Program

Communities Served

EdenAcres will provide programming and activities for a variety of learners:

• • Youth (homeschool, after school, field trips, summer, at-risk, etc)

  • Undergraduate and graduate students

  • Teachers (k-12, higher education, certifications)

  • Adult learners

Program Initiatives

• Summer camp

• After school

• Day camp (In-Service, Homeschool)

• Overnight outdoor school

• Youth work/ CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

  • Curriculum, lesson plans, and outdoor classroom design consultation services

• Adult workshops

• Adult certification

  • Permaculture design and teaching

  • Demeter Biodynamics

  • Sustainable education, pre and post service

Program Curriculum

• • Learning Goals

EdenAcres will work with clients to develop programming that supports client learning goals within the frame of the EdenAcres learning environment. Our program development is guided by the Oregon Department of Education Environmental Literacy Plan, Waters Foundation Systems Thinking in Schools, and the Permaculture Institute of North America Design Curriculum. When working with k-12, our focus is on addressing grade-appropriate state standards through experiential outdoor activities.

• • • ODE Environmental Literacy Strands:

      • Systems Thinking

      • Physical, Living, and Human Systems

      • Interconnectedness of People and the Environment

      • Personal and Civic Responsibility

      • Investigate, Plane ane Create a Sustainable Future

    • Permaculture Design Curriculum learning goals (Permaculture Institute of North America)

    • Habits of Systems Thinkers (Waters Foundation)

    • STEM to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math)

    • Alignment with Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards

• Experiential themes:

Experiential activities will be developed according to site capability and client interest and needs within the following four focus areas. Each area is designed to offer opportunity to consider the interaction of earth physical systems, and ecosystems with human activities and needs. Emphasis is on developing intrinsic motivation, civic responsibility, and a positive outlook coupled with creative problem-solving and collaborative team-building skills.

• • Garden and Table

    • Kitchen classroom (indoor and outdoor)

    • Gardens of all kinds

    • CSA, cooking and food preparation; artisanal food production such as cheese and bread making, ferment, and preserves; cultural connections to land and place; taste memory, community through preparing and sharing food; a diversity of ecologically-based gardening, farming, and foraging methods

    • The Natural World

      • Lab classroom

      • Wetlands, natural areas, and gardens

    • The scientific method, earth physical systems, ecosystems, watershed, soils, botany, biology, energy

    • Maker's Workshop

      • Workshop classroom

      • Gardens to supply maker materials such as coppice willow and hazelnut, dye, fiber animals

    • Design methodology, craftsmanship, creative thinking, problem-solving, the built environment, the material world, appropriate technology, toolmaking, stewardship of resources used for making, water and energy needs, cradle to cradle design

    • Health and Well-being

      • Multi-use classroom, kitchen classroom, and other gathering spaces

      • Food and herb gardens

      • Fitness trails, play areas, and the natural environment

    • Health, nutrition, exercise, team-building, community-building eco-therapy, service, reflection, social and physical skills