CONNECTING NEBRASKA

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CONNECTINGNEBRASKAS YOUNG CHILDREN
FAMILIESWITH NATURE

• CONCEIVING NEW PATHWAYS

Photo credit Portland Trails, a land trust
in Portland, Maine, USA
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Imagine rich environments . . .,
Photo thank you to Claire Warden, Scotland, UK
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Gain new
perspectives. . . ,
Photo thanks to National Arbor Day Foundation
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Expect play . . . ,
Photo thanks to participants of Working Forum on
Nature Education National Arbor Day Foundation
Erik Nelson,
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Grow new partnerships . . .,
Photo credit National Arbor Day Foundation
Laura Newman of Portland Trails
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Watch and Wonder as dreams grow . . .,
Photo thanks to Laura Newman, Schoolground
Greening Coordinator for Portland Trails, a land
trust in Portland, Maine, USA.
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Stretch to grow . . .,
Photo credit Thank you to Claire Warden,
Scotland, UK
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If we want children to flourish, to become truly
empowered, then let us allow them to love the
earth before we ask them to save it. David
Sobel
Photo thanks to Nature Explore Classroom at
Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City, NE
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Photo thanks to Riverfield Country Day School
Tulsa OK
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Oh, the places well go . . .,
Photo thanks to Nature Explore Classroom at Arbor
Day Farm, Nebraska City, NE
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Naturally, In Nebraska . . .,

• Inspired by the Working Forum on Nature
  Education
• The Nebraska Department of Education, The Early
  Childhood Training Center, the Dimensions
  Educational Research Foundation, and the National
  Arbor Day Foundation are partnering to provide
  on-going support and assistance to the
  participants in the Nebraska Day at the Working
  Forum on Nature Education for Young Children
  Connecting the Worlds Children with Nature.
  These partners welcome others to engage in this
  journey to make nature education a sustaining and
  enriching part of the daily lives of Nebraskas
  children, and indeed, the worlds children.
• Nebraska Nature Education Network
• This network brings together a wide variety of
  individuals and organizations with a commitment
  to promote more connection of children and
  families with nature.
• Nature Classroom Pilot Sites
• Six early childhood classrooms and two family
  child care homes will be recipients of
  mini-grants to begin implementation of nature
  education environments and curriculum in their
  programs.
• Nature Education Technical Assistance
• Dimensions, the National Arbor Day Foundation,
  the Nebraska Department of Education, the Early
  Childhood Training Center, and Nebraska
  Association for the Education of Young Children
  will offer assistance and ideas to help in the
  development or modification of outdoor spaces in
  schools or early education facilities to begin
  in early 2007. Opportunities will be provided to
  interact with experts in landscape design, city
  planning, environmental and other related fields.
  Local nurseries are being encouraged to
  participate, as well, in this effort.
• Nature Explore Workshops
• One day workshops will first be offered Dec. 1
  and 2, presented by Dimensions at the Nature
  Classroom at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City. A
  schedule of future workshops is also being
  developed.

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• Nature Education Train the Trainers
• Dimensions, in collaboration with the Early
  Childhood Training Center, will offer a series
  beginning in 2007. Participation is welcome to
  qualified individuals, not limited to Nebraska.
• Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines a nature
  education supplement
• The Nebraska Department of Education, along with
  the Early Childhood Training Center, is
  supporting the preparation of supplemental
  materials to encourage the use of nature
  education curriculum in the implementation of the
  states voluntary early learning standards in
  programs birth through age five. These resources
  will be widely disseminated in 2007, including at
  the early learning domain workshops currently
  being hosted throughout the state. This addendum
  will complement a publication being developed by
  Dimensions and the National Arbor Day Foundation,
  Learning with Nature Idea Book.
• Nature Education Position Statement
• The urgency for greater connection of young
  children and nature has spurred the development
  of a position paper on nature and young children.
  This effort will bring both visibility and
  guidance to the critical need for effective and
  developmentally appropriate practices that
  include nature education, and that will foster
  optimum and healthy development of young
  children.
• Nature Education website
• The Early Childhood Training Center hosts
  dedicated web pages to bring current events and
  links to local, state and international resources
  to support nature education http//ectc.education.
  ne.gov/nature/nature.htm
• For more information about the Nebraska Nature
  Education activities, contact
• Carol Fichter, NDE Early Childhood Training
  Center, carol.fichter_at_nebraska.gov
• Mary Beth Pistillo, NDE Early Childhood Training
  Center, marybeth.pistillo_at_nebraska.gov
• Nancy Rosenow, Dimensions Educational Research
  Foundation, nancyr_at_dimensionsfoundation.org