By McCadden, ERAFANS Online Facilitator

“As Spring rain softens the Earth with surprise

May your Winter places be kissed by light.

As the ocean dreams to the joy of dance

May the grace of change bring you elegance.

As day anchors a tree in light and wind

May your outer life grow from peace within.

As twilight fills night with bright horizons

May Beauty await you at home beyond.”

~ John O’Donohue 

As Spring arrives in the North Hemisphere, many of us hear an inner stirring to go outside and dig our fingers (and maybe toes!) into the dirt, even as a final few snowfalls might yet visit us.  The birds’ songs increasingly become a part of our soundscapes, their migrations a part of our skyscapes. Furry critters who have been dozing or staying tucked snug in underground dens and burrows, or beneath a blanket of snow are starting to come out for the first few bites of fresh greens, preparing to bring their babies into the world.

Being in a mentoring relationship with children at this time of year brings adults the gift of seeing this rebirth of the land and waters through their “beginner’s mind” eyes. What have we been taking for granted in our nature neighborhoods that we can pause to admire in awe? What bubbles of curiosity and excitement are coming to the surface of the children’s flow of play and learning in your group this spring?  What activities have you introduced or will you try this spring to plant those seeds of wonder in rich soil and nurture them into sprouts? Do you practice any particular form of celebration to welcome Spring together? How do you mentor children in being care-givers to their nature-family members, especially mindful of newborns and juveniles of other species? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments! 

Enjoy our latest Song Book filled with simple easy to learn and teach songs to welcome and revel through the Springtime. If you have any song sapling suggestions to add to our collection on this theme, we’d love to hear from you! Please share them via email with the subject line “Song Share.”

The How Tall is My Shadow? game is a great hands-on activity for understanding the seasons!  At about noon on each equinox and solstice (or on the closest sunny day when you’re together), measure from each child’s toe to their shadow’s top.  Have the children measure your shadow, too, and record the numbers. After gathering data on these solar holidays, you can ask the children to guess which shadow was longest, compare the shadows’ changing heights with your own heights (When did it come up to your knee? When was it about as tall as you? When would it be too tall to stand up in our classroom?), discuss the changing angles of the sun, read up on our solar system and the Earth’s seasons, and experiment with a flashlight and a globe.

Some Spring Equinox traditions from around the world to explore:

• Cahokia is one of the largest and most complex archaeological sites north of those in Mexico and the southwestern US. The Cahokia Woodhenge is a circular series of timber circles believed to be a solar calendar, which was used to mark the passing seasons (much like Stonehenge).

• On this day at the Chichen Itza on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, sunlight moves over the iconic Kukulkan Pyramid, giving the impression of a snake slithering on the stones!

• The Mnajdra Temple complex on Malta’s southern coast was built with a specific alignment toward the equinox and solstices. On the equinox, sunlight directly enters the central corridor of the South Temple at sunrise. 

• The Chinese Chunfen holiday has roots going back millennia, including seasonal games, sending well wishes to friends and family, and children painting eggs and attempting to stand them on-end.

• With roots in Shintoism, Vernal Equinox Day is a national holiday in Japan. Traditionally, people would mark the day by cleaning house, starting new hobbies or making life changes, and visiting the grave sites of loved ones. Today, most people spend the day with their families.

• Celebrated by people around the world, Nowruz (“new day”) is also referred to as Persian New Year. A time of hope and rebirth, people clean their homes, repair broken things or remove them, paint and improve their living spaces, and prepare traditional dishes to enjoy while visiting with family and friends.

Some fun materials:

Spring Equinox: science, cultural history, and activity ideas.

Yoga poses to understand the Earth’s tilt, and spring picture book suggestions.

Written by McCadden, ERAFANS Online Facilitator

In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re still in the cold season, with longer, clearer nights and greater opportunities to view the stars, moon, and planets above. In many traditions around the world, human beings have tended to go inward during the winter, becoming more sedentary and taking shelter in some form designed to help us stay warm. We’ve gathered around the fire to share stories, songs, craft-making, and transmit various other skills and teachings. Some cultures celebrate Lunar New Year at this time.

With this in mind, we offer this Song Book focused on celebrating aspects of the Night Sky. If you have any song sapling suggestions to add to our collection on this theme, we’d love to hear from you! Please share them via email with the subject line “Song Share”.

Here are some related tales you might enjoy exploring, as well!

Children's books about the night

Children's books about stars and constellations

Children's books about the moon

Written by Abigail Gierke, ERAFANS Grants & Development Associate

An annual report documents what an organization has accomplished in the most recent year, plans for the future, and the financial underpinnings that make it all possible. It helps organizations build trust, celebrate successes and major accomplishments, acknowledge donor and volunteer support, and helps readers understand a mission. In our case, we want to connect with you—our supporters—the lifeblood of our organization. Through our annual report, we hope you’ll get a better sense of what we do and why your support matters. 

ERAFANS is a member-based organization at our core, founded on this principle: If we want to connect children and families with nature, we must give teachers, childcare providers, and administrators the relevant training that they need. From our immersive Notchcliff Nature Programs and intergenerational nature series to our Nature-Based Teacher Certification and Forest Days Programs, we work hard to lay the groundwork for a lasting connection to the natural world for all.

Last year, almost 73 percent of our income came directly from our programs. They say that ‘if you build it, they will come,’ and when you look at our numbers, you’ll see that saying rings true. Our flagship program, Nature-Based Teacher Certification, served 361 educators in 2022. That is a 40% increase from 2021. The Mountain Laurel Scholarship Fund was created to fulfill the growing desire for our programming, with over 25% of program participants receiving scholarship support. Forest Days directly supports public schools and the increasing need for equitable learning opportunities. Last year, we expanded our reach in Philadelphia, PA and took to the outdoors with a preschool in Falls Church, VA (our youngest Forest Days participants yet!). 

In 2022, we hosted our first ever Nature Teacher Art Camp, which brought together 25 educators to stretch their creative muscles.  Participants gathered along the rocky shore of New Hampshire to practice nature journaling, organic art, wool felting, process art, and seaweed printing. We reignited the International Forest School Exchange opportunity to virtually bring together participants from four different countries to discuss the forest school model and share ideas. We hosted a session of Outdoor Learning in a Nutshell that, thanks to grant funding, was offered for free to Baltimore City educators working with kids birth-5 years old; ultimately increasing accessibility to nature for all. 

Early childhood education refers to children from infancy  through age eight, and our opportunities tend to focus on that age range. However, one part of our work that you won’t find in the numbers is a trickle-down effect that can’t be measured. Educators who sign up for an online course take their new knowledge into their classrooms; they will share lessons and different ways of thinking with fellow teachers, and offer new ideas and insights to parents at back-to-school night. Children who had the opportunity to be a part of Forest Days will bring their caregivers back to the school grounds with a new confidence to share their favorite climbing tree or point out tracks they notice in the mud.

Teachers certified through our Nature-Based Teacher Certification course confidently implement nature-based learning in their classrooms. They feel empowered to advocate for this type of learning with the administration and families, and model the benefits of time spent outdoors to others. Others start new nature-based programs in their community, or expand their current offerings to serve more families. 

Those who participate in our retreats or book clubs come away with new connections and feel rejuvenated and inspired to make nature-based learning a reality in their communities. The list goes on. Through our work we see how the simple act of spending a small amount of time outside can turn into a habit and change lives—especially for our children.

So take a look at the report and tell us what you think, but then turn off your computer and get outside!

ERAFANS Annual Report FY2022.pdf

Written by Heather Rose Artushin, NBTC Participant

The cold Michigan winters foster a hibernation culture that is undeniable - apart from the occasional trip to the lake or picnic at the park, much of my childhood was spent indoors. It wasn’t all bad. I fell in love with books and became a voracious reader. I made plenty of precious memories baking cookies with my mom and watching movies with my dad. We played board games and tinkered with projects. But when I moved south with my husband and 8-month-old son, making a home among the palm trees and mossy oaks in Charleston, South Carolina, I knew I needed to fall in love again - this time, with nature.

Tasked with raising a boy in the 21st-century, and wanting to do it as screen-free as possible, I decided time outdoors was the answer. So outdoors we went, exploring the Shem Creek boardwalk, walking the trails through Palmetto Islands County Park, digging in the sand at the beach on Sullivan’s Island, biking along Pitt Street and even “hiking” across the Ravenel Bridge high above the Charleston Harbor. 

When my second son was born, and my firstborn was of preschool-age, I got serious about homeschooling and discovered the idea of nature-based education. The opportunity for my children to grow up in an environment that fosters learning outside the four walls of a classroom, or even a living room, ignited a spark in my soul. 

Learning alongside so many talented educators in such a wide variety of settings all over the world in the online Nature-Based Teacher Certification course opened my mind to the simple but profound ways I can facilitate a nature-based education for my children right in our own backyard. From exploring our local flora and fauna to playing with natural loose parts, cultivating our cordage skills to constructing a fort out of fallen branches, my children and I learned together through the engaging, hands-on experiences offered in the course. 

Most valuable, and unexpected, was how my own personal relationship with nature strengthened during my time in the course. The homebody I used to be is now much more at home in nature. I treasure our sit spot practice and nature journaling, amazed at how much more dynamic and ever-evolving the world outside our windows is when I just take the time to slow down and notice. 

I have so much more to learn on my journey as a nature-based homeschool parent, but my time with ERAFANS has equipped me with the resources to continue learning long after the course has ended. That’s the thing about nature - it has ever more to reveal to us about itself. I set out to prepare myself to teach in nature, but discovered within a passionate student ready to learn alongside my curious children. 

Heather is a homeschooling mother of two adventurous boys, and passionate writer and poet. Follow her @heatherartushin and visit her website, www.heatherartushin.com to keep reading. 

Written by McCadden/Honey Sweet Harmony

As we in the Northern Hemisphere experience the shortening of days leading up to this year’s longest night on December 21, 2022, we may notice ourselves and the children in our programs naturally expressing less active outward focused energy, instead shifting towards a more diffuse, inward focus.  Last year we offered a post with some wonderful ideas for weaving your own Winter Solstice traditions, including crafts and stories. Below are some additional suggestions for ways you can honor the Solstice and cold season’s energetic qualities in your activities at this time of year. 

Upcycled Tissue Paper Lanterns

Before your Solstice Celebration begins, preparations could include this light-inspired “upcycle” craft project. Gather clean empty small jars (baby food, jam, etc.). Tear or cut tissue paper of various colors into small irregular or geometric shaped pieces. Using small watercolor type paint brushes and watered-down white glue, glue 1 piece of tissue paper at a time onto the jar’s exterior, slightly overlapping them so that they give a kind of mosaic look to the jar. Tea lights illuminate the beautiful multicolored jars. Here are some examples.

These can serve as part of your Winter Solstice celebration, light the way for a center-wide or family lantern walk, offerings for a Trade Blanket, a Lantern Swap (see notes on the song Bless the Turning), or as gifts for the children to offer their family. 

Trade Blanket

The Trade Blanket is an age-old tradition in which people gather together to trade homemade goods or found nature objects. It is a wonderful opportunity to see the children’s talents, and it inspires all of us to grow in our skill and craft. The items to trade can either be handmade (not necessarily by the child, but by someone), or could be something special they’ve found outside (antler, skulls, cool rocks). In either case, it should have a natural essence to it. Each voluntary participant puts their item(s) on the blanket at the beginning, then within the group each takes a turn to select something else. It can work well for each child to bring a couple different things, as they might want to trade for more than one item. 

Winter/Solstice Songs

Here is a songbook with a few sweet songs you might enjoy introducing to your winter/solstice traditions. 

Depending on the ages and capacity of the children you work with, these could be sung to them, with them,  some can be sung as rounds or simply as single harmonies together, and some can go well with craft making or dancing.  Many community songleaders tell the origin story of the song, and/or how the song came into their own life, before teaching the song. With this in mind, we’ve included something of each song’s “roots” as we know them.  You’ll notice that several of the “song catchers” went into nature for inspiration. If YOU have any winter songs you have “caught” from nature,  or songs you love for the cold season, please email us!

Winter Online with ERAFANS

The annual ERAFANS Winter Solstice Ceremony will be online on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 7 p.m. EST.  The ceremony will be recorded and available here. 

As a hub for conversations among educators, ERAFANS has been approached by many of you asking for help finding alternative ways to acknowledge the Thanksgiving holiday in your classrooms and programs. While responding to this need, we begin this blog post with a blanket of apology: recognizing that we are in the very earliest stages of starting to address the harms done by a long global history of colonization, with ongoing oppression of BIPOC and other marginalized communities.

We cannot hope to dismantle the legacy of such complex and often unacknowledged harm through a single post or holiday. We offer this blog as our best effort to simply begin to acknowledge and act against these wider and pervasive systems, by responding specifically to your request for support around the particular topic of Thanksgiving, as well as Native American Heritage Month.

Beginning with Gratitude

The practice of pausing to acknowledge what we’re feeling grateful for has long been common in many cultures around the world. As a core routine, this practice helps “bring hearts and minds together” at the beginning of the day, or when a group gathers, or before eating food together, etc.

Within the nature connection movement, awareness of the Haudenosaunee practice of the Thanksgiving Address or Words Before All Else was shared by Jake Swamp,Tekaronianekon “Where Two Skies Come Together,” royaner (sub-chief) of the Wolf Clan, Kanienʼkehá:ka (Mohawk) from Ahkwesáhsne (across the New York/Ontario border), founder of the Tree of Peace Society and delegate to the United Nations, of whom many people say “The single most influential person I never met.” His wife Judy Swamp is a traditional elder of the Kanienʼkehá:ka who also mentored many nature connection programs, and one of their children, Skahendowaneh Swamp, is an installed speaker of the longhouse, educator, and traditional artist.

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message is a book by Jake Swamp suitable for young children. This is one Teacher’s Guide to go along with the book.

Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World is a small booklet version by Jake Swamp and John Stokes available online in eleven different languages paired with Mohawk. It was produced by The Tracking Project together with the Tree of Peace Society, the Six Nations Indian Museum and the Native Self-Sufficiency Center; proceeds are shared among these groups.

Skä•noñh - Great Law of Peace Center offers this video explanation of the Thanksgiving Address/Words Before All Else.

This is a video of Jake Swamp speaking the Thanksgiving Address with Joanne Shenandoah’s music.

Robin Wall Kimmerer tells the story of one school’s implementation of the Thanksgiving Address in their morning announcements in her book Braiding Sweetgrass (also available as an audiobook read by the author, and a new edition adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith. This was the first book of ERAFANS Nature Book Club series, which is open to new members.

A simple group way to practice gratitude is to go around a circle of those gathered and invite each one present to say their name, then share something they’re feeling grateful for, in no hurry, then somehow signal when they are complete such as “thank you for listening to my words.” You might find a stone, feather, or stick to pass as an indication of taking a turn. Coyote mentors often include each person’s Nature Names, and reflect on aspects of nature in our current location and season we’ve noticed and appreciate. It’s wonderful for children to see adults model this pattern of speaking from the heart. Keep in mind that sharing should always be an open invitation and not a requirement. You may invite everyone to speak but remind them that silence or pass can be a way to share.

Reciprocity as the Natural Extension of Gratitude

Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss, offers an insightful reflection on reciprocity and mutualism among all species. 

Four Worlds International Institute - “Sixteen Indigenous Guiding Principles for Co-Creating a Sustainable, Harmonious, Prosperous World emerged from a 50-year process of reflection, consultation and action within Indigenous communities across the Americas. They are rooted in the concerns of hundreds of Indigenous Elders, Spiritual Leaders, and Community Members, as well as in the best thinking of many non- Indigenous scholars, researchers and human and community development practitioners.”

This article explains some of the ways in which many indigenous languages reflect a non-dominant way of relating to the world: 

With these in mind, you might find inspiration for practices with the children to engage in small acts of gratitude for and reciprocity with the plants, trees, animals, birds, and water-dwelling creatures near you, whether that’s caregiving in a physical way, and/or offering a song or dance to those species, or telling one another stories about them.

This post is part one of three in a series, "Thanksgiving & Native American Heritage Month as Invitations”. ERAFANS staff has taken great care and sensitivity compiling this blog post in a way that honors Indigenous peoples and helps others do the same. If you have questions please feel free to contact us at programs@erafans.org

Deepening Our Awareness of Local Indigenous Cultures and History, Avoiding the “Ethnographic Present,” and Initiating Indigenous Connections Here and Now

In our language and visual imagery, it is important to avoid speaking or presenting Indigenous peoples as if they only existed in the past, or as if they continue to exist in ways that were true long ago. Whether considering a story, worksheet, video, or other educational materials, it is good practice to keep an eye and ear out for such representation.

As a rule, avoid depictions and activities related to generic “historical” “Indian” clothing, shelters, household goods, hunting and gathering methods, etc., unless you are presenting a history lesson and being specific to the people, place, and timeframe. Saying Native Americans/Indians or even a particular tribe “live close to nature” or “Native Americans used a talking stick” are examples of speaking in the present or past verb tense to overgeneralize inappropriately.

One practice many outdoor and nature connection programs have begun is to recognize the local Indigenous peoples whose ancestors have been among those to tend the lands and waters of that area. Mindfulness around concepts of “ownership” vs “caregiving” and “tending the place” might be helpful cultural considerations.

This online map is an excellent way to begin to explore the Indigenous connections where you are.

You can also begin to look into what the Indigenous language names are for places, land features, water, and various species such as plants, animals, trees local to where you are. Ecosia.org is a search engine that plants trees, and there are a number of online resources related to Indigenous languages you can explore on the internet.

One placename to start with could be to mention “Turtle Island” as an alternative name for “North America,” and share a local version of a story how Turtle Island came to be, if it applies where you are (not all indigenous cultures of North America share this name for the continent).

When looking to connect with local Indigenous people, consider deepening an existing connection - or reach out to a cultural center or other organization whose mission includes connecting with the general public. Inquire about the best first steps toward creating a long-term relationship with Indigenous mentors who have chosen to be point persons of intercultural connection.

One way to celebrate Native American Heritage Month is the 35-mile Walk and Learn Challenge presented by the American Indian College Fund. This is a fun and educational way to combine what you already do – exploring nature outdoors with children – while advocating for Native American communities. Registrants get access to weekly “Learn” segments that help deepen your knowledge of Native students, their culture, and their communities. You can join the Facebook Group and engage with fellow challenge members by sharing pictures and/or thoughts about where your walks have led you. Once you join the challenge, you can ask your community to donate in support of the American Indian College Fund.

Harvest Celebrations & Honoring the Ancestors

Coming together at the end of the growing season to celebrate the harvest is a common practice in many cultures around the world. In Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature, this is linked to the West direction: a time to gather and celebrate. It is also a time to “catch one anothers’ stories,” a practice we feature in an ERAFANS webinar, related to the core routine called “Story of the Day” in Coyote’s Guide.

We now know that the familiar story of the “Pilgrims and Indians” coming together for such a celebration is historical fiction. Yet we can still find ways in integrity with our own heritage and the practices that emerge naturally from a relationship with our food sources, our local place, and our ancestors.

At this time of year, consider holding some form of Ancestor / Harvest Supper, Feast, or Celebration for the families of your students, or the wider community. Here are a few ideas from regenerative culture design mentors Honey Sweet Harmony:

Create a large basket or paper mache cornucopia / horn of plenty for your class/community. Invite each person to contribute one small item that symbolizes something for which they are feeling grateful from the past year. Then either in an extended time together, or over multiple circle times, take out 1 item at a time to return to that person, and invite those who wish to take a turn sharing what their item is and how it represents their gratitude. These shares can be about something very specific or something very broad, whatever comes from the heart.

Invite families to send in photos or other items that remind them of those who have gone before, and create an artistic Honoring Our Ancestors display in the (indoor or outdoor) classroom space. Fabric, shells, sticks, leaves, nuts, bones, feathers, and anything else the participants gather with consent from and gratitude to nature can add to the decorations. Candles can be a beautiful addition if age-appropriate. Make sure the personal items are name-labeled and appropriate to have exposed to the hazards of weather and handling.

Hold a community/class Ancestor Feast in which food from the participants’ ancestral heritage, or food loved by someone dear who has died, is shared with everyone, and an Ancestor plate is given a dollop of each dish. Create an Ancestor Chair decorated with special items from nature, and a Storytellers Chair for anyone who wishes to sit and tell a story about the food and ancestor before passing it around for those who'd like to sample. It's important to ask that the recipe for each dish be written up and provided, to allow for any dietary restrictions. Songs, music and dancing also add to the whole experience.

Coming together to weave community connection in gratitude, food and story sharing is a beautiful practice. As with the familiar but imaginary story of “The First Thanksgiving,” harvest and ancestor celebrations can have profound effects, especially for a community that might feel fragmented in some ways.

This post is part two of three in a series, "Thanksgiving & Native American Heritage Month as Invitations”. ERAFANS staff has taken great care and sensitivity compiling this blog post in a way that honors Indigenous peoples and helps others do the same. If you have questions please feel free to contact us at programs@erafans.org

Songs of Ancestors: a selection from the Honey Sweet Harmony Song Grove

Ancestors

Roots: From the album The Wild Fears We Tame by Mica Whitney and Graham Remocaldo of Swamp Trees in Richmond, VA. They are singer/songwriters and farmers.

All of my ancestors live within me (lead/soloist then repeats “within me” 2 more times, while group starts to repeat “within me, within me...” until the next repeat phrase beings)

Within me I can feel a spirit rising (“rising” follows same repetition pattern)

Rising up above to where the birds sing (“the birds sing”)

The birds sing their songs to the stars at night (“at night”)

At night I dream with all of my ancestors (“my ancestors”)

And all of my ancestors live within me…

(continue to repeat)

Ancestor Sky People (also heard here)

Roots: Originally a “Dance for Universal Peace” with lyrics by Mischa Saez, Art Director at Camp Sunburst for children and families with HIV/AIDS in the early 90s, with music by Harmony Grisman and movements by Sharee Anderson.

Ancestor Sky People all here today

Hear our Heart song

Hear our Respect

Hear our Love

Hear our grateful tears fall

We are truly blessed (oo - oo),

We are truly blessed (oo - oo),

We are truly blessed.

Mahk Jchi

Teaching version

Roots: Composed by and copyright Pura Fé and Soni of Ulali, a haunting song written by the Native American women’s group Ulali. The song is in a compilation of Tutelo and Saponi languages, now extinct dialects of the Sioux nation from the Ohio Valley. There is a commonly mistaken translation of this song widely circulated on the internet but the translation below has been confirmed by the artist. This song takes an investment in learning and is more complex for choral, oral-tradition learning, but do-able and worth it with older children, teens and adults. You could teach some of the simpler lines to sing with younger children, and enjoy dancing while listening to the rest.

Mahk Jchi tahm boo-ee

yahm pi-gih-dee

Mahk Jchi tahm boo-ee

kahn speh-wah eh-bi (x2)

Mahm-pi wah ho-ka yi nonk,

tah hond tah-ni kih-yee tai-yee

Ghee weh meh yee-tai-yee,

Nan-ka yaht yah moo-ni-yeh wah-jhi-seh

English translation:

Our hearts are full and our minds are good

Our ancestors come and give us strength

Stand tall, sing, dance and never forget who you are

Or where you come from

Voices of the Ancestors

Roots: by Sandy Vaughn of Tonasket, Okanogan Highlands, WA, with words transformed and added by the folk process of oral tradition. Original by Sandy.

Listen to the voices of the ancestors calling

Listen to the voices of the ancestors calling

They say wake up, wake up

Listen, listen.

May the waters all run clear,

May the mountains be/go unspoiled,

May the air be clean,

May the trees grow tall,

May the Earth be shared by all.

Indigenous Foodways

There is increasing support for North American Indigenous foodways among people of indigenous ancestry and non-BIPOC allies. More than simply offering a few stereotypical recipes, such efforts aim to cultivate a deeper understanding of the present conditions, historical journey, and local cultural associations of various foods. This includes practices for tending, harvesting, and preparing for meals. Here are some folks that are engaged in this work:

North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems FB Page

The Souix Chef: Revitalizing Native American Cuisine FB Page

Indigenous Food Lab FB Page

Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance - NAFSA FB Page

Nourish Leadership #FoodisOurMedicine @nourishhealthcare

On Indigeneity

As you consider how to approach Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Month with children, the interview below might help inform your adult perspective on mutual belonging with a place. It may also help guide you in ways to express gratitude. Together, these understandings may provide a deeper experience and connection to the present place and people where you teach/mentor.

“Pat McCabe, also known as Woman Stands Shining, is a Diné (Navajo) mother, grandmother, activist, artist, writer, ceremonial leader and international speaker. The discussion focuses on the question of what it is to be Indigenous, and how those of us in the West can reclaim a sense of our own indigeneity.”

https://soundcloud.com/thismythiclife/pat-mccabe

Some additional resources

7 Thanksgiving Books for Kids Written From the Native Perspective By Cool Mom Picks

A collection of culturally and historically accurate Thanksgiving coloring pages for children

Tolerance.org resources

A racial justice guide to thanksgiving for educators & families

“Teaching the real story of the first thanksgiving”

Some Native American perspectives on thanksgiving (National Museum of the American Indian)

Supporting Native Indian Preschoolers and Their Families

Some additional resources specifically for young children

Teaching about Native Americans in Preschool and Kindergarten: Do’s and Don’ts

Native American Preschool Activity Teaching Resources

Books for Preschoolers by Native American Authors

While this guide is far from exhaustive, we hope it gives you some useful stepping stones. We encourage you to continue your own research and come to decisions based on the children and wider context in which you share your Thanksgiving and Native American activities and conversations.

This post is part three of three in a series, "Thanksgiving & Native American Heritage Month as Invitations”. ERAFANS staff has taken great care and sensitivity compiling this blog post in a way that honors Indigenous peoples and helps others do the same. If you have questions please feel free to contact us at programs@erafans.org

Written by: Schlese Castilla

maggie and milly and molly and may / went down to the beach (to play one day)
–ee cummings  

In the United States, renewed interest in outdoor learning is flourishing as more parents and educators embrace a daring possibility: the natural world can be a remarkable classroom. While outdoor learning isn’t a new phenomenon, existing models of education and childcare that center nature continue to inspire parents and educators in the United States.  

The benefits of outdoor learning are well documented, but the terminology used to describe the various educational experiences providing such wonderful benefits can sometimes be confusing. The following brief guide is meant to clarify important terminology about the educational experiences outdoor learning can offer, with two important caveats: 

1. Terminology usage about outdoor learning isn’t universal or consistently applied. As a result, you may find some schools use the same terms in different ways (or even use different terms interchangeably). The language of outdoor learning can vary from school  to school, locality to locality, and state to state. Keep in mind: in some instances, there are  real differences in the educational experiences outdoor learning programs offer. Always take time to familiarize yourself with the specifics of a program you’re interested in.  

2. Whatever the educational experience, outdoor learning focuses on a diverse set of  activities that use nature as a tool for open-ended learning and play that also promotes  physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, spiritual development and wellness. Nature, from  that vantage point, can be an immersive classroom for the potential study of all subjects.  

Let’s Get Started: Defining Basic Terms 

Forest Days and Nature Days

Designed for students of all ages, public and private schools maintain Forest Days or Nature Days through weekly, purposeful encounters with nature on their school grounds or nearby green space. Forest Days and Nature Days usually exist as part of a traditional student learning experience.  

Forest School 

Forest school education takes place daily and exclusively in nature. Students attend school outdoors, even when there are seasonal and weather changes. In other words, students enrolled in forest schools do not use indoor classrooms (unless they need to shelter in extreme weather). Although the term “forest school” suggests the setting for learning should occur in a wooded area, this is not a hard and fast rule. 

The term “forest school” is also the name of the learning theory that proposes how children in forest schools learn in nature: through self-directed unstructured play, self-directed hands-on experiential learning, safe opportunities for risk-taking, and instructional material provided by the natural setting of the school grounds or nearby green space. A forest school experience is also designed to build strong, one-on-one connections between teachers and each child. It is a living laboratory dedicated to the unique needs and strengths of each child.  Forest schools follow a learner-led curriculum, though some may incorporate traditional curriculum or learning standards. In both instances, the natural world is a springboard allowing students to experience social-emotional, physical, language, and cognitive growth.  

Note: The Forest School movement emerged in 1993 inspired by long-standing traditions of outdoor learning across Europe and the UK. The Forest School Association offers specific guidance around this experiential outdoor learning model.

Nature-based Education 

Nature-based education (NBE) is a learning process that utilizes nature as a the basis for all learning. Nature is the object of study and is the learning environment. Materials and approaches are all focused on nurturing deeper connections with nature. NBE gives children an opportunity to experience nature as a doorway that facilitates learning while promoting a sense of responsibility for the environment and a sense of place in the natural world. Children attending nature-based programs generally spend up to 50% of their learning time outside (though it certainly can be 100%!). Outdoor learning may be in concert with traditional, indoor schooling in a classroom. There is an astounding range of NBE formats and settings, so one size does not fit all! The term nature-based education is a general umbrella term describing a wide range of learning experiences that take place in, with, or about nature.   

Nature Preschool 

Typically, nature-based preschools are licensed early childhood education programs for children ages 3-5. Most experts agree on these characteristics that define nature preschools: about 50% of each class is spent outdoors (sometimes more or less), learning is centered on nature themes and environmental literacy, and nature is infused into indoor classroom spaces as well.  Nature preschools provide space for early childhood development while helping children build an environmentally conscious identity.  Because they are usually licensed programs, there may be more emphasis on academic components of curriculum.

Place-based Education

Place-based education engages and introduces children to their local community and environment in order to teach a variety of subjects. Place-based education helps children forge deeper connections with and between the people and places that make up their community. It encourages an appreciation of the natural world with a focus on community, service, and local civic engagement. Place-based learning can occur in any environment, and has gained popularity because it allows students in urban settings to connect and learn in green spaces while developing their cognitive and socio-emotional skills.  

Outdoor Preschool  

Outdoor preschool is a broad term acknowledging the reality that immersive  early childhood education nature programs do not have to take place in a forest. Outdoor preschools, in fact, can have a home-base at beaches, farms, parks, and deserts. Outdoor preschools are usually immersive, meaning they are outdoors 100% of the time, except to seek shelter during severe weather or emergencies.

Urban Forest and Nature Programs 

Urban forest and nature programs demonstrate that nature is all around–and often closer and more convenient than a car ride to green space. Some urban forest and nature programs are situated in city parks. Other programs have creative ways of connecting with nature (gardens, urban farms, beekeeping, etc.) and bring the immediacy of nature to a child’s fingertips and imagination. Like place-based learning, urban forest and nature programs connect young learners from all socio-economic backgrounds to the wonder of nature in urban communities as they develop a respect for the environment and build a rich reservoir of cognitive and socio-emotional skills. 

The Road Ahead 

Already an inclusive educational phenomenon, as more students begin their outdoor learning journey,  programs that are responsive and intelligently meeting the realities of student diversity (economic  background, disability, language, race, LGBTQI+) are appearing on the horizon, too. To date, the number of forest and nature schools continues to grow. In 2021, the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools offered professional development to teachers in all 50 states and 11 countries! Such unprecedented demand for nature-based teacher training may indicate a promising shift in how we think about learning and play.  

Spotlight on Lingelbach Elementary School Forest Days Program, Philadelphia, PA  

Written by: Susan Chlebowski and Brianne Good  

Imagine for a moment you are standing beside a brook after a long rain. The energy of that water is near to overflowing the banks, and anything in its path gets swept hurriedly down stream. This is the experience we have weekly with students at a public school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as they pour from their classroom to our outdoor space on the school grounds. Each week, we spend two hours outdoors with a group of kindergarten or first grade students on their wooded, yet urban school campus, providing nearly 100 children with regular outdoor learning opportunities.

What have we noticed? These are highlights of what we are learning the children need from Forest Days:  

F - freedom. The children crave freedom of choice, freedom of movement, and freedom to be themselves. This freedom shows up in their exuberant love of exploration, discovery, tree climbing and creative self-expression in our outdoor art areas.  

O - outdoors. When outdoors, many of the children seem completely different. Quiet becomes loud, bold becomes shy, and outcast becomes friend. It is all welcome, and celebrated.  

R - routine. We carry the same simple routine with us from week to week, and the children know and love that familiarity.  

E - empathy. We are building empathy among the children, between the children and living creatures, and between the children and the earth.  

S - safety. We hold a safe space for the children to learn, ask questions, and feel feelings.  

T - time. Perhaps one of the most important pieces of the Forest Days model is simply the gift of time we give children to play, learn, wonder, explore, and be.

On this, the shortest day of the year, we welcome the return of the light. Autumn officially turns to winter today, December 21.  In winter (and in all seasons), forest and nature schools participate in experiences that honor and respect nature. During the Yuletide season, we revel in all that winter heralds and find ways to beckon back the light. Indigenous and global traditions vary widely, but the ideas below may help inspire new traditions in your forest school community.

Yule Logs
Use plentiful fire wood and evergreens such as pine, juniper, holly, cedar, or fir boughs to create a yule log to burn during the solstice. You can also bundle up cinnamon sticks, star anise, and dried fruit (such as oranges or apples) for a festive, fragrant touch. Some people opt to create a yule log that contains a candle or battery-operated votive to make a beautiful centerpiece instead of a log to burn in the fire.

Solstice Spiral
The concept of the solstice spiral is to provide a reflective place to consider the everchanging cycles of light and dark that rule our seasons. The spiral also represents how people can find and spread light among community, despite dark times.

Spirals can be made of branches, evergreens, pine cones, berries, etc. Generally it is a large-scale outdoor spiral with a path that is big enough to walk into the center. Many forest schools host an evening Winter Solstice event where children walk into the spiral with a lit candle, which may be contained in a hollow orange or apple. Children walk into the spiral and place their candles in the center and/or along the path of the spiral. As more children walk into the spiral, the light grows.

If you lack an outdoor space for a spiral, another option is to create smaller evergreen solstice spirals that can be part of the children's loose parts play. Miniature spirals can be created on mirrors, small trays, or tree rounds, or anything similar and offered as invitations for play.

Ice Lanterns & Ornaments
Check out this Ice Lantern document for instructions if you'd like to give these beauties a try. There are several variations and if you prefer to make an ice ornament, you can use muffin tins along with string or ribbon for outdoor hanging.

Outdoor Garlands (for the Birds)
Spread vegetable shortening over pine cones, magnolia pods, or other seed pods and roll into bird seed, then tie onto a 3-4 foot length of twine. From here, string cranberries, dried orange slices, popcorn, figs, etc. onto the twine. Tie on evergreen clippings as desired to make a festive garland that the birds will thank you for. These may decorate your outdoor classroom or children may prefer to take them home.

Harvest Food & Treats
There are SO MANY treats you can roast over a fire to celebrate the season! Consider roasting apples or pears with oats and cinnamon. Savory root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or sweet potatoes with rosemary and thyme are also fun to cook in a Dutch oven. Bread dough or pre-made pizza or crescent roll doll can be wrapped around branches for roasting (we call it 'snake bread'). Or you can try your hand at roasting chestnuts on an open fire, which smell amazing and are delicious, as the song suggests. Brew cider with mulling spices for a warm drink.

Books about the Winter Solstice
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak
Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales From Around the World for Winter Solstice by Carolyn McVickar Edwards
The First Day of Winter by Denise Flemming
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper and Carson Ellis
The Shortest Day:  Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer and Jesse Reisch
The Solstice Badger by Robin McFadden
The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
The Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson and Jan Davey Ellis

Find more inspiration for nature-based activities and nature-based books on Pinterest.com/erafans. However you choose to welcome winter, we wish you a joyful Yuletide season!