Here you’ll find texts and activities about:
NE Woodlands Native American Cultural Studies – a collection of reproducible activity pages and games for young people. There’s also a field guide focused specifically on the Indigenous People of the Lower Merrimack River Valley at the time of European Contact (in present-day southern New Hampshire, northeastern Massachusetts, and the southeast tip of Maine).
Small-Scale, Localized, Organic Growing and Eating: 9 NOFA-NH Coloring Pages for interested folks, young or old.
A school gardening case study (published in The Sisters of Holy Cross’ N. American Peace, Justice and Environment newsletter) considering the many ways that the goals of Laudato Si’ harmonize with and can be embodied within youth gardening projects.
An example of a school pageant (including photos and script) focused on Deep History / Evolution and St. Francis’ original poem “Laudato Si'” / the “Canticle of the Creatures.” This is also available at the website of the Deeptime Network: https://dtnetwork.org/?s=pageant+about+st+francis+
An especially useful article, first published in Green Teacher magazine, about teaching Systems Theory and Multi-Level Evolution to sixth graders (and above) by means of a simple visual diagram and text that children can complete, embellish, and share. This is also available at the Deeptime Network: https://dtnetwork.org/a-systems-activity-about-our-universe/
A pdf of an early Draft and supplementary materials related to the book / activity collection Circling the Sun, Racing the Wind. A slightly expanded version of this collection was published by Green Writers Press of Vermont in November of 2024. Many of the activities in the book (and this preliminary draft) transform traditional children’s game structures into vehicles for enjoyable, outdoor exercise and social, emotional, and ecological learning. They try to cultivate children’s sense of belonging and rootedness within Nature, their attachment to Place and the Planet, and a general ethos of grateful protectiveness and care for our fellow beings (human and otherWise). Simultaneously, the activities strive to offer in-depth information and insights into the biology and ecology of the wonderful creatures and seasonal phenomena that characterize the NE temperate forestlands.
Supporting slides for a visual arts workshop for fellow NH arts educators on the topic of Pattern Design, presented in 2019 at the annual NHAEA Conference.
A wearable art activity (making Yarn Bracelets) that builds not just art and social skills (including an appreciation for the creative power of cooperation) but also young people’s understanding of physics, kinetic, and potential energy, and the interweaving forces that generate communities and ecosystems.
Another activity to learn about ways to transform two-dimensional surfaces and shapes into marvelously ornamented three-dimensional forms : practical math, especially geometry) . This one celebrates the making of useful and beautiful objects (in this case, little paper May baskets) and historic ways of celebrating the arrival of the growing season in pre-Modern, ‘indigenous,’ Western Europe.