Louise's
(begins Sept 8)
Option 1) Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 9:30-12:30 Chickadees and Magpies, the same as last year.
Chickadees: Levels K & 1 Hands-on, thematic environmental education
Chickadees discover sensory awareness and ecological principles through the investigation of our local natural and built environments. With an emphasis on seasonal change, students build interdisciplinary concepts and skills based on what they do, see and hear and taste.
Magpies: Levels 1, 2, 3 Project-based environmental education
Magpies work collaboratively to produce and present projects, emphasizing relevant, local investigations. This approach involves the student in the decision-making and problem-solving process and encourages individual strengths. Community ties are often strengthened with field trips and guest speakers. One project may last the entire session.
Option 2) Tuesdays 9:30-2:30 "Nature's Numbers and Nouns" Open to grade levels 2-3. Math and Language Arts skills through nature based projects. Cost 25.00 per day, for a full session.
In fall 2010, Louise’s
Option 3) Thursdays 9:30-2:30 One-day only program for Grade 2-3 level and older 1st graders. This is a condensed normal
Children work collaboratively to produce and present projects, emphasizing relevant, local investigations. This approach involves the student in the decision-making and problem-solving process and encourages individual strengths. Community ties are often strengthened with field trips and guest speakers. One project may last the entire session. Cost is 25.00 dollars per day, for a full session.
Kids may be signed up for anyone option or any combination of the two or all three
Email us at
fieldschool@alaskapacific.edu for more information, or to register.
Louise’s
Policies and Procedures 2010-2011
Contact: Michael Kircher Steve Rubinstein Educational Programs Director Director of MSOEE 907.746.2714 907.746.2700
Note: This is an Excerpt from Louise’s
Louise's Farm School (LFS) is a nonformal environmental and outdoor education program targeting home schooled children in the
LFS is a branch of F.I.E.L.D.: Fully Integrated Environmental Learning and
Regarding Program:
Location
LFS takes place on
Directions
The Mission of Louise’s
Goals and Objectives
Long-term Goal: Louise’s
This is an outdoor-based enrichment program and it does not take the place of a formal school. The lessons we offer are interdisciplinary in nature.
LFS Standards
LFS standards serve as rigorous goals for instructing and learning. They have been gathered from various state and national environmental education standards and customized to fit our local needs. Contemporary society is placing immense academic demands on learners. Clear statements about what LFS participants should know and be able to do are essential to ensure that our program offers participants a foundation for environmental literacy.
LFS has identified the following educational benchmarks. These learning goals should be met across four sessions.
1. Environmental Sensitivity: Learners develop sensitivity for the natural environment. Learners will:
A. Develop curiosity for the natural environment.
B. Develop appreciation for the natural environment.
C. Sharpen perception through use of senses.
D. Become familiar with local natural history.
2. Nature Studies: Learners develop a foundation for ecological concepts.
Learners will acquire a basic understanding of:
A. Individuals and populations.
B. Environmental influences and limiting factors.
C. Energy flow.
D. Interrelationships in nature.
E. Natural cycles.
F. Natural communities and ecosystems.
G. Diversity.
H. Change.
3. Outdoor Pursuits: Learners make healthy lifestyle choices by participating in outdoor physical activities.
Learners will:
A. Embrace fitness and wellbeing as aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
B. Recognize hazards and practice outdoor safety.
C. Acquire and improve outdoor recreation skills.
D. Integrate outdoor studies with other life experiences.
4. Farms and Food: Learners appreciate the value of nutritious food and are able to trace the progression from “farm to fork.”
Learners will:
A. Identify basic elements of nutrition.
B. Acquire a basic understanding of Horticulture.
C. Recognize and appreciate local food.
5. Our Shared Alaskan Experience: Learners explore the unique cultural and geographical aspects of our local and regional community.
Learners will:
A. Increase awareness of humans and their societies.
B. Appreciate the uniqueness of this place we call home.
C. Identify how life in
Pedagogy
At its core, Louise’s Farm School is founded on place-based learning—a method that supports learning by making real-world connections that are relevant to students’ lives (Sobel, 2004) and experiential education—a “philosophy and methodology in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experiences and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify values (AEE, 2009).
Chickadees and Magpies join together for
Chickadees: Hands-on, thematic environmental education Chickadees discover ecological principles using sensory awareness activities and through investigations of our local natural and built environments. With an emphasis on seasonal change, students build interdisciplinary concepts and skills based on what they do, see and hear and taste.
Magpies: Project-based environmental education Magpies work collaboratively to complete and present projects, emphasizing relevant, local investigations. This approach involves the student in decision-making and problem-solving processes and encourages both teamwork and individual strengths. Community ties are often strengthened with field trips and guest speakers. One project may last the entire session.
Both of our programs employ components of each of the following teaching methods, believing that children learn best by constructing their own meaning through real-life experiences.
Place-Based Education (PBE)
Place-Based Education connects place with self and community.
“PBE looks beyond textbooks to the history, environment, people, and resources of the local community for content and focus. At its nest, place-based education is highly interdisciplinary, integrating social studies, math, science, history and even language together with local themes. It is also highly participatory and experiential: students engage in community service and primary research, and in return, the community helps directly or indirectly to educate the students” (Elder, 1998).
“PBE is the process of using the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and other subjects across the curriculum. Emphasizing hands-on, real-world learning experiences, this approach to education increases academic achievement, helps students develop stronger ties to their community enhances students’ appreciation for the natural world, and creates a heightened commitment to serving as active, contributing citizens” (Sobel, 2004).
Hands-On Experiential Education
"Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand."
~Chinese Proverb
“In experiential education, the student becomes more actively involved in the learning process than in traditional, didactic education. Hands-on means having students 'manipulate' the things they are studying - plants, rocks, insects, water, etc. In a more general sense, it means learning by experience” (Flick, 1993).
“Throughout the experiential learning process, the learner is actively engaged in posing questions, investigating, experimenting, being curious, solving problems, assuming responsibility, being creative and constructing meaning” (AEE, 2009)
Project-based Learning
Project Based Learning (PBL) is an inquiry-based process for teaching and learning. In PBL, participants focus on a complex question or interest, then answer the question or pursue the interest through a collaborative process of investigation over an extended period of time. Projects often are used to investigate authentic topics with real-world applications and involve community members with expertise in the subject area. During the inquiry process, participants learn content, information, valuable skills and habits of mind necessary to draw conclusions and present their collaborative project.
PBL offers opportunities for participants with various learning styles to excel and allows for interdisciplinary learning.
Association for Experiential Education. (2007). What Is Experiential Education? Retrieved January 13, 2009 from http://www.aee.org/about/whatIsEE
Elder, John, Ed. (1998) Stories in the Land: A Place-Based Environmental Education Anthology. Great Barrington, MA: The Orion Society.
Flick, 1993. The Meanings of Hands-On Science. Journal of Science Teacher Education. Richland, WA.
Sobel, D. (2004). Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities. Orion Society. Great Barrington, MA.
Lesson Plans
Instructors prepare curriculum using the LFS lesson plan template. Lesson plans include the following components: overview, learning objectives, standards met activity procedures, materials needed, evaluation method, and additional resources.
Summaries are sent home each Friday during programming in order for parents to prepare for the following week. LFS encourages parents to review concepts and extend themes at home. Lesson summaries may be used to facilitate participants’ Individual Learning Plans when families meet with their home school advisor.
MSBSD Standards
As a service to families and a measure of instructional quality, lessons are aligned to Mat-Su Borough School District scope and sequence standards. With our focus of experiential education, LFS strives to make learning relevant to life, combining many disciplines to explore a given concept.
Though it is not our intention to meet every school standard, LFS aims to facilitate well-balanced activities that infuse reading, writing, math, science, social studies, health, music, physical education, and visual arts. LFS does not take place of a formal school and parents are ultimately responsible for meeting their child’s Individual Learning Plans.
Safety
Louise’s Farm School seeks to provide the safest environment possible for participants.
For safety, participants are prohibited from bringing and/or using any controlled substances on Spring Creek Farm. This includes drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, and excludes necessary medications. Participants are prohibited from bringing and/or using weapons of any kind.
Facilities
Farm School House- a two story house that was built when the farm was in its prime and the largest dairy producer in the valley. It is handicap accessible, with a ramp to the side door and a downstairs restroom. There is a large kitchen with a refrigerator, oven and four-burner stove and double sink. The living room has been converted into a learning space, with a chalk board, bookcase, couch and beanbag chairs. The Farm School House is the indoor learning space for the Magpie group. All farm school participants join together here for snack.
The Coop- a one-story concrete building restored for a learning space. The flooring is covered with colorful foam tiles; there is a dry erase board, two child craft tables, a desk for instructors, couches and chairs. The Coop is used as the indoor learning space for Chickadees and Opening Circle for both groups.
Yurt- a circular, open space with a small ecological footprint. Yurts are traditional Mongolian dwellings favored by nomadic people for their light weight, simple structure and ease to move about. It is used as a learning or gathering space.
Outside Areas
Children’s Garden- Still in process, this community resource will be a place for children to play and discover the soil food web in action! The space is over a half of an acre, plenty of space for different educational gardens and natural play areas. Currently, there is a living willow fence, a wood-fired cob oven and a 30’x 30’ Gazebo to serve as a teaching space. A pond, forest loop trail and five senses garden are in the making. This space is sure to inspire children of ages!
Trails- Various trails at Spring Creek Farm cater to younger children. The AmeriCorps trail leads hikers on a ¾ mile winding path through woodlands just east of the Yurt Field. For a longer hike, take the tractor trails, which connect many of the open hay fields.
Regarding Scheduling:
Louise’s Farm School environmental education programs follow a series of seasonal sessions, ranging from five to ten-week time blocks, emulating Alaska Pacific University’s block/session schedule. Participants must enroll for an entire session. If a participant does not complete an entire session, he or she is subject to full payment for the given session. Though LFS encourages ongoing participation throughout the school year, participants may choose to terminate involvement at the end of each session.
Session schedule for the 2010-2011 school year:
Fall: September 8—November 24, 2010 (12 weeks)
Winter: January 31—March 4, 2011 (5 weeks)
Spring: March 14—April 22, 2011 (6 weeks)
LFS has two concurrent programs, separated by grade level. Each group has a distinct teaching methodology (see Regarding Programs).
Chickadees (Levels K, 1) and Magpies (Levels 1-3) meet Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm.
Chickadees Magpies
9:30 Opening Circle (Together) Opening Circle
10:00 Outdoor Education Project Skills Development
10:45 Healthy Snack (Together) Healthy Snack
11:00 Nature Exploration Community Involvement
11:45 Journal/Reflection Individual Project Work
12:15 Closing Circle Closing Circle
Regarding Participants:
Enrollment
Students who enroll for the entire school year will be placed first. Students currently enrolled in LFS will be placed second. Siblings of current students will be placed third.
All other students will be placed on a space-available, first-come, first-served basis.
Nondiscrimination Statement
Louise’s Farm School will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, gender, national origin, affiliation or economic status.
Required Forms
Each participant must submit the following completed forms before participation in LFS programming:
Student Medical Information & Release of Liability
Parent Guidelines & Release of Liability
Parent Commitment
Field Trip Permission & Transportation Waiver
The following form is recommended, but not mandatory for participation:
Photo Release Form
Fees and Payment Arrangement
Entire 2010-2011 School Year $1198 (with Discount)
Fall (12 weeks) $660
Winter (5 weeks) $280
Spring (6 weeks) $334
Participants enrolling for the entire school year receive a 6% discount.
Once a session begins, no refunds will be given for early withdrawal.
Home School Allotment: Louise’s Farm School accepts payment from the local home school programs, including Twindly Bridge (http://twindlybridge.us), Mat-Su Central School (http://www.cssmatsu.org) and IDEA (www.ideafamilies.org). LFS provides purchase order request forms, but payee must confirm their allotment balance to ensure sufficient funds are available. Once complete, payee should submit the purchase order to LFS Program Coordinator one week prior to the upcoming session. LFS will bill for the total charges incurred over the school year, unless special arrangements have been made with consent of the LFS Director.
Paying out-of-pocket: Personal checks should be made out to APU FIELD School. If paying out-of-pocket, payees are expected to pay the total amount of the session before the first day of programming. If the payee is not able to pay in full, the Director and payee will set up a needs-based payment schedule.
Pick up & Drop off
Parents are expected to drop off students between 9:20-9:30 for the Chickadees. Instructors need their preparation time, so parents should be prompt dropping off and picking up their child. If a parent drops his/her child off after opening circle has initiated, they will be expected to wait quietly in the hallway until an instructor invites them in at an appropriate time.
Parent Involvement
Thank you for taking a wholehearted interest in your child’s educational experience. You are the most valuable factor in his or her learning. We appreciate your participation in Louise’s Farm School! Please take part in the following events:
A. Wednesday Snack Sign up to bring in a healthy snack one or more Wednesdays during each session. Some examples include fresh fruit, vegetable stir fry, baked goodies, trail mix, soup, bread and jam, etc. Please avoid peanuts, food coloring and processed foods. There will be a sign-up sheet on the first day of class. If you child has special dietary concerns, consult Program Coordinator: we may request that you provide your child a snack from home each day.
B. Friday Parent-Helper Sign-Up Fridays have been reserved as our parent-helper day. Please sign up for one Friday during each session. Aside from participating in the day’s activities, we ask that you also provide a healthy snack for the class. You may be asked to help the instructors prepare for an activity or assist in an art project. Just being another presence adds to the positive community atmosphere.
C. Field Trips/Transportation In general, parents are welcome to attend any prearranged field trip. Louise’s Farm School does not provide transportation to and from the Spring Creek Farm. If you are unable to accompany us, you will be responsible for coordinating a ride-share with another family.
D. Materials Wish List Now and again, an instructor may identify an item that we could use for a project or activity in class. If appropriate, we may ask parents to help provide the needed material(s) by signing our wish list. We will provide you with relevant information, including quantity and date needed.
Curriculum To facilitate your Individual Learning Plans, weekly lesson plans will be sent home with your child each Friday so that you can prepare for the following week. We encourage you to extend the themes covered in LFS.
Communication
Weekly newsletters are sent home each Friday to keep parents informed of what’s happening at Louise’s Farm School. Newsletters are essential in communicating pertinent information, including details of upcoming field trips and other events. It is the responsibility of the parent to take and read the newsletter each week. Periodically, email is used as an avenue for communication. Instructors strive to make themselves available before and after class to touch base with parents. Parents can schedule a meeting with an instructor by contacting the Program Coordinator.
Work Journal
Throughout the session, participants add artwork, written exercises and reflections to a journal. The journal serves to provide work-samples when parents meet their home school advisor or contact teacher. Journals help gauge participant understanding and provide parents with a glimpse of activities performed at LFS.
Proper Attire
Participants in LFS will be outside daily, despite the weather. Participants and staff must be prepared for the elements with proper clothing. Parents need to label all articles of clothing!!
For the summer session, participants should wear layers, including a short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt and sweater. Materials should be quick-drying, fleece, polypropylene or wool (no cotton). Participants will need rain gear (coat and pants), rubber boots, extra socks and hiking boots.
For the fall, winter and spring sessions, participants need to wear thermal long underwear, along with fleece, polypropylene or wool pants and sweaters (no cotton), along with the following outer layers:
Heave duty one-piece snow suit Scarf or balaklava
Warm, winter hat Extra fleece jacket or sweater
Warm waterproof gloves Extra socks in a zip lock
Insulated snow boots Slippers/Slip-on shoes
Supplies
Participants need the following materials by the first day of class:
Pencil box Children scissors
#2 pencils 2 glue stick
Crayons (48 ct) ruler
Wide tip markers Tissue box
Absentees
Student participation in this program sets a tone for group dynamics and because the sequence of activities build upon one another, attendance is very important. If you know your child cannot make a certain date, let the Program Coordinator know as soon as possible. If your child is sick, please keep her/him at home…health is most important. Still, email Program Coordinator at sierra@alaskapacific.edu.
Illness
If a student becomes ill, attempts will be made to contact parents to arrange for the child to go home early. Louise’s Farm School instructors are required to be CPR and First Aid certified. It is strongly recommended that they obtain Wilderness First Responder certification as well.
Program Cancellation
Louise’s Farm School will be subject to canceling programming due to unsafe road conditions or other safety hazards as declared by Mat-Su Borough School District. We will do our best to notify you via email in a timely fashion of any delay or cancellation; however, it is your responsibility to be aware of such alerts. Listen to local radio stations or visit www.matsuk12.us if you are doubtful. We need to honor safety first
Behavior Management
LFS upholds an atmosphere of kindness, mutual respect and safety. LFS activities encourage collaboration as students continually face challenges as a team. Our motto: FARM = Friendly Attitude, If a student is disrupting his or her own learning or the learning of others, acting disrespectful or unsafe, s/he will be given a verbal warning. If the behavior continues, s/he writes name on board, and then a time out. If the behavior threatens anyone’s safety, a parent/guardian will be contacted in order to coordinate a plan of action.
Regarding Staff:
Instructors
LFS is facilitated by graduate students or graduates of Alaska Pacific University’s Master of Science in Outdoor and Environmental Education (MSOEE) program. Regular staff includes a full time Program Coordinator, half-time Lead Instructor, and part-time AmeriCorps Education volunteers. Other MSOEE students intermittently act as guest instructors.
Training and Qualifications
All LFS instructors and first-year MSOEE students are required to complete LFS program training, covering classroom management, early childhood development, multiple learning styles and administrative policies and safety procedures.. In addition, LFS Instructors are required to have current First Aid and CPR certification.
Ratio
Louise’s Farm School has a student to instructor ratio of 6:1 for the Chickadee group, and 8:1 for the Magpie group.
END