Nonpublic Middle School SEE Seminars
Grades 6-8
Fall 2015
Giving Thanks: A Native American View
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Thursday, October 8, 2015
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Hans Herr House & Longhouse
Hans Herr Staff and Docents
Seminar Description: Pennsylvania is rich in history that began long before William Penn arrived. This SEE
Seminar will allow students to gain a better understanding of life in southcentral Pennsylvania before
European settlement; to hear an overview of the Native American presence and influence during the colonial
period; and to foster an appreciation for cultural diversity. Students will be introduced to contemporary
Native Americans while meeting in the recently completed Longhouse adjacent to the Hans Herr House.
Touring the Longhouse, students will learn of its mission and history, and they will have a chance to
experience a traditional Native American craft. Conversations related to Thanksgiving and thanks giving will
offer new perspectives and invite reflective thought, considering what giving thanks means to the Native
American community. Small group discussions will allow varying perspectives to be shared, and students will
be invited to ponder what they are grateful for while creating a lasting reminder of those blessings. PLEASE
DRESS for the weather—the Longhouse is NOT heated.
Finding Your Way . . . With or Without Technology
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Tuesday, October 20, 2015
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Lancaster County Environmental Center
Lisa Sanchez
Seminar Description: Do you ever feel lost or directionally challenged? Do you just turn on the GPS
(Geographical Positioning System) in your car or hit the app on your smart phone when finding a new
destination? This seminar will help you gain confidence in your ability to find your way using today’s
technology as well as understand a bit more how it works. We will begin the session learning how to use a
compass-it is not always as simple as it seems. You will get your bearings, count your paces, look at
topographic maps and travel in the correct directions. The GPS unit will then be introduced and become easier
to use as you work in small groups for a point-to -point scavenger hunt. We will also explore some fascinating
work being done at Penn State University on a project entitled, The Geospatial Revolution. Please dress for
the weather as we will be outdoors.
Exploring Fair Trade & Creative Global Connections
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Friday, October 30, 2015
10:00 AM – 1:45 PM
Ten Thousand Villages, Ephrata
Louise Ranck
Seminar Description: We live in a very globally connected world that is filled with talented artisans working to
support themselves and their families using skill and creativity. Unfortunately, many artisans are not paid a
fair wage for their unique, handmade products. Living in poverty creates many problems that can be
minimized when people are paid fairly for what they produce. This SEE Seminar will allow us to learn more
about one local business that is making a difference- Ten Thousand Villages Store & Oriental Rug Gallery in
Ephrata. As one of the world’s oldest and largest fair trade organizations, Ten Thousand Villages has spent
more than 60 years cultivating trading relationships in which artisans receive a fair price for their work and
consumers have access to distinctive handcrafted items. They seek to establish long-term buying relationships
in places where skilled artisans are under- or unemployed, and in which they lack other opportunities for
income. A founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), Ten Thousand Villages sees fair
trade as an alternative approach to conventional international trade.* Come explore our world through the
eyes of Fair Trade. Explore other cultures as you appreciate the beauty and intricacy of the items that are
created and sold. There will be time to make purchases if you want to bring spending money.
*Information provided by http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/ephrata
Creating Writing Rocks!
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Monday, November 9, 2015
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
The Conference and Training Center at IU13
Melissa Greene
Seminar Description: Write, freely, about whatever you want. Practice the joy of writing, not the rules. A
relaxed, hands-on look at how creativity flows when we let go of our inhibitions. Write a poem, begin a story,
explore a memory …or just listen! We’ll discover the power of playfulness in the creative process, techniques
for combating writer’s block, and how senses, details, and feelings bring life to what we create. No grades,
tests, competition, or stress. Building on a creative writing activity from the morning, we’ll add a bit of artistic
flair in the afternoon. Come ready to relax and enjoy creative expression in various forms.
The Reading-Writing Connection
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Monday, November 23, 2015
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
The Conference and Training Center at IU13
Robert Trout
Seminar Description: Do you love to read? Do you love to write? Have you thought about the direct link
between reading and writing? As a teacher, Mr. Robert Trout loved teaching his students how to connect
reading and writing, linking language together in powerful ways. Mr. Trout can tell you how he became an
author “by accident.” Being a Civil War reenactor led him to write nine nonfiction books on the Civil War,
looking at the war from both sides and offering views never explored by other authors. He has also written a
number of fictional books, some of which came about when an interesting title popped into his mind that
needed a story to go with it. Mr. Trout is a firm believer in the power of reading and writing, and he wants you
to be able to tell your story in a way that makes you comfortable and excited. You will learn what it takes to be
a better writer by participating in this Read to Write seminar. Throughout the day, you will have a chance to
do your own writing and share ideas with other students and a published author who can offer guidance. For
this SEE Seminar, bring your creativity along with your passion for reading and writing. We’ll have a great time
and you might be on your way to becoming a best-selling author!
Celebrate Excellence – NFL Connections to Learning!
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Wednesday, December 2, 2015
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
The Conference and Training Center at IU13
The Pro Football Hall of Fame
Seminar Description: NFL fans around the world enthusiastically support their favorite teams and players. Are
you an NFL fan? Do you have a favorite team or player? Have you ever stopped to think about all that goes
into professional football in the United States? This SEE Seminar is going to focus on several things than can be
learned from studying the NFL. Through live video connections with the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton,
OH, students will engage in discussions that incorporate Mathematics, Technology/Information Science,
Geography and History. The video conferences will focus on the media as it relates to the NFL and the
nicknames of teams, including how those names relate to team geography. In addition to group activities, the
morning will be spent studying the role of television in the history of the NFL and its impact on viewers. After
lunch, we will spend time examining NFL team histories, how team nicknames were selected and the meaning
behind those names. Come learn which nicknames are deeply woven into the history of the communities or
the geographic region in which they reside. Celebrate football season with a new perspective on the game!
Please note transportation times are not included.