Project Seasons for the Young Learner- Cultivating Joy & Wonder, Norris, Summer 2026

Course Number:	EDX 5710 S85
Instructor:	Jed Norris, M.Ed.
Location:	In-person at Shelburne Farms & online
Dates and Times:	Jul 13 - Aug 10, 2026. July 13 - 17 at Shelburne Farms from 9-5 with the remainder of the course in an online environment.
Credits:	2 Graduate Credits
Tuition:	Set by and payable to educational partner Shelburne Farms

Course Description

Tap into your own curiosity and joy by connecting with peers; engaging with our farmyard, forest, lake, and wetlands; and learning practical activities and pedagogy you can easily employ in your own place. We’ll use hands-on activities, protocols, and shared learning to examine how the Big Ideas of Sustainability can instill a deep love and appreciation for the natural world in both you and your students.

We look forward to this week every year because no program is the same and it brings together a wonderful community of learners from all over who share, inspire, and support each other.

Cultivating Joy and Wonder is best suited for practicing early childhood educators (preK–2nd grade level), though all educators working with young children are welcome.

This course begins in with a five-day in-person program at Shelburne Farms and continues in an online, independent format with final work due by August 10, 2026.

Audience: Early Educators with a Bachelor's Degree

Course Goals & Objectives

This two-credit course will be a five-day program held at Shelburne Farms, Monday through Friday, July 13 - 17, 2026. Jed Norris will be the instructor with other Shelburne Farms staff assisting. The purpose of the course is to offer educators a hands-on learning experience based on the Project Seasons for Early Learners, Cultivating Joy & Wonder book. Participants will take an active part in completing the seasonal, interdisciplinary activities using the farm as the classroom. Through investigations, the participants will receive background information that will increase their confidence in place based education and the big ideas of education for sustainability.

Course Objectives:

Learning Objectives:

Demonstrate understanding of the concept of sustainability, promising practices and big ideas (concepts) and their application in an age appropriate manner for young learners.
Recognize and practice the strategies employed for integrating sustainability into the early childhood classroom (curriculum development, campus ecology, collaboration, and community partnerships).
Demonstrate proficiency in designing concept- and standards-based curriculum that uses continuous assessment and connects to the Vermont Early Learning Standards.
Become more comfortable through practice in using the outdoors as an extension of their classroom
Experience a variety of hands-on facilitated learning opportunities that relate to where our food and fiber originate and how to enhance those experiences through hands-on seasonally appropriate experiences.

Required Readings/Resources

Required Resources are not included in the course cost.

Hoyler, Emily and Linda Wellings. Project Seasons for Early Learners, Cultivating Joy and Wonder- Educating for Sustainability in Early Childhood Through Nature, Food & Community. 2013.

Kalafati, M., Flogaiti, E., Daskolia, M., (2025). Enhancing preschoolers’ creativity through art-based environmental education for sustainability. Environmental Education Research, 31(1), 46-73.

Acharibasam, J. B., McVittie, J., (2023). Connecting children to nature through the integration of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge into early childhood environmental education. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 39, 349–361.

Jones, D. (2024, July 1). What do children have to say about their environment? [Audio podcast episode]. The Voice of Early Childhood. https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/what-do-children-have-to-say-about-their-environment/

Kahriman-Pamuk D, Pramling Samuelsson I. Nurturing Sustainability in Toddlerhood: Investigating Preschool Teachers' Views and Daily Practices in a Swedish Preschool. Children (Basel). 2024 Nov 22;11(12):1412. doi: 10.3390/children11121412. PMID: 39767841; PMCID: PMC11674724.

Recycling for Kids: Teaching the Importance of Recycling. (2023, September 20). Recycle From Home. https://www.recyclefromhome.com/importance-of-recycling/

Nature of Early Play. (2024, August 5). The importance of early childhood environmental education. Nature of Early Play. https://natureofearlyplay.com/the-importance-of-early-childhood-environmental-education/

For additional course information

Jed Norris

(802) 985-0309

This course requires registration with Shelburne Farms first. Please click on the Register Now! button below.

For additional registration information

Please contact Jed Norris