The Wild Earth Journey
   

A Program Facilitating

Sixth Grade Student Dynamics

?The sixth grade marks the year that students begin the journey towards young adulthood, where their dependence upon adults for their needs begins to change. At this time, for aboriginal peoples, those who live close to the earth, the earth begins to provide for our needs, just as our parents once did exclusively. It is here that we learn to listen to what the earth is telling us, and we learn how to find what we need from her meadows and forests.

To learn these skills, we must begin our journey, learning about making campfires, how to build a snug and warm shelter from the rains and winds, cook our food and take care of each other and ourselves in the wild. The skills of survival and a deep connection to nature helps us learn to always do our best, because we never know when our lives will depend upon our attention to detail and our keen observation.

In addition to learning mastery, we also make crafts, such as arrowheads, baskets, leather crafts or wooden spoons. Working with these natural materials to create something that is both useful and beautiful, our hands and our hearts are awakened and connected. We not only learn but we begin to understand something beyond technique or philosophy. Once learned this way, we own our new knowledge and grow. It happens naturally, with the help of mentors and friends around the campfire or deep in the woods.

The Wild Earth Journey helps students learn all about these important elements in a safe, fun and supportive environment, introducing these skills in a way that promotes a positive, successful group experience.

Depending upon the time alloted, we will learn fire-making, wilderness shelters, milkweed cordage, carving and coal burning wooden spoons, exploring and tracking, cooking our food over a fire, knotcraft and safety, simple yet effective hunting skills, as well as many other crafts and skills. Beadwork, leathercraft, stone tools, bows and arrows, and other games, campfire stories and awareness skills are taught depending on time, ability of the students and weather considerations.

The cost for this program is $70 per student per day, and two half days are counted together as one day. (If arrival is 3 pm and the departure is around noon, with a packed lunch provided, we consider that to be one full day). Typically, classes choose programs from three to five days. All tenting, materials, instruction, and food is included. Only the travel to Hawk Circle and basic camping gear (nothing fancy) is the responsibility of the school/students and their families.