Nature Writing for Kids

This workshop is cosponsored by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
	Workshop Description
	Click here to download workshop information. Date: April 6 - 10, 2005 Begins Wednesday, April 6, 2005, at 6 PM with dinner. An optional tour of Highlights for Children and Boyds Mills Press is available for early arrivals. Ends Sunday, April 10, with lunch. Designed For: Nature writers wanting to get out in the field, sharpen their skills in observation and writing, and receive expert critiques from publishing professionals. Workshop Fee: $895 Maximum Capacity: 15 participants
	Sharing your sense of wonder about nature with children takes special skills. It takes an alert mind, a keen sense of observation, and a passionate heart to translate nature’s language into words that come alive on a page. Guided field trips with seasoned naturalists Immerse yourself in a pristine natural environment. Instruction on keeping a field journal One of the foremost nature journaling teachers will show you how to use notes from the field to enliven your nature writing. Techniques to sharpen your powers of observation Learn how to see—then write about—nature with a trained eye. Critique of your written work Get feedback from professionals on how to improve your writing. One-on-one opportunities with children’s publishing experts Get the inside scoop on the world of children’s publishing from editors and nature writers in the know.

	Workshop Leader
Mark Baldwin		Mark Baldwin Principal author of the Natural History Atlas to the Chautauqua-Allegheny Region, Mark has devoted the past fourteen years to the development of nature education programs for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. As director of education, Mark works with teachers throughout the country to infuse nature studies into their curricula. He is president of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and vice president of the American Nature Study Society.
	Workshop Faculty
Andy Boyles		Andy Boyles (Workshop Facilitator) A lifelong interest in science led Andy to his position as science editor at Highlights for Children ten years ago. From dinosaur fossils and rain forests of Madagascar to environments closer to home, Andy’s encounters with the natural world and those who study it are recorded in countless interviews and articles. A member of the National Association of Science Writers, he has received numerous writing and editing awards.
Bruce Hiscock		Bruce Hiscock Inspired by the wild places of North America, Bruce has traveled the continent from the Arctic tundra to the arid deserts—and everywhere in between—observing, sketching, and writing in his journal. He combines his love of nature with his writing and illustration talents to create award-winning books. Residing on a remote Aleutian Island as a boy fueled his curiosity about nature and eventually led him to a degree in chemistry and a research career before turning his focus to writing children’s books.
Ethan Huner		Ethan Huner Wearing many hats under the naturalist title, Ethan’s life is devoted to environmental concerns. Active with the community, he is an educator, activist, field guide, and natural historian all rolled into one. A key figure at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC), Ethan’s efforts have extended to Mohonk Mountain House, Redtail Nature Awareness Camp, Delaware River Sojourn, The Eagle Institute, Appalachian Mountain Club, National Park Service, and Audubon Society.
		Paul Kowalczyk Paul is a longtime forester with deep firsthand knowledge of the Pennsylvania woods. As manager of the forest surrounding Boyds Mills House, he directs efforts to maintain the forest as a healthy habitat for wildlife as well as a source of timber.
Laurence Pringle		Laurence Pringle Laurence is an award-winning author of more than 100 books about nature, science, health, and environmental issues. Educated as a wildlife biologist, he combines his science background with curiosity about the natural world in his books. A former science teacher and magazine editor, his full-time writing career spans four decades. The Chicago Tribune hails him as “one of America’s top nonfiction writers for young people.”
Doug Wechsler		Doug Wechsler Doug is a wildlife biologist and photographer who takes his inspiration from jungles, swamps, and seashores as well as his own backyard. By showing the wonders of nature and its humorous side, he hopes to motivate his readers to deepen their interest in their natural surroundings. His photographs have appeared in hundreds of publications, including International Wildlife, BBC Wildlife, Audubon Magazine, National Geographic, National Wildlife, and Smithsonian Magazine.
		Ed Wesely Ed is director of the Butterfly Barn Nature Center located on the Pennsylvania bank of the Delaware River, where he rears and releases about 400 monarch butterflies each summer. Ed’s environmental education background provides the foundation for his many outreach activities, including numerous publications, lectures, and guided field tours. He is currently developing a natural-history Web site.
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