Winter 2013 | CREEC Region 3 e-Newsletter 
Alpine, Colusa, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sacramento,
Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties 
Coordinator's Message
 Season's Greetings!

It's Winter in the Central Valley!  Celebrate Migration!   
    
 

I hope that all of you are taking advantage of the winter holiday season to share special times with friends and family. While our warm homes may entice us to gather inside, here's a reminder that it's also a great time to get outdoors and connect with our natural environment.  This time of year we have the special opportunity to view the migrating wildlife that passes through the Central Valley - the salmon moving up our creeks and streams to spawn and the thousands of birds passing through the Pacific Flyway.

Consider introducing your family, friends and students to the wonders of the winter season by checking out some of these local resources. Many offer special programs during the winter months  for families and youth and all of them offer resources for educators.  A few examples of migration and birding related events include:

 

Yolo Basin Foundation offers the Discover the Flyway teacher workshop on Jan. 25, and 


The 7th Annual Galt Winter Bird Festival on February 1, which includes student art contests, activities for families and tours of the Cosumnes River Preserve.

 

Effie Yeaw Nature Center  offers winter holiday programming for kids, tours and events for families and resources for educators.

 

Nimbus Fish Hatchery offers self-guided tours and resources foreducators.

 

Best Wishes this Holiday Season!    


Your Region 3 Coordinator,
Deborah Bruns

Yolo County Office of Education

1280 Santa Anita Court, Ste. 100
Woodland, CA 95766-6127
(530) 668-3781

deborah@creec.org 

 
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This Quarter's Featured Educator

Early Childhood Educator Inspired by Internship with Placer Nature Center   

By Linda Desai, Placer Nature Center

 

Nichole Mayer

How does environmental education make its way into the classroom?  It just might begin with an internship.    

 

Nichole Mayer is a prime example.  Nichole is taking a child development class at Sacramento State University.  As part of the course requirements she needed to do 40 hours of community service work at one of Sac State's Community Partner sites. 

 

Nichole chose Placer Nature Center as her site for this work.  She found herself immersed in the outdoor classroom.  Because she is a full time teacher for 4yr olds during the weekdays, she did her community service work on Saturdays.

 

Nichole said, "So far this fall I have found my experiences at Placer Nature Center to be quite rich and rewarding.  I really didn't know what to expect when I chose this site for my semester internship.  I only knew that I wanted to bring some new experiences to my classroom and to my teaching "bag"......I really wanted something new and I believe I found it."

 

Nichole has shared several examples of activities inspired from her internship.  After helping with gathering owl crafts and information at PNC, she did an owl unit with her students.  She brought in potted plants found throughout their campus for observation and art.  She is brainstorming ideas for changing a part of their play yard into a garden/nature play area.   Nichole said, "The kids in my classroom have really blossomed in their own thirst to do more with what I have brought back". 

 

In several family programs, Nichole observed the strategies and methods used to connect people to nature, PNC's mission in action.  Nicole, too has blossomed.  "I have found myself, admittedly timid with the great outdoors as I am, excited to get involved". 

Internships that engage, challenge, guide and are hands-on can effectively network environmental education back into the education community!

This Issue's Featured Program

Nature Bowl engages students in challenging activities that integrate science, conservation and citizenship.

Do you work with students in 3rd- 6th grade?  Consider forming a Nature Bowl Team.

Coaches workshops are offered throughout the region in January! Visit the CREEC events calendar for locations and details.   Plan ahead!  There's plenty of time to get your students ready for the spring Nature Bowl events!  Sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 
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CREEC Regional e-Newsletters are a publication of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Office, California Department of Education.
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