Our first environmental education course! A course in partnership with Pequena Ilha Verde Forest School and the Iberian environmental association ADENEX!
In this course our 3 associations will share their best strategies and workshops to inspire children and youth to reconnect with nature. We believe that the best way to learn is by doing, so the days will be filled with activities and games! We will offer our best activities and share our methodologies and strategies, tested and proven in several programs over the years. You will have the opportunity to learn the best that each of these associations has to offer in the field of environmental education.
Target AudienceThis course is aimed at teachers, early childhood educators, facilitators and even parents who want to learn inspiring activities in nature for their children (particularly useful for parents who are homeschooling). Children are welcome! Although the course is aimed at adults, due to the strong practical component, such as games and activities (more than 80% of the program is practical!), it will be very fun for your children to participate. In the more theoretical moments, children can go to the beach and play freely.
Main Topics and Activities
- Introduction to forest school
- How to explain complex ecological concepts through games and activities
- Learning about the fascinating world of bees through theater
- Dynamics of deep connection with nature
- How to capture children’s interest in forest
- Orientation and survival games in nature
- Critical thinking activities about the state of the world
These activities are aimed at a wide range of ages, from 3 to 18 (and many of the activities are also very positive for adult courses).
LanguageWe want this course to be inclusive so we will make it bilingual (Portuguese and English). We will hire a bilingual translator and do direct translation. As this course is mostly practical it is easier to make it bilingual.
ProgramDay 1 – ADENEX
ADENEX has more than 40 years of experience and environmental education has always been a major pillar of the association.
– Introduction to environmental education: ADENEX’s experience over its 40-year history.
– Orientation and survival game “gincana”: a favorite of older youth (but children also love it!). Learning basic orientation and survival techniques is a fundamental skill to have.
– Construction workshop – Insect Hotel: we will learn how to build simple structures with materials that are easily found. These shelters serve as a home for our insect friends.
– Aromatic plants workshop: we will learn to identify several species of aromatic plants and their many medicinal and culinary uses.
Day 2 – EcoAtivo
The environmental association EcoAtivo will teach several activities that allow teaching content about ecology and ecosystems in a playful way. Main activities and games:
– Beehive Theater: using theater we will learn about the fantastic world of bees!
– Become an ecologist for a day: we developed a kind of treasure hunt to find the different elements of an ecosystem in nature.
– Web of Life: a simple game that connects all participants in a web of yarn that allows us to draw different conclusions about ecosystems through critical thinking.
– “Jogo da macaca” about bird migrations: a new version of the monkey game that allows participants to learn about the different bird species in the region and the threats they face.
The environmental association EcoAtivo will teach several activities that allow teaching content about ecology and ecosystems in a playful way. Main activities and games:
– Beehive Theater: using theater we will learn about the fantastic world of bees!
– Become an ecologist for a day: we developed a kind of treasure hunt to find the different elements of an ecosystem in nature.
– Web of Life: a simple game that connects all participants in a web of yarn that allows us to draw different conclusions about ecosystems through critical thinking.
– “Jogo da macaca” about bird migrations: a new version of the monkey game that allows participants to learn about the different bird species in the region and the threats they face.
Day 3 – Pequena Ilha Verde
The Pequena Ilha Verde association will bring their best activities that they practice from the forest school methodology. Their dynamics are especially attractive for younger children, from 3 to 6 years old.
– Route of the senses: blindfolded we will walk a route that will stimulate our different senses!
– Sensory games: nature is full of colors, textures, sounds and smells! We will explore all dimensions of nature through various games
– Painting activities: we will become artists using what nature has to offer.
– And much more!
The Pequena Ilha Verde association will bring their best activities that they practice from the forest school methodology. Their dynamics are especially attractive for younger children, from 3 to 6 years old.
– Route of the senses: blindfolded we will walk a route that will stimulate our different senses!
– Sensory games: nature is full of colors, textures, sounds and smells! We will explore all dimensions of nature through various games
– Painting activities: we will become artists using what nature has to offer.
– And much more!
At the end of the course, participants will receive a digital dossier with all the activities offered during the course!
In addition to the educational program, participants in this program will have the opportunity to participate in yoga classes and collective meditation sessions organized by the Ananda Kalyani spiritual community, the host space for this course.
In addition to the educational program, participants in this program will have the opportunity to participate in yoga classes and collective meditation sessions organized by the Ananda Kalyani spiritual community, the host space for this course.
Example of a day:
7h – 8h: Asanas class (optional)
8h – 8h45: Breakfast
9h – 9h30: Morning Circle
9h30 – 11h: Session 1
11h15 – 11h30: Break
11h30 – 13h: Session 2
13h – 14h: Lunch
14h – 17h30: Session 3
18h30 – 20h: Collective meditation (optional)
20h – 21h: Dinner
7h – 8h: Asanas class (optional)
8h – 8h45: Breakfast
9h – 9h30: Morning Circle
9h30 – 11h: Session 1
11h15 – 11h30: Break
11h30 – 13h: Session 2
13h – 14h: Lunch
14h – 17h30: Session 3
18h30 – 20h: Collective meditation (optional)
20h – 21h: Dinner
Contribution
We offer a “sliding scale” payment method to adjust to the financial reality of each person. These values include all meals during the course, materials used and access to the campsite. In the registration form there is a list of alternatives that Ananda Kalyani has available for accommodation.
Sustainable: 120€ (minimum amount to cover logistics costs, use of infrastructure and food)
Regenerative: 150€ (with this amount you already help to pay the facilitation team) Abundant: 180€ (you are contributing significantly to the development of our association)
Sobre as associações
Pequena Ilha Verde – It’s a neohumanist education association that was born from the desire to respond to the need for a more integral approach to education, in which children can express themselves and live in an interconnected way with the surrounding Nature and with their neighbor. Our childcare services are based on neohumanist education and forest school methodologies. These philosophies complement each other and aim at the holistic development of each child’s potential.
EcoAtivo – It’s an environmental association focused on ecosystem regeneration through a holistic approach. Environmental education is therefore one of the association’s main pillars, having facilitated hundreds of activities in the Erasmus programs that take place at Ananda Kalyani, as well as many courses and workshops that EcoAtivo organizes on its own. The main motivation of the association is to reconnect young people to nature through immersive experiences with the highest level of scientific content.
ADENEX – The Association for the Defense of Nature and Resources of Extremadura (ADENEX) was constituted in March 1978, having been legalized on July 10 of the same year. ADENEX defines itself as a scientific, cultural, independent and non-partisan entity, which has, among others, the following objectives:
– Promote and encourage the study of the natural riches of the Extremadura region, as well as the landscape, flora and fauna and the biotopes on which they are based.
– Contribute to the conservation and defense of these natural riches and the historical, artistic and cultural heritage, understood as a common good and regional heritage.
– Pay special attention to the promotion of educational campaigns with the aim of raising awareness in society of the vital need to conserve a high quality environment and the role that the individual and the community play in this mission.
– Promote and encourage the study of the natural riches of the Extremadura region, as well as the landscape, flora and fauna and the biotopes on which they are based.
– Contribute to the conservation and defense of these natural riches and the historical, artistic and cultural heritage, understood as a common good and regional heritage.
– Pay special attention to the promotion of educational campaigns with the aim of raising awareness in society of the vital need to conserve a high quality environment and the role that the individual and the community play in this mission.
Parceiros
Projeto co-finaciado por:
