Even the youngest child can learn basic science concepts and skills. This workshop will introduce participants to the scientific skills, concepts, and attitudes for scientific investigations in the early childhood classroom. The exploration of life science, physical science, earth science, environmental awareness, health, and nutrition will be included.
INSTRUCTOR: Janet DuBois-Mars has been an early childhood educator for the past 25 years. She has taught many early childhood education workshops and classes in the Bay Area. She works with numerous programs in the Bay Area and is a consultant with the California Preschool Instructional Network.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: Preschool teachers, child care providers, Kindergarten level
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Storytelling is the living memory of who and what we are, using stories of history and holidays. Fiddlers and fools come to life when you learn to create the environment and become the characters. Come as a teller and an audience and participate in hilarious theater games.
INSTRUCTOR: Linda Levine is an accomplished performer and teacher using mime, clowning, story telling, juggling and more. She has performed her unique, participatory routines across the USA and abroad. She previously was the director of a parent participation preschool in Saratoga.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels
COST: $20 for members; $35 for non-members

Explore the patterns, shapes, and sizes commonly found across the "tree of life," keeping in mind that form and function are tightly related. Characteristics of humans and other animals as well as plants and even microbes will be explored. The role of the non-living environment in shaping the adaptations of living things will also be examined.
INSTRUCTOR: Karen Kalumuck , a biology researcher-turned-educator, has been at the Exploratorium since 1994. She is the author of a book of inquiry-based biology activities titled, "Human Body Explorations".
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th grade teachers and up
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Join in the dances of Africa! Boom, boom, hear the drums! First, get a brief overview of African music and dance techniques. Then, learn how to present this style of dance to children using RAFT materials for costumes and instruments. Wear your dancing shoes and comfortable clothes.
INSTRUCTOR: Shalek Chappill has worked with children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. She currently works for Santa Clara Unified School District in the autism program. Concurrently, Shalek is attending Santa Clara University to receive an M.A. and credential in Special Education.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers and leaders of all grade levels
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Teachers know that students' interest skyrockets when lessons are connected to real-world challenges. Hands-on activities and idea sheets from RAFT create a perfect "bridge" between academic subjects like Life Science, Chemistry, and Math, and real world challenges such as climate change, health care, clean water, and energy conservation. Participants will explore ways to use real life challenges to integrate lessons in language, social science, history, science, and math into one seamless learning experience.
INSTRUCTOR: Greg Brown is the current Director of Education at Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT), in San Jose, CA.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 5th - 8th grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Learn the basics of using place-based education and online mapping tools to teach science in a new exciting way. First, create technology-rich, interactive, science-related maps. Then, collaborate to create an online map, import photos, and add text. You can email the maps, embed them on a web page or blog, and more. It is FAR easier than you think!
INSTRUCTOR: Jessica Neely is the Project Supervisor for Science Education at KQED and offers educational resources and trainings using resources from QUEST. She is a former high school science teacher and department chair and has been in the science education field for over 10 years.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up; Interested teachers of all grade levels welcome
COST: Thanks to the partnership between KQED and RAFT, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.

This class focuses on the advanced tools available for Internet research. Learn how to search your own search history (both browser history and Google login), how to set up and use Custom Search Engines, when to set up Alerts for research topic monitoring, Google toolbar use, Advanced operators (filetype, site, intitle, inurl, allintext, define), the range of different Google Properties?what they are, why you should know them, what mashups are and when you can use them. We'll talk about research strategies for complex or difficult topics and finally, we'll review several important content provider sites that you should know about.
INSTRUCTOR: Daniel M Russell is a research scientist at Google where he works in the area of search quality, with a focus on understanding what makes Google users happy in their use of web search. He studies how people do their searches, trying to understand the most common traps and pathways to successful searches. Dan has been a researcher at IBM's Almaden Research Center, Apple's Advanced Technology Group and Xerox PARC. He received his PhD from the University of Rochester, and remembers a time when email addresses didn't end in .com. He enjoys long distance running, making music and word play, becoming disgruntled when he can't do all three in one day.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (PC Lab)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels; Experience with Google Search preferred
COST: Thanks to the partnership between Google and RAFT, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.

Combine painting, printmaking, collage, oil pastel, and watercolors to create large expressive mixed-media paintings on paper. Use these same techniques to teach your students creative art techniques that can be used in a variety of class projects throughout their school career.
INSTRUCTOR: Claude Ferguson is a prize-winning artist and teacher who has been incorporating RAFT materials into his own work and that of his students for years. He holds an MFA from San Jose State and has served as the Assistant Curator of Art Education for the San Jose Museum of Art.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members (includes materials fee)

Probability is one of the most exciting math standards to investigate! Come join the fun as we explore a wide range of games from a variety of sources that use dice, spinners, coins, and more. Data analysis and a connection to other curriculum areas will be discussed.
INSTRUCTOR: Tom Murray is a math specialist and instructor who has worked with 3rd grade through college students. Focuses on creative, hands-on methods that emphasize building for understanding by accentuating creative projects, activities, and investigations.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th - 7th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Introduce lessons using demonstrations and hands-on learning to help students actively think about science. Teach your students to Predict, Observe, and Explain their experiences with lab activities and experiments. Take home RAFT materials to help you recreate these lessons in your own classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Marlene Gutierrez is the Science Dept chair at Terra Nova High school. She currently teaches Earth Science and Chemistry. Marlene has been teaching science for the past 24 years, and has facilitated seminar-workshops for teachers both here and in the Philippines.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th - 12th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Do you have students who need more than a little help in arts and crafts? This class will show you how to use what you have to turn a basic project into a memorable experience for children with special needs.
INSTRUCTOR: Shalek Chappill has worked with children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. She currently works for Santa Clara Unified School District in the autism program. Concurrently, Shalek is attending Santa Clara University to receive an M.A. and credential in Special Education.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Pre-K, daycare and Kindergarten teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

This workshop will show you how to use collaborative bookmaking in your classroom. First, learn how to do a research project in small groups where each student tackles a different aspect of the research, and then shares their part with the group. Then learn the art of collage, sharing your art with your group around a single theme. During this workshop, you will create several collaborative structures.
INSTRUCTOR: Susie Peyton has an MA in Fine Art/Crafts from Cal State Long Beach, took up bookbinding in 1991 and teaches children's bookmaking through the San Francisco Center for the Book. A board member of the Redwood City Education Fund, she has introduced bookmaking to many San Mateo County schools, integrating art and current curriculum projects into kid-friendly structures.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: 2nd - 5th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Brain research shows that when students are engaged in an activity, learning sticks. Incorporating board games into your math curriculum is an effective way for students to practice skills while maintaining interest in subject matter. You will learn ways to design board games that work well in your classroom, and will increase the achievement of your students. Repeated at RAFT San Jose on April 29th.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Simon Mary taught for 12 years in elementary schools, specializing in math and science education for young children. In 1994, Mary founded Resource Area for Teaching, RAFT, and has served as the Executive Director since its inception.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: 3rd - 6th grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Learn the basics of using place-based education and online mapping tools to teach science in a new exciting way. Create technology-rich, interactive science-related maps. Collaborate to create an online map, import photos, and add text. You can email the maps, embed them on a web page or blog, and more. It is FAR easier than you think!
INSTRUCTOR: Jessica Neely is the Project Supervisor for Science Education at KQED and offers educational resources and trainings using resources from QUEST. She is a former high school science teacher and department chair and has been in the science education field for over 10 years.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (PC Lab)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels
COST: Thanks to the partnership between KQED and RAFT, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.

Enhancing the literacy skills of young children is a top priority for educators. Join us for a make-and-take session during which you will construct a variety of developmentally-appropriate, hands-on activities. Discover how RAFT's many die cuts can help you create attractive, low-cost games and manipulatives. You'll be able to share something new with your students on Monday morning! Repeated on 4/17.
INSTRUCTOR: Debbie Long presently works at RAFT as the Green Room Manager. She taught for 30 years, most recently for ten years at a parent co-op nursery school where she developed an impressive array of ideas to engage young minds.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Green Room)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Pre-K through 1st grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Demystify fractions and make fraction operations easy to learn. Apply fractions in both hands-on activities and practical daily life problems. Examples from California standards will be carefully examined and expanded upon.
INSTRUCTOR: Tsing Bardin has been working with elementary school teachers and in university teacher training programs for many years. She has retired from teaching physics at SJSU and at City College of San Francisco.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th – 6th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Learn about the science of spinning things by building and experimenting with yo-yos, tops, and other fun toys. These are simple toys, yet they are also excellent tools for teaching science concepts.
INSTRUCTOR: Modesto Tamez is on staff at the Exploratorium's Center for Teaching and Learning.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Google Spreadsheets is a free spreadsheet program that stores your files securely online. This gives you the opportunity to access your documents at anytime and from anywhere with an internet connection. Google Forms is a free and easy tool to create a survey, make it available online, and have the information automatically show up in a spreadsheet. Come and find out how to transform student assignments using Google Forms.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Fran Lynch  is a third grade teacher at Alta Visa School in the Union School District where she enjoys integrating technology into as many lessons as she can. She is a Google Certified Teacher, and last year was a SVEF Innovation Award recipient and a KBAY Teacher-of-the-Month. Mary Fran has used Google Docs and Spreadsheets to co-author a weekly Google tech-tip site with a colleague in Oregon. The weekly tips are written with teachers in mind and can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/techtipstuesday/
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (PC Lab)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels
COST: Thanks to the generosity of the instructor, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.

Join the Environmental Volunteers for a "Schoolyard Snoop"! First, learn how to categorize things as living, once living, or never living. Then, go on a "snoop hunt," to learn tips and tricks on where to find the best "stuff." This is an easy way to connect kids with nature and help them understand that nature is everywhere?even in the playground. (Repeat from Summer 2009)
INSTRUCTOR: Brittany Sabol is part of the Environmental Volunteers.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: PreK - 2nd grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Join us for a fun-filled morning of learning easy cardmaking techniques that will dazzle your students. Teach your students how to make greeting cards that spin, twirl or reveal hidden treasures that will be sure to wow their recipients.
INSTRUCTOR: Jean Suzuki is a retired geometry and computer teacher who loves crafting with paper. She has been creating RAFT project ideas and leading RAFT workshops for several years.
Gloriane Hirata has been an active supporter of RAFT and was formerly the Science Coordinator for the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Join us for a third round of teambuilding games to add to your collection of ideas designed to create a connected, cooperative, fun, and safe classroom environment. These games will further your bag of tricks and will also provide you with tools for better communication, problem-solving, teamwork and trust. Handouts will be provided. *Note that all of the Teambuilding workshops offered in Spring 2010 are different but not sequential; take one, two, three or all four!
INSTRUCTOR: Steve Peck has been working in the camp industry for over 25 years, training counselors on better ways to connect with the campers. He has also presented a session on games at the American Camping Association Conference for the past 3 years. Recently, Steve completed his first book, entitled "101 Fun, Creative and Interactive Games for Kids."
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers and leaders of all grade levels
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Make and use an inclined plane (ramp) and a pulley system to illustrate and clarify the ideas of force, work, energy, mechanical advantage and efficiency. Then look at some examples of how the six basic simple machines (ramp, pulley, lever, screw, wedge, and wheel-and-axle) are used in everyday life to allow us to do things we might otherwise not be able to do.
INSTRUCTOR: Don Rathjen is a physics teacher, activities designer, and writer at the Exploratorium Teacher Institute.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th grade teachers and up. Interested teachers of any level are welcome
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Calligraphy brushes can be used for more than simple lettering. Using a chisel-edged brush, we will work in watercolor and with ink on a variety of papers to create a Spring bouquet of flower designs. After getting comfortable with the brush, this technique can be used for decorating signs, bulletin boards, and more.
INSTRUCTOR: Sara Loesch-Frank was chosen as the Distinguished Fine Artist of Cupertino for 1997. She has taught calligraphy and watercolor in the Bay Area since 1977. She was recently awarded a full scholarship to the Academy of Art in San Francisco.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th grade teachers and up
COST: $30 for members; $45 for non-members (includes materials fee)

Use hands-on models to understand rates and ratios. Solve rates and proportions in measurements and in word problems from daily life. Investigate CA standard test questions on these topics. Take RAFT kits and materials back to your classroom, and share these lessons with your students.
INSTRUCTOR: Tsing Bardin has been working with elementary school teachers and in university teacher training programs for many years. She has retired from teaching physics at SJSU and at City College of San Francisco.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th grade teachers and up. Interested teachers of any level are welcome
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Help your students unravel the dance of the planets using a simple and powerful radial model that shows both the planets' relative distance and their direction from the sun. By having students carry out a series of kinetic interactions with the model, they will be able visualize where planets can be seen in the night sky as well as understand why other planets cannot be seen on a given date. Connecting these explorations with naked-eye observing opportunities will give your students a powerful experience, creating an understanding of their physical world while also gaining useful tools for further inquiry.
INSTRUCTOR: Tom Gates is an Aerospace Education Specialist with RAFT's Education Department. He traveled extensively in the Western U.S. giving teacher workshops, classroom visits, and assembly programs with NASA for over 30 years.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 5th - 12th grade teachers. Younger students could successfully interact with the model but would have difficulty doing the mathematics used to create it.
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

How big is a serving of M&Ms? How many M&Ms does it take to give you enough fuel to ascend a set of stairs? Explore the relationship between mechanical work and nutritional calories, determine the amount of heat energy given off by your hand, measure the amount of fat in fast foods, and discover the mathematics of nutritional labels using unit conversions, ratios, measurement and percentages. In addition, we will build our own metric balances to use during the workshop and for you to take back to your classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Lori Lambertson is a middle-school math and science specialist at the Exploratorium.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: 5th - 8th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Learning to read and write is critical to a child's success in both school and later in life. This workshop will provide guidance to teachers of young children in early childhood programs with information and experiential activities that will support emerging literacy activities in the classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Janet DuBois-Mars has been an early childhood educator for the past 25 years. She has taught many early childhood education workshops and classes in the Bay Area. She works with numerous programs in the Bay Area and is a consultant with the California Preschool Instructional Network.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: Preschool teachers and daycare providers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Paper sculpture is a wonderful way to teach patterns and math and create delightful 3D art pieces. We will sculpt a sleeping giant puppet, geometric mobiles, a flower cage, a Pennsylvania Dutch folk art good luck bird. Your students will love these creations and learn some math at the same time!
INSTRUCTOR: Tess Sinclair is a fine arts instructor for both the Pacific Art League and the Community School of Music & Art.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: K - 5th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Spectroscopy is the technique of separating light into different colors for detailed study. This is the primary method for studying objects in space. Teachers will watch a DVD "Colors of The Sun", which explains how Solar Astronomers use spectroscopy to unlock the mysteries of the Sun. Then we will build inexpensive spectroscopes and use them in a number of classroom activities. The instructor will demonstrate how to build the spectroscopes and give some guidance for the activities. Teachers who invest their own creativity and inquisitiveness will get the most out of this workshop. A copy of the DVD, and the PowerPoint presentation will be distributed to attendees along with information for obtaining materials for building spectroscopes.
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. John Beck works at the Solar Center at Stanford University.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 2nd grade and up
COST: Thanks to the partnership between Google and RAFT, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.

First, learn to make highly detailed drawings using the simple method of contour line drawing. Then, learn to render value with line. Use materials from RAFT and the world around you for your canvas and your inspiration. Share both the techniques and the inspiration with your students!
INSTRUCTOR: Claude Ferguson is a prize-winning artist and teacher who has been incorporating RAFT materials into his own work and that of his students for years. He holds an MFA from San Jose State and has served as the Assistant Curator of Art Education for the San Jose Museum of Art.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 3rd grade teachers and up; Great for beginner and intermediate art students.
COST: $20 for members; $35 for non-members

Learn some creative uses of tempera to paint amazing pictures for elementary school art. You will make a variety of tools out of everyday materials, and learn painting techniques to make all your students successful at creating beautiful art work. New techniques and tools guarantee your success with an old favorite!
INSTRUCTOR: Tess Sinclair is a fine arts instructor for both the Pacific Art League and the Community School of Music & Art.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: K - 5th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

This class focuses on two important pieces of evidence to support the theory of plate tectonics: magnetic pole reversal and sea floor spreading. You'll learn a few easy and fun ways to turn these concepts into hands-on activities using RAFT materials. Also, you will learn how to use common materials to demonstrate the types of earthquake waves in a meaningful way.
INSTRUCTOR: Eric Welker is part of the RAFT Education staff, and is in charge of product displays and demos.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th - 12th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Spring is filled with many celebrations that you will want to share with your students. Participants will make teacher samples of projects for a wide variety of cross-curricular projects including St. Patrick's Day, Noruz, Passover, Easter, Earth Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, and Father's Day. An extensive bibliography will be provided.
INSTRUCTOR: Kathleen J White is a RAFT volunteer and a kindergarten teacher at West Valley Elementary School in the Cupertino School District. She has been the lead science teacher for her school for the last 5 years and is a district trainer for the FOSS Insect Kit. She has been successfully raising butterflies for 18 years and silkworms for 10 years.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: Pre-K through 2nd grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

What is solar energy and what can you do with a solar cell? Kids love to solve puzzles! In this workshop, you will get both the materials and the real-world insight for teaching students the math and science behind solar energy. First, you will measure, tabulate, and graph the voltage, current and power that a solar cell produces and determine the 'sweet spot' for best efficiency. Then you will use the solar cell and a motor to create simple projects that will culminate from the lessons. Each participant will receive 15 classroom sets of solar cells, motors, and other assorted RAFT materials, provided through a donation from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. The information learned through these hands-on experiments will help students solve the mathematical formulas used for determining voltage, current, power and resistance.
INSTRUCTOR: Lee Colby is a retired engineer from Hewlett-Packard and an electronic engineering consultant in Silicon Valley and has lived and worked in Sunnyvale for 46 years. He has been a volunteer teacher with the RESEED group and for the past 3 years has taught a 3 week course on solar cells and fuel cells during the summer for 7th - 10th grade students for the Tech Academy at San Jose State.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 7th grade teachers and up; those interested in learning about solar cells
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Fabric can be used for so many projects in so many ways! Learn techniques for using fabric to make books, boxes, and tote bags. Explore project possibilities that will challenge your students and provide hours of enjoyment for both the students and those who receive the finished projects.
INSTRUCTOR: Patti Henry has taught art at all levels since 1966, including nearly 13 years in the Art Dept. at SJSU, and has been offering creative and unique RAFT workshops for several years.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th - 12th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Use recyclable materials to create something new and fun! Build or rebuild with leftovers from other projects. Figure out ways to eliminate "junk" by incorporating otherwise unneeded materials into a class project. Rejuvenate the old by decorating with useable trash and leftovers. Check out Kathy's website to see the actual projects for this workshop at www.kathrynrone.com/ea. Help save our Earth with creative ideas that will also help our children learn through hands-on projects!
INSTRUCTOR: Kathryn Rone is the director for the Cultural Kaleidoscope program, at the Palo Alto Art Center.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: K - 6th grade teachers
COST: $20 for members; $35 for non-members

Join us to further build your repertoire of games designed to promote teambuilding in the classroom and to augment existing teaching techniques. All new and different games than we played in Teambuilding I.
INSTRUCTOR: Steve Peck has been working in the camp industry for over 25 years, training counselors on better ways to connect with the campers. He has also presented a session on games at the American Camping Association Conference for the past 3 years. Recently, Steve completed his first book, entitled "101 Fun, Creative and Interactive Games for Kids."
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers and leaders of all grade levels; Note: Each of the four Teambuilding workshops stand alone so you can take them in any order.
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Teach geometrical properties while creating artistic designs in 2D and in 3D. Learn the basic concepts of perimeter, area and volume using hands-on geometry. Make origami and paper-plate 3-D figures. Create artistic geometric designs using compasses and a straight edge. Return to your classroom with techniques that will put creativity into the challenge of math.
INSTRUCTOR: Tsing Bardin has been working with elementary school teachers and in university teacher training programs for many years. She has retired from teaching physics at SJSU and at City College of San Francisco.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th - 8th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Enhancing the literacy skills of young children is a top priority for educators. Join us for a make-and-take session during which you will construct a variety of developmentally-appropriate, hands-on activities. Discover how RAFT's many die cuts can help you create attractive, low-cost games and manipulatives. You'll be able to share something new with your students on Monday morning! Repeat of the 2/27 workshop.
INSTRUCTOR: Debbie Long presently works at RAFT as the Green Room Manager. She taught for 30 years, most recently for ten years at a parent co-op nursery school where she developed an impressive array of ideas to engage young minds.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Green Room)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Pre-K through 1st grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Gain hands-on experience for making a number of electrical projects that will move, buzz, and light up. Ten sets of electrical parts (batteries are included!) will be provided for duplicating the activities in the classroom. The materials can enhance 4th grade lessons on electricity, or be used for enrichment, after school, or summer programs.
INSTRUCTOR: Michael Pollock taught hands-on science to both mainstream and special needs elementary students for 25 years. He currently works at RAFT helping to produce educational kits.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up; Interested leaders and educators of all grades welcome
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Learn how to teach binary numbers using a fun activity with simple tools that allows students to code messages using the American Standard Code for Information Interchange, or ASCII (pronounced "ask-ee"). This activity will help develop number sense, increase understanding of exponents and bases, and model exponential growth. The class also covers various math games using coordinate grids and 3x3 matrices.
INSTRUCTOR: Eric Welker is part of the RAFT Education staff, and is in charge of product displays and demos.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th - 12th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

This workshop is a 2-hr session of new games and mixers, designed to build better relationships in the classroom and augment existing teaching techniques. With some minor adjustments, these games are appropriate for all ages. Join us to expand your repertoire with games like 'All Aboard,' 'Footprints,' 'Tower of Power,' and 'Zip Zap Zop!
INSTRUCTOR: Steve Peck has been working in the camp industry for over 25 years, training counselors on better ways to connect with the campers. He has also presented a session on games at the American Camping Association Conference for the past 3 years. Recently, Steve completed his first book, entitled "101 Fun, Creative and Interactive Games for Kids."
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers and leaders of all grade levels
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Did you know that you can easily make "cool" graphics, copy and modify images, make collages and montages, and transfer images with programs you may already have on your computer? WordArt is a feature of MS Office; Paint, which comes with Windows, is an elementary paint program. This workshop will show you how to create works in each program, and then switch back and forth between programs to refine and elaborate your ideas. This is the next step for techno-phobes and self-perceived "techno-klutzes."
INSTRUCTOR: Elle Arnot , MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago, is currently a high school art teacher in the Campbell School district. She has over 20 years experience teaching all grade levels in a variety of media.and has worked in industry in illustration, graphic design and marketing. Ms Arnot has also been a provider of outreach art and summer programs for grades k-8.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (PC Lab)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Investigate the life cycle of a silkworm, and learn more about them than you ever thought possible! Cross-curricular lessons and projects presented in the workshop will include: 3-D life cycles, pop-up books, comparing moths and butterflies (such as the Anise swallowtail) and using Venn diagrams, scientific drawing, notebooks, and more. Extensions for biological and genetic experimentation will also be presented. A comprehensive bibliography will be provided for a successful insect unit in your own classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Kathleen J White is a RAFT volunteer and a kindergarten teacher at West Valley Elementary School in the Cupertino School District. She has been the lead science teacher for her school for the last 5 years and is a district trainer for the FOSS Insect Kit. She has been successfully raising butterflies for 18 years and silkworms for 10 years.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: K - 12th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

How do the rotation and revolution of the Earth and Moon affect how humans mark the passage of time? This class is a collection of hands-on activities that will give students a better understanding of how to answer this question. Explore how these movements of the Earth and Moon underlie our understanding of the time elements of days, weeks, months, and years.
INSTRUCTOR: Tom Gates is an Aerospace Education Specialist with RAFT's Education Department. He traveled extensively in the Western U.S. giving teacher workshops, classroom visits, and assembly programs with NASA for over 30 years.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th - 8th grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Learn various methods for determining the dimensions of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes by using hands-on manipulatives, geometric designs, cubes, cooperative problem-solving activities, and open-ended problems. These activities will involve measurement and estimation techniques that will help your students remember and understand the skills and concepts related to perimeter, area, and volume. Take home RAFT materials so you can recreate these lessons in your own classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Tom Murray is a math specialist and instructor who has worked with 3rd grade through college students. Focuses on creative, hands-on methods that emphasize building for understanding by accentuating creative projects, activities, and investigations.
LOCATION: RAFT Redwood City
TARGET AUDIENCE: 3rd - 6th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Brain research shows that when students are engaged in an activity, learning sticks. Incorporating board games into your curriculum is an effective way for students to practice skills while maintaining interest in subject matter. You will learn ways to design board games that work well in your classroom, and will increase the achievement of your students. Presented at RAFT Redwood City on February 24th.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Simon Mary taught for 12 years in elementary schools, specializing in math and science education for young children. In 1994, Mary founded Resource Area for Teaching, RAFT, and has served as the Executive Director since its inception.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 3rd - 6th grade teachers
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

This class will introduce you to several different book styles. We will make a unique accordion, an unusual pamphlet, a Japanese side-stab binding, a distinctive brochure or invitation, and a few other kinds of books as well. Take home a whole bag of books!
INSTRUCTOR: CJ Grossman has an MFA from California College of the Arts and a BS in social Welfare from San Francisco State. CJ works with mixed media, specializing in book arts, and exhibits her work nationally. CJ has taught thousands of children and adults how to make books and has a passion for teaching educators how to make books with kids. She lives in Berkeley and is former editor of "Kids Making Books."
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

RAFT has so many game boards! Then there are the forgotten ones stored in closets at home or school. What can we do with them? Learn how to use them in several different projects that kids will love: invent your own exciting game, use the board to create your own kind of utopia, construct a book from a game board, and if that's not enough, use your game boards to design a collage.
INSTRUCTOR: CJ Grossman has an MFA from California College of the Arts and a BS in social Welfare from San Francisco State. CJ works with mixed media, specializing in book arts, and exhibits her work nationally. CJ has taught thousands of children and adults how to make books and has a passion for teaching educators how to make books with kids. She lives in Berkeley and is former editor of "Kids Making Books."
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Make your own art portfolio and then fill it with 21 cards that will signify the 21 techniques that you make with different processes. Using many unusual media, we will create with batik, embossing, staining, and all kinds of ideas that you can use with paper. Liven up your work with new artistic approaches to share with your students!
INSTRUCTOR: CJ Grossman has an MFA from California College of the Arts and a BS in social Welfare from San Francisco State. CJ works with mixed media, specializing in book arts, and exhibits her work nationally. CJ has taught thousands of children and adults how to make books and has a passion for teaching educators how to make books with kids. She lives in Berkeley and is former editor of "Kids Making Books."
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th grade teachers and up
COST: $30 for members; $45 for non-members (includes materials fee)

This class teaches practical ways to explore life science concepts without a complicated lab set-up. Activities include modeling cell regulation and regeneration (cell biology), food webbing with large groups (ecology), and a hematocrit investigation (physiology).
INSTRUCTOR: Eric Welker is part of the RAFT Education staff, and is in charge of product displays and demos.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 4th - 8th grade teachers
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

Google Sites is Google's free webpage creator. Create a website to communicate important information to families or create a website where students can share their work with either a select group or with the world. Customize your page, and then, easily add information from other Google tools to your site.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Fran Lynch  is a third grade teacher at Alta Visa School in the Union School District where she enjoys integrating technology into as many lessons as she can. She is a Google Certified Teacher, and last year was a SVEF Innovation Award recipient and a KBAY Teacher-of-the-Month. Mary Fran has used Google Docs and Spreadsheets to co-author a weekly Google tech-tip site with a colleague in Oregon. The weekly tips are written with teachers in mind and can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/techtipstuesday/
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (PC Lab)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels
COST: Thanks to the generosity of the instructor, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.

Take your students' art skills to the next level! This workshop is for the intermediate and advanced water colorist who needs to sharpen their skills. The class will focus on technical processes, and the work will be done from photos. Emphasis will be on value and color mixing. You and your students will be amazed at the results!
INSTRUCTOR: Claude Ferguson is a prize-winning artist and teacher who has been incorporating RAFT materials into his own work and that of his students for years. He holds an MFA from San Jose State and has served as the Assistant Curator of Art Education for the San Jose Museum of Art.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom A)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels who have a basic background in watercolor
COST: $25 for members; $40 for non-members

The basic principles of research engineering will be explored using unique paper airplane designs and film canister rockets. Using inquiry-based lessons, demonstrated throughout the class, you will be able to create similar exciting presentations when you return to your classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Tom Gates is an Aerospace Education Specialist with RAFT's Education Department. He traveled extensively in the Western U.S. giving teacher workshops, classroom visits, and assembly programs with NASA for over 30 years.
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (Classroom B)
TARGET AUDIENCE: 6th grade teachers and up
COST: $15 for members; $30 for non-members

Google Spreadsheets is a free spreadsheet program that stores your files securely online. This gives you the opportunity to access your documents at anytime and from anywhere with an internet connection. Google Forms is a free and easy tool to create a survey, make it available online, and have the information automatically show up in a spreadsheet. Come and find out how to transform student assignments using Google Forms.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Fran Lynch  is a third grade teacher at Alta Visa School in the Union School District where she enjoys integrating technology into as many lessons as she can. She is a Google Certified Teacher, and last year was a SVEF Innovation Award recipient and a KBAY Teacher-of-the-Month. Mary Fran has used Google Docs and Spreadsheets to co-author a weekly Google tech-tip site with a colleague in Oregon. The weekly tips are written with teachers in mind and can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/techtipstuesday/
LOCATION: RAFT San Jose (PC Lab)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers of all grade levels welcome
COST: Thanks to the generosity of the instructor, there is no charge for this workshop. A $20 deposit, returned at the end of the class or if you cancel at least 1 week in advance, is required to register. Non-members need to purchase a $15 day pass.