Iowa Landscape Architects and Architects are invited to attend this very exciting workshop that will increase your skills, prepare you to serve the eeds of a growing market, and allow you to play a key role in a regional and national effort to design outdoor spaces that will become integral to children’s daily learning.
Research has found that today’s children are increasingly disconnected from nature. Teachers and parents have expressed concerns about the stressful, overscheduled lives of children as well as their preoccupation with TV and video games. This alienation from the natural world is leading to increases in problems such as obesity, children’s dislike and even fear of the outdoors, and increased reliance on behavior-regulating medications.
With grant funding from the Living Roadway Trust Fund of the Iowa Department of Transportation , Trees Forever is able to host this low-cost, two-day workshop for landscape architects and architects who have a unique opportunity to inspire a child’s sense of wonder in the natural world. The Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation are working in collaboration to support the creation of effective outdoor learning environments that make nature a part of children’s everyday lives.
This collaborative hands-on workshop will explore effective ways to apply new research-based, fieldtested principles to the design of outdoor nature classrooms in a variety of settings. Taught by landscape architect Jim Wike and Dimensions’ Executive Director, Nancy Rosenow, this workshop presents a unique combination of design principles coupled with the direct application of educational research. Collaborating with the Downtown School in Des Moines will allow workshop participants the opportunity to relate the course material to a real-world situation and setting.
In order to maximize the learning experience, the workshop is limited to 20 participants. To register, please return the form below. Additional information about the workshop, agenda and instructors is attached. Questions may be directed to Pamela Helfer, Trees Forever program manager at 515-292-4235.
Why You Should Attend:
• Develop your skills in addressing a design issue that has a growing demand.
• Improve the play value of the outdoor environments you design for children.
• Practice techniques for working with the client and designing a project to meet their needs.
• Learn concepts applicable to the design of outdoor environments for schools, parks, child care centers, homes and other play settings.
• Understand how to integrate research-based educational concepts with your design ideas for outdoor spaces.
• Network with other design professionals interested in outdoor spaces for children.
• Gain valuable practice with hands-on design opportunities.
• Join the network of qualified individuals that schools and other organizations will be seeking as they address this issue as a new educational priority.
• Receive a certificate of professional achievement.
Agenda Outline
Tuesday, April 14
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 a.m. Educational Research Which Informs the Design of Children’s Outdoor Play Spaces
Research and Design Principles for Outdoor Classrooms
Ten Guiding Principles of Creating Outdoor Classrooms
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Evaluating the Site
Site Visit
4:00 p.m. Adjourn
Evening on your own. Develop site plan for the space.
Wednesday, April 15
9:00 a.m. Site Plan Presentations & Critiques
Selection of Plan to Present
12:30 p.m. Lunch
Present Plan
4:00 p.m. Adjourn
Meet Your Instructors
James Wike, ASLA, RLA
With more than 23 years of professional practice, and being licensed in 14 states, James Wike, ALSA, RLA has assembled a wide variety of land planning and site design experience in a multitude of situations. He has been responsible for the site planning of parks, hospitals, schools, churches, multi-family housing, single family housing, commercial centers and various public works projects. His experience includes site analysis, land use studies, conceptual design, preparation of construction documents, competitive bid administration, and construction administration. Jim was the President, responsible for the day-to-day operation and supervision of Kersey/Wike Associates, P.C., a Memphis-based landscape architectural firm employing three architects. He has taught several classes in landscape architecture at the college level in Memphis and in North Carolina. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University. He holds a Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board certification and is a member of many local, state and national landscape architecture associations. At present Jim is working with Dimensions Educational Research Foundation and the Arbor Day Foundation on the development of Nature Explore Classrooms throughout the United States. He is on the Leadership Team of the international Nature Action Collaborative for Children.
Nancy Rosenow, Executive Director, Dimensions Educational Research Foundation
As the Executive Director of the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, Nancy Rosenow brings her experience and training in educational administration and research to her work with staff at the Dimensions offices in Lincoln, NE, as well as with consultants located throughout the United States. She speaks frequently at national conferences, and has also presented internationally at the World Forum on Early Care and Education in 2005 and 2007. The Dimensions Foundation and the Arbor Day Foundation helped host the international Working Forum on Nature Education in 2006 and 2008. She has authored articles for national publications such as Exchange Magazine, Young Children Magazine, and Out of the Box Training. She delivers trainings and keynote addresses to a variety of groups throughout the country and has previously served as a certified High/Scope trainer. She currently works with the international Nature Action Collaborative for Children Leadership Team, and serves as Nebraska’s past-president for the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
General Information
Schedule
Registration on Tuesday, April 14 will begin at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. The workshop will begin promptly at 9 a.m. and conclude by 4:00 p.m. Work on your own will be necessary Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, April 15, the workshop will resume at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 4:00 p.m. Lunch will again be provided.
What to Bring
• Basic Drawing Materials
• Pencils
• Architect and Engineer’s Scale
• Portable Drawing Board and T-Square (if desired)
• Rolling parallel ruler (glider)
• Role of 12 inch tracing paper
• Drafting tape
• 100 foot tape measurer or rolling tape measure
• Dress for the weather. We will spend time outside, regardless of the weather.
Location
The Downtown School
500 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Cancellations
Given the limited number of spaces available for people to attend, please let us know as soon as possible if plans have changed and you are not able to participate.
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