun filled games, work in stations, and interactive literature.  After-school care and summer programs will benefit from keeping children actively learning in ways that they won’t even realize they are learning or keeping their skills sharp.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

Cooking with Books
This workshop combines children’s literature and cooking with the goal of extending the learning from the book to a fun cooking activity that children can participate in. Examples of books and recipes that go along with them will be provided, as well as time to brainstorm books and recipes that the participants are familiar with. A hands-on, resource-packed workshop.  Available Trainers: Julie Peterson, Tami Stagner, or Amelia Struthers

Theater Arts
This workshop is designed to assist educators in the design and implementation of dramatic play, and the theater arts curriculum in the after school programs. The workshop is designed in alignment
with the Theater Arts curriculum according to the Vermont Department of Education Standards for Theater grades K-6.  Available Trainer: Hannah Christiansen

Weaving Reading into School Age Activities
By engaging school age students in reading activities you open up a world of enriching and exciting opportunities. Learning how to go beyond the reading aspect of books will help staff and students take a book and explore the pages beyond read alouds or silent reading times. This workshop includes an opportunity for participants to make their own book, and learn to lead students to do the same.  Available Trainers: Anne Gleason, Julie Peterson, or Tami Stagner

Fun with Fluency
Fluency is one of the big five components of reading and children need to work on fluency in reading outside the walls of school.  In this workshop, participants will learn how to bring literacy practice alive through the two best avenues of teaching fluency: Poetry and Reader’s Theater.  Participants will be actively engaged in small performances and activities to use in your centers.   Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

Power of Poetry
Poetry is dynamic, expressive and a window for children to express their complex emotions.  Poetry is also fun to read and a great teaching tool when time is limited.  In this high participation workshop, your staff will practice skills for including poetry in your program through interactive station work.  Participants will also receive ideas on how to provide opportunities for your children to engage in poetry writing that will reveal their emotions and their perception of the world around them.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun

Growing Readers: Literacy through a Garden
This session is designed to show staff how they can bring a garden to their center and use the garden as a means of promoting literacy throughout the summer.  It includes information on valuable resources, fun experiments, sample literature and project ideas.  Available Trainer: Matt Hajdun