SPP Families

In support of positive relationships between SPP technicians and students and their families, we offer a few resources. Scroll down for additional details on each item.

A toolkit from Sesame Street includes stories and tips that could be helpful to any family with a loved one in prison.
Participation in Family Councils could influence how families can connect with incarcerated loved ones at the host prison and beyond.
For incarcerated individuals working and learning about science, conservation, and sustainability, we want to recognize the value of their efforts: they are doing great, important work! We offer a few sources on science and endangered species that kids may enjoy, so they might better relate to their parents’ achievements.
To learn about policies that promote outdoor experiences and education for kids, look to the Youth Outdoor Policy Playbook. They list policy opportunities here.
For folks outside of prison who have access to garden space, growing food and flowers with kids can be super rewarding.

We want to connect kids to SPP programs as much as possible…and especially as it involves funny outfits, like an adult’s beekeeping suit.

If you know of other resources that would fit this page, please let us know! Email spp@evergreen.edu.

Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration

A Sesame Street toolkit for children and caregivers with a loved one who is incarcerated. Videos, storybooks, tips for parents, and more.

Book available at http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/incarceration#

Family Councils for Washington State Department of Corrections

Washington State DOC maintains a Local Family Council for every prison in the state. They define family broadly to include immediate, extended, and elected family members, such as romantic partners, friends, neighbors, and clergy. Family Councils partner with DOC staff to promote and support strong family relationships during incarceration and supervision. WA DOC acknowledges many barriers that get in the way of these vital relationships and look to Family Councils to advise them on how to minimize these barriers.

All approved visitors may join the meetings to ask questions and discuss opportunities with the facility Superintendent or Associate Superintendent, Visiting Program staff representative, Family Services Program staff representative, and others as needed. Participants can attend in person or may be able to call in with a toll free number. More information and details here.

The Kids Should See This

Smart videos for curious minds of all ages

We learned about this site when they posted an amazing time lapse video of the Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speryeria zerene hippolyta) transform from a caterpillar to a chrysalis, made by our partners at the Oregon Zoo.

Video at http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/silver-spot-butterfly-time-lapse

Another piece we recommend for budding pollinator enthusiasts comes from Moving Image, a partner that has donated gorgeous nature films to several Washington State prisons. These videos are breathtaking!

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQiszdkOwuU, by Louie Schwartzberg of Moving Art.

The Oregon Zoo “Teacher Resources“

You can find many other videos on the Oregon Zoo’s youtube channel, and SPP kids might most enjoy the playlist for Conservation and Species Recovery. The animal species SPP knows best are included: look for videos on Oregon spotted frog, Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly, and western pond turtles.

Conservation video playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL05A16F1DE2EEFE1E

Drawing from nature

There are so many beautiful things in nature to draw! Here are a few creations from SPP staff offspring.

horned-lark-by-Lucy — In time lapse video, SPP kid Lucy draws a horned lark, a Washington State endangered species which lives in Salish lowland prairies: click on the image to see it!

Mazama-pocket-gopher — Mazama pocket gophers are a keystone species of our local prairies–that means they play a big part in making the place the way it is. Each gopher moves three to seven tons of soil per acre every year!

A frog technician at Cedar Creek Corrections Center holds an Oregon spotted frog in his hand; SPPs program reared and released 879 Oregon spotted frogs from 2009 to 2015. — A frog technician at Cedar Creek Corrections Center holds an Oregon spotted frog in his hand; SPP’s program reared and released 879 Oregon spotted frogs from 2009 to 2015.

Gardening with Kids

The Tilth Alliance offers a list of recommended plants for growing and gardening with kids.