Spring Forward! Online Emergent Curriculum Planning Workshop

How can we “plan” for the Spring if the curriculum is “emergent”?! 

In nature-based education we are deeply connected to what is happening outside. When children are outside having experiences every day their interests will be rooted in the seasons. The Seasons are predictable from year to year. That means we can plan ahead for an emergent curriculum–making the approach easier! 

Emergent curriculum is a concept often discussed in early childhood education, yet rarely is there clear explanation on how to DO it. So this workshop will guide you through the process of: 

1. identifying the local, seasonal happenings in your community in the coming months

2. brainstorming materials that could support children’s play-based exploration of those seasonal happenings as well as children’s interests

3. identifying possible teacher-led activities and experiences to connection with seasonal events and children’s interests

4. preparing to notice and document children’s learning experiences to plan for the next day’s lesson plans

Emergent curriculum celebrates the beauty of individuality, the wisdom of nature, and the empowerment of every child.

Enroll now in Spring Forward! and intentionally transform your teaching and the impact that it has on children as they learn in and with the natural world.

The workshop itself will be a mix of presentations,  large- and small-group interaction, and individual work. Handouts, templates, and other planning tools will be provided—including Planning for Emergent Curriculum: Capturing Seasonal Events ($19 value). Here’s what we’ll cover: 

Session 1 focus:

→ Why nature-based emergent curriculum?

→ Core components of nature-based emergent curriculum

→ Identifying natural and community events in upcoming months

→ Mapping related topics

Session 2 focus:

→ Roles of the physical environment in emergent curriculum

→ Identifying possible seasonally-based materials in the inside, outside, and beyond

→ Brainstorming possible experiences (e.g., large- and small-group activities)

Session 3 focus:

→ Identifying children’s interests

→ Making the plan–selecting materials & experiences

→ Noticing, documenting, and evaluating for future experiences

→ Bringing it all together

This workshop will be held via Zoom. (Yes, we’ll send you the recording if you can’t attend live!) And whether you attend live or view the recording, we’ll send you a certificate for 3 hours of attendance.* 

At the end of this 3-session workshop, you’ll be able to...

…list the core components of nature-based early childhood emergent curriculum

…describe how we can use the natural rhythms of nature to help plan for young children’s play-based learning 

…plan multiple upcoming class sessions based on the ideas generated through the workshop

…have a library of ideas for the Spring that you can draw from when you’re planning based on the children’s current interests and goals.

*Please note, licensing requirements for early childhood educators vary significantly, so we cannot guarantee this time will be accepted for your requirements. We recommend that you contact your certifying or state licensing agency for clarification.

About Rachel Larimore

Dr. Rachel A. Larimore is an educator, consultant, speaker, researcher, and author. Her work focuses on the intentional integration of nature to support young children’s holistic development by learning with nature to expand their worlds and live rich, full lives. She has written multiple books including Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool, Preschool Beyond Walls: Blending Early Childhood Education and Nature-Based Learning, and Evaluating Nature: Evaluating Natureness: Measuring the Quality of Nature-based Classrooms in Pre-k Through 3rd Grade. Her newest book is Reimagining the Role of Teachers in Nature-based Learning: Helping Children be Curious, Confident, and Caring. Rachel is the founder and Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning, an organization focused on helping early childhood educators start nature-based schools or add nature-based approaches into their existing program. Prior to founding Samara, she spent more than a decade starting and directing one of the first nature-based preschools in the United States.