Note: All workshops are aligned with the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning.
Language Arts
Making Literature Come Alive
This workshop provides tips for age-appropriate book selection and cross-curricular ways to use literature with young children. Emphasis is placed on the value of retellings and ways to use props to increase engagement. Other topics covered include vocabulary expansion, book adaptations (for special needs), technology use, reading center set-up, and questioning techniques.
Rhyme Time
This workshop demonstrates the many skills that can be addressed through the use of nursery rhymes. Topics include rhyme selection, family involvement, cross-curricular connections, rhyme-awareness, cloze, and retellings. Emphasis is placed on phonological awareness skills, vocabulary, and language development.
Writing Center & the Finer Points of Fine Motor
This workshop will guide teachers to discover age-appropriate ways to do pre-writing and writing activities with preschoolers of all ages. Participants will be steered away from dotted lines and workbooks and toward fun activities that involve exploration using fingers and tools.
Emergent Literacy (Pre-K - early elementary)
This workshop explains the key elements of early literacy - phonological, phonemic, phonetic, and print awareness. Because these skills develop best in natural settings, ways to embed literacy into play and routines will be discussed. Topics covered will include rhyme, alliteration, phoneme manipulation, retellings, letter/sound recognition, concept of word, and experimental writing.
The Science of Teaching Science
This workshop focuses on the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning providing ways to embed science into themes throughout the year using the 4 Es of Science: Exposure, Exploration, Experimentation and Excitement! Topics include setting up a science center, creating homemade materials, and teaching respect for living things. The CLASS and ECERS tools are referenced.
Social Studies: A World View
This workshop focuses on the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, stressing self-awareness, vocabulary development, and citizenship. Age-appropriate ways to teach about the passage of time, community helpers/membership, beginning mapping skills, and economics will be covered.
Math is Fun - You Can Count on It!
This workshop focuses on the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, providing hands-on activities to support the acquisition of math skills. Teachers will be guided to use books, songs, finger-plays, games, and manipulatives (homemade and purchased), as well as use real-world experiences such as cooking. Directions for DIY materials will be provided.
Cooking in the Classroom
This workshop shows that food can be connected to all areas of the curriculum. Ways to embed language, literacy, math, science, health, fine motor, and social skills into cooking activities will be covered. Recipes and demonstrations will be provided. An emphasis will be placed on preparing individual portions, in which the children are involved in all steps of the process. (This workshop requires food materials to be purchased)
Other workshops can be created upon request.
Language Arts
Making Literature Come Alive
This workshop provides tips for age-appropriate book selection and cross-curricular ways to use literature with young children. Emphasis is placed on the value of retellings and ways to use props to increase engagement. Other topics covered include vocabulary expansion, book adaptations (for special needs), technology use, reading center set-up, and questioning techniques.
Rhyme Time
This workshop demonstrates the many skills that can be addressed through the use of nursery rhymes. Topics include rhyme selection, family involvement, cross-curricular connections, rhyme-awareness, cloze, and retellings. Emphasis is placed on phonological awareness skills, vocabulary, and language development.
Writing Center & the Finer Points of Fine Motor
This workshop will guide teachers to discover age-appropriate ways to do pre-writing and writing activities with preschoolers of all ages. Participants will be steered away from dotted lines and workbooks and toward fun activities that involve exploration using fingers and tools.
Emergent Literacy (Pre-K - early elementary)
This workshop explains the key elements of early literacy - phonological, phonemic, phonetic, and print awareness. Because these skills develop best in natural settings, ways to embed literacy into play and routines will be discussed. Topics covered will include rhyme, alliteration, phoneme manipulation, retellings, letter/sound recognition, concept of word, and experimental writing.
The Science of Teaching Science
This workshop focuses on the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning providing ways to embed science into themes throughout the year using the 4 Es of Science: Exposure, Exploration, Experimentation and Excitement! Topics include setting up a science center, creating homemade materials, and teaching respect for living things. The CLASS and ECERS tools are referenced.
Social Studies: A World View
This workshop focuses on the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, stressing self-awareness, vocabulary development, and citizenship. Age-appropriate ways to teach about the passage of time, community helpers/membership, beginning mapping skills, and economics will be covered.
Math is Fun - You Can Count on It!
This workshop focuses on the VA Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, providing hands-on activities to support the acquisition of math skills. Teachers will be guided to use books, songs, finger-plays, games, and manipulatives (homemade and purchased), as well as use real-world experiences such as cooking. Directions for DIY materials will be provided.
Cooking in the Classroom
This workshop shows that food can be connected to all areas of the curriculum. Ways to embed language, literacy, math, science, health, fine motor, and social skills into cooking activities will be covered. Recipes and demonstrations will be provided. An emphasis will be placed on preparing individual portions, in which the children are involved in all steps of the process. (This workshop requires food materials to be purchased)
Other workshops can be created upon request.
