 |
Northern Fall Conference“Why We Care”Workshops and Events |
Friday Night | Workshops | Apply to Present a Workshop (northern conference is over)| Saturday Night
Astronomy: Hilary Hobbs & Traci Fesko, Sierra Outdoor
School
drop in to view the
stars and talk astronomy
8pm – 10pm casual stargazing with telescopes, informal sharing of info.
9:00 am: Legendary Yosemite Climber, Ron Kauk, subject of the recent the film, Return to Balance- A Climber’s Journey, in which Kauk "shares insights and stories of his life of climbing in Yosemite as he strives, in his own ingenuous way, to awaken us to our connection with nature and our responsibility to preserve it."
Dr. Steller's Jay
Pete
Devine, Yosemite Association
Workshop Objectives: One model of a living history presentation.
More cool info about the ubiquitous Steller's Jay than one could imagine; this
species is really an underappreciated part of our outdoor landscape - and a
terrific teaching resource.
A tale of a great, unknown naturalist's amazing adventure.
Learning Nature Through Drawing
Jacqueline Fuller, Sierra Outdoor School
Workshop Objectives: Participants will learn how to more closely observe nature
through drawing. My goal is to encourage participants to understand and observe
their surroundings more deeply through departing from the generalizations their
eyes and minds tend to make when drawing nature. Most importantly, participants
will be provided with some basic tools that will help them draw their subject(s)
more realistically and in turn allow them to connect with their environment
on a higher creative and visual level.
Population: Why We Should Care
Liz Maul, Population Connection
Workshop Objectives: Human population is at over 6 billion today and expected
to double in just 54 years! This has an enormous impact on various habitats
and resources. In this workshop, participants will explore innovative ways
to teach
students about population dynamics and responsible citizenship.
Archeology in Yosemite
Cindy Erica
Norum, Archeologist for the Division of Resources Management and Science, Yosemite
National Park
What will participants gain or learn? An overview to the archeological
resources of Yosemite National Park. Lecture and question and answer.
Ethical Treatment of American Indians in Education
Echo Purtell and Kimberly Cunningham-Summerfield, National Park Service
Workshop Objectives: Organizations and classes to consult for first-hand understanding
of native perspectives, Strategies for including native perspectives into your
curriculum, Ideas on how to frame lessons about native cultural history, How
to treat an archeology site, Stories and activities.
Hike up Mt Hoffman (geographic center of Yosemite)
Mara Dale, Yosemite Institute
Workshop Objectives: spectacular views of Tuolumne Meadows and surrounding
peaks. Geography and geology of the Sierra Nevada-introductory level. Maybe
some map
reading.
Wonders of Wetlands (especially in view of Hurricane Katrina!)
Myriam Weber, CSUMB formerly of WOLF School in Aptos
Workshop Objectives: Participants will learn the environmental and economic
value of wetlands. How and where wetlands form, what functions wetlands serve,
some
information on how they have been treated in the past and what is now happening
concerning wetlands in the US. Some special focus on coastal wetlands and wetlands
regarding Hurricane Katrina.
Night
Sky 101: Learn to find and tell stories about basic constellations
Hilary
Hobbs, Sierra Outdoor School
Workshop Objectives: Participants will add to (or begin) their bag of tricks
for teaching about the night sky by learning to navigate the sky using star
maps and celestial landmarks. Participants will gain new ideas for using creative
writing, drawing, and story telling to foster historical and cultural connections
to the night sky.
Workshop methods: We will practice a creative writing and drawing activity
that introduces students to the concept of constellations. We will utilize
directed practice to familiarize participants with the use of a star map and
a single constellation to begin navigating the night sky. Through story telling
we will share several stories from different cultures relating to the constellations
we have learned to find.
Mad
Props for No Props
Scott
Reis (Marmot), Sierra Outdoor
School
Workshop Objectives: Participants
will learn some very quick and easy initiatives that utilize little to no props
for use with a trail group or team class.
These initiatives are designed to address different issues such as group
communication,
focus, respect, planning, critical thinking, etc.
Workshop methods: Come
play and learn as you do it! A handout with a list of activities will be
provided.
Some discussion time at the end will allow workshop participants to share
activities that have worked for them.
Native
California basketweaving
Cathy Chambers, K.E.E.P Ocean
Workshop Objectives: How Native Californians wove
baskets from native plants
Workshop methods: Make a small tule basket
Workshop
Length: The first 1.5
hours will be making the tule basket, then the next 1.5 hours to start
a coiled basket,(
which is more advanced)
The
25 Cent Man (Look at the CA state quarter)
Sarah Jo Lemley, Yosemite Institute
This workshop was created to share John Muir using a variety of the multiple
intelligences including bodily kinesthetic, linguistic, musical, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, and naturalist.
Deep
Archeology: Pre-Columbian Discoveries in the Great Basin
Jason Spidell, University of California Davis
Participants will learn about a UC field study program to study pre-columbian
sites in Nevada & Utah with a particular emphasis on Native American pottery.
Get
Silly with Games
Liza Earle, Foothill Horizons Outdoor
School
Come ready to play! We'll have fun while learning and sharing games that get
you (and your students) moving and laughing. Total group participation, sharing
of games I love, plus sharing whatever games various members of the group know.
Introducing
Inquiry
Emily Wang, Headlands Institute
Participants will be introduced to the inquiry model, and learn how to use
this student-driven approach to science by going through the inquiry process.
Methods will hit on the spectrum of auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic
learning styles. This workshop will be a combination of brainstorming sessions,
working hands-on with scientific equipment, and lecture with handouts and visuals.
Magic
and Management
John Conant, Director of Acorn to Tree
This workshop will look into methods of keeping students on task while boosting
their self-esteem and building a sense of community within the groups. We'll
look at incorporating fun and a sense of magic into the lessons and what to
do when all of these great ideas break down and problems arise.
Homophobia
and Outdoor Education Workshop
Erica Tucker, Yosemite Institute
Objectives: Awareness of how homophobia affects our students and strategies
to counteract this bias.
Spider
Caves
Dan Fillius, Yosemite Institute
Participants will learn about a secret location in Yosemite National Park!
Communication and cooperation will be foci in this activity. Fears of small
spaces will be confronted safely. A bodily/kinesthetic experience in which
participants will assist each other in maneuvering through the roughly 200
ft cave.
Biodiesel
101
Kathy Swartz, YMCA Camp Arroyo
Participants will learn the basics of biodiesel...everything from the environmental
reasons to switching, to logistics, to doing it yourself. There will be some
lecture, props, Q&A, and a hands-on demonstration.
Ecology-based Fire Management at Yosemite National Park
Jen Hooke, Yosemite NPS Fire Management
Participants will learn about the role ecology plays in the fire management
program at Yosemite NP, and about how managers assess whether fire management
treatments are effective. Workshop will include lecture, site visit, fire effects
monitoring demo, Q&A
Ecological
Footprints
Diana Abellera, Redefining Progress
Participants will gain content knowledge on the Ecological Footprint, a scientifically
reviewed framework for problem solving and critical thinking skills to help
students understand cumulative environmental impacts. It is also a powerful
tool for students to link the information they learn in the classroom to
community issues and personal choices. They will be challenged to think critically
about
past events that shaped modern environmental problems and systems in place,
then problem solve to understand how individual and systems changes can lead
to a sustainable future.
And many other great workshops!