Kindergarten to Adult ▪ Grade 4 to Adult ▪ All School

• Kindergarten to Adult

  Earth Awareness: This program introduces participants to a “living” Nature. Together, we investigate the wonders of plants and animals in the context of their natural habitat. Involvements are activity-based and focus on experiencing Nature’s classroom through heightened senses, guided explorations and self discovery.
  
  Wildlife Studies: Much can be learned about coexisting with Nature by watching the animals and understanding the ways in which they live and survive. Field investigations involve studying wildlife habits, adaptations and signs of animal activity such as tracks, homes, browse, trails and predation.
  
  Historic Survival: The Native American culture shares an important view regarding our relationship with Nature. This program, focusing on the Iroquois People, explores this perspective through discussion and activity in the areas of history/culture, tools of the past, herbalism, storytelling and game playing.
  
  Maple Sugaring: This program, spanning three hundred years, shares the Maple Sugaring techniques as employed by the Native Americans, early settlers and modern producers. Teaching sessions include the varied methods of collecting sap, boiling to syrup/sugar, gifts of the trees, historic games and other activities.

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• Grade 4 to Adult

  Field Ecology: This session, focusing on the interconnectedness of all life, involves interpreting the “stories” of Nature. Through these interpretations, we can explore ecological principles and relationships concerning the ways of wildlife, gifts of the plants, diversity of habitat and the uniqueness of seasonal changes.
  
  Living With Nature: The more we learn about sustaining ourselves in the wild, the greater is our respect for Nature as a Provider and Teacher. This program shares the skills of creating earth shelters, building fires, collecting water, gathering foods and medicines, making primitive tools, reading the land and attuning to the ways of Nature
  
  Snowshoe Adventures: There is much to experience outdoors in the “Snowytime of Winter”. This session includes an indoor introduction to the historical perspectives of snowshoes as well as how to put them on. Indoor lessons can also include sessions on the skills of tracking or a winter wildlife pelt demonstration. Once outdoors students will be given lessons on walking techniques and off we will go into the the “ecology of winter”.
  
  Snow Shelter Construction: Using different techniques, depending upon the quality and quantity of snow, we will construct a functional snow shelter. This program shares tunnels, snow-holes, snow and ice blocks and combinations of them. Depending upon time the shelters can be quite complex, having sleeping quarters and fire-areas within the shelter. This program will “warm up” the cold days of winter.
  
  Herbalism: The study of herbs shares the goodness of wild plants as foods and medicines. We will explore these gifts by means of field identification, preparation processes, slide presentations, sampling wild foods and homemade remedies and experiencing a variety of herbal concoctions from the “Traveling Medicine Show.”

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• All School

  Earth Days: This program involves the development and implementation of a full day nature education program for the entire school.

  • Planning - Earth Spirit staff will conduct a planning meeting with the school faculty to discuss the “basics” of Earth Day. Subsequent meetings may be conducted in order to confirm final arrangements.
  • Staffing - Earth Spirit provides from five to ten or more instructors for Earth Days. School personnel may also be responsible for additional teaching sessions.
  • Content - Students will experience a series of 25-30 minute nature programs throughout the day. Session topics may include ecology hikes, wildlife adaptations, nature awareness, herbalism, live animal demonstrations, historic survival, nature games, storytelling and many more.