Hilltown Families 
100+ Ideas, Resources, & Virtual Events for Learning at Home in Western MA: May 30-June 12, 2020
Awarded the “Essential Agent of Change Award” by the MDPH’s Massachusetts Essentials for Childhood, Hilltown Families is recognized as a leading family strengthening initiative in the region, promoting “positive parenting through the social norm of community social connectedness.” Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families continues to support the development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, farms, individuals, schools, and non-profit organizations are invited to collaborate with Hilltown Families in their community outreach. With nearly 10,000 opt-in subscribers and 2.6+ million visits to our web site alone, Hilltown Families can deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA! Find out about our affordable advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by contacting us at info@hilltownfamilies.org… and scroll down to discover community-based educational opportunities to explore at home this weekend and next week.
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New start date. Jun 29-Aug 21
Zoo Camp at The Zoo in Forest Park. Springfield, MA. Explore Nature. Discover Wildlife. Meet Exotic Creatures. Join the Zoo Camp at The Zoo in Forest Park 9am-4pm daily during the summer and school breaks. Children ages 6-13 will enjoy animal circle (meeting a new animal every day), diet preparation demonstrations (see what goes into preparing diets for over 200 animals), animal enrichment activities, scavenger hunts, arts & crafts, and much more. Pricing starts at $250 for nonmembers per weekly sessions with daily rates of $60. Sign up for a wild time! Dates: Jun 29-Aug 21; Age Range of Campers: 6-13yo. Contact: 413-733-2251. education@forestparkzoo.com. www.forestparkzoo.org.
New start date. Jul 6-Aug 14
Berkshire Nature Camp at Mass Audubon. Lenox, MA. At Berkshire Nature Camp, campers ages 3-16 have fun and make friends as they discover nature! Trail explorations, wildlife observation, outdoor play, hands-on activities, games, and crafts keep campers engaged throughout the summer. Camp takes place at Pleasant Valley, Mass Audubon’s 1,400-acre wildlife sanctuary with diverse forests, meadows, mountains, brooks, and beaver ponds. For over 70 years, Berkshire Nature Camp at Pleasant Valley has inspired children’s love for the unique nature of western Massachusetts. Campers learn by playing, exploring, and having free choices and guided activities in a safe space with caring instructors. Dates: Jul 6-Aug 14; Age Range of Participants: 3-16yo. Contact: 413-637-0320. berkshirecamp@massaudubon.org. www.massaudubon.org/berkshirecamp.
Online. Aug 10-14
Being Self. Greenfield, MA. Being Self is a unique online camp experience for LGBTQ+ kids. Each day will be a 2-3 hour session involving theatre, self-discovery and artistic activities. The goal of the camp is to help young people discover who they are in this moment and who they would like to become. All activities lead to a final video project where campers will record a documentary of who they are. These videos will be edited together into a short film which will be shown on Eggtooth Productions website. Dates: Aug 10-14; Age Range of Participants: 15-18yo. Contact: 413-522-1445. joe@joedulude2.com. eggtooth.org.
Online. Aug 10-14
The Putney School Summer Arts. Putney, VT. The Putney School Summer Arts hosts summer arts workshops in July for high school students. Create and connect through art. Dive deep into workshops and join a wildly creative community. About a hundred students attend the three-week session, and workshops are capped at 12 students, fostering a close-knit community of young artists. Students come to discover a form, others to hone their practice, and all connect with the faculty. Dates: Jul 12-31; Age Range of Campers: 14+yo. Contact: 802-387-6297. dfolgar@putneyschool.org. summer.putneyschool.org.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art presents ART in PLACE: Social Distancing in the Studio, an online exhibition featuring artworks created by more than 20 leading picture-book artists during the global pandemic. Illustrator/author Mo Willems co-organized the exhibition with Ellen Keiter, The Carle’s chief curator. The curators hope the exhibition will provide solace to everyone counting on picture books during this challenging time. If you’ve been making art at home, they invite you to share it on social media, too: #CarleArtInPlace. Whether you’re making art or learning about art from home, The Carle is a treasured community-based resource in Western MA that support learning and creativity! Make a donation: www.carlemuseum.org/give.
PARTNER WITH HILLTOWN FAMILIES: Are you offering virtual classes or lessons? Are you facilitating online social, learning, or entertainment opportunities? Is your local business offering new ways for customer engagement? Partner with Hilltown Families in your online outreach, delivering your message to over 25,000 subscribers, web visitors, and social media followers. Hilltown Families is committed to our community and supporting one another in times of need. Our sponsors and advertising partners allow us to keep delivering this community-based educational resource to our readers for free (since 2005!). Local and online businesses, virtual and local service providers, non-profit organizations, and individuals are encouraged to reach out to find out about our new and exciting opportunities! Contact Sienna at swildfield@hilltownfamilies.org.
SUGGESTED RESOURCES &
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
May 30-June 12, 2020
Saturday, May 30 • Sunday, May 31
Monday, June 1 • Tuesday, June 2 • Wednesday, June 3
Thursday, June 4 • Friday, June 5
Saturday, June 6 • Sunday, June 7
Monday, June 8 • Tuesday, June 9 • Wednesday, June 10
Thursday, June 11 • Friday, June 12
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Resources and opportunities below are shared as a courtesy. While we do our best to share accurate and up-to-date information, please take the time to confirm age appropriateness, registration requirements, and associated costs.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
FOOD/RADIO SHOW: HFVS Food Episode with Guest DJ, Gunnar Madsen. From Beans to Pancakes to Egg Salad, all tastes are considered in week’s episode. Learn about how corn is in your car, your home, your clothes, and your medicines. Songs about sharing food, renting food, and even calling food will keep your toes tapping and your mouth watering. From 9-10am every Saturday, Hilltown Family Variety Show streaming on 103.3FM WXOJ. ♥ Hilltown Families eNewsletter subscribers are invited to an exclusive sneak peek every Thursday of the upcoming show. Check your eNewsletter to listen any time. Not a subscriber? Click here to subscribe to our free Weekly eNewsletter!
RHUBARB/CULINARY ARTS: This time of year, farm stands all over the area are selling rhubarb. A local delicacy, rhubarb, has been enjoyed globally for thousands of years in sweet and savory dishes. In China, rhubarb has also been prized for its medicinal properties. For most people, the most common application of rhubarb is paired with strawberries in crumbles or pies. Many 19th century cookbooks even refer to rhubarb as the ‘pie plant.’ When the weather gets hot, try making this strawberry-rhubarb sorbet served in ice bowls to help cool off! After you’ve eaten the sorbet, you can experiment with the bowl as it melts. Does freezing change the herbs that were encased in ice?
CAKE/FOOD HISTORY: What do Chiffon, Tunnel of Fudge, Sock-it-to-me, Watergate, Jell-O Poke, Hummingbird, Funfetti, Chocolate Lava, Viennetta, Red Velvet, Bacon, and Pops have in common? They are all popular cakes! Featured on Mashed: “Chances are, you have your favorite, go-to birthday cake — but how about enjoying the one everyone was eating on the day you were born? Let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at all the biggest, best, and most popular cakes that have trended over the years. So, what was the most popular cake the year you were born?”
FOOD HISTORY/PIE CRUST: Old Sturbridge Village asks, “Ever make a pie from scratch? Now is a great time to try! Making pie crust is intimidating for some modern cooks, but it is simple once you get the hang of it. Watch this step-by-step video to see Ashleigh, Domestic Management Shaker Fellow, demonstrate how to make a pie crust.”
HOMESTEADING/BACKYARD CHICKENS: There are many reasons to want to get involved in the homesteading movement, a trend towards self-reliance in daily living. It can be empowering to learn how to produce your food, clothing, or other products you use daily. You might be motivated because you want to know where these things come from while wanting to cut down on your environmental impact. Plus, growing a garden, raising chickens, making or swapping clothing, and building your own furniture can be fun! Plus, there’s so much learning that can happen in the process, expanding your knowledge and skills. Homesteading is multi-faceted and can cover topics such as horticulture, agriculture, textiles, cooking, and carpentry. An easy place to start is with a vegetable garden and a small flock of chickens. To learn about raising chickens in your backyard, check out this beginners guide:
AGRICULTURE/SUSTAINABILITY: Did you know that the first Community Supported Agriculture garden was founded in Great Barrington in 1986? The movement was started by Swiss biodynamic farmer Jan Vander Tuin, who came to the United States in the 1980s and assisted with the creation of the Great Barrington garden. The goal of the CSA movement is to create direct relationships between farmers and consumers. This relationship can help to create fair trade policies and livable wages for farmers. Additionally, CSA farms often employ organic and biodynamic approaches to agriculture, which promote ecologically sustainable farming. Now is a great time to sign up for a CSA near you, supporting local farmers and connecting to where you live through locally grown food. Check out CISA’s list of CSA’s in western Massachusetts, and their great DIY resources, including recipes & cooking tips and food preservation & gardening resources. Visit these farms online and consider becoming a member this year! Being a member of a CSA connects you with the local harvest, and your local neighbors via the folks who grow your food! Plus, CSA’s are loaded with embedded learning opportunities!
GARDENING TOOLS/SHARED ECONOMY: More and more, communities are working together to create opportunities for pooling knowledge, sharing skills, and increasing each others’ access to useful resources. A few examples in Western MA include repair cafes, time trading, swaps, skill-sharing, and lending initiatives. In creating systems and channels through which to access shared information and materials, communities are building resilient foundations upon which to grow and to learn. Commonly known as collaborative consumption, such shared economy practices work to shift emphasis from ownership of goods and knowledge to access to them, a shift that would decrease the number of resources each individual would need to participate in a sustainable way of life. During the spring, when families are looking towards their backyard gardens and plots, gardening tools are on everyone’s mind. Maybe your 20-year-old wheelbarrow now has a broken handle, or you’re needing a spade but have an extra shovel and unused saw. Whatever the case may be, now is an excellent time to tap into a preexisting tool lending library in your neighborhood (i.e., Northfield Tool Lending Library). If one does not exist, consider spearheading the creation of a small-scale tool sharing initiative with friends and families. By starting with folks closest to you, and expanding out with a few interested neighbors, families may quickly discover that not only do they need fewer tools on hand but that they are also seeding and growing meaningful community connections! Get inspired by seeing what other communities have created in this TEDx Talk, and read more about How to Start a Neighborhood Tool Share.
ORGANIC GARDENING/NOFA: You don’t have to be a beekeeper to attract pollinators to your backyard or garden. You can help reverse the decline in honeybee and native pollinator populations with strategic gardening. Certain plants will naturally attract beneficial insects, which will beautify your garden in a mutually beneficial relationship with the plants. Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts is a great local resource to support the interest of home gardeners. They serve homesteaders growing food for themselves, chefs planting herb gardens on restaurant rooftops, suburban parents picking tomatoes with their kids in the backyard, and urban foodies creating flower boxes on their windowsills. Visit their website to discover organic gardening workshops statewide, along with workshops designed to help support organic gardening practices. In addition to the support of a community-based educational resource like NOFA, you can also support your learning at home! Not only can an organic home garden provide food, but it can also be a learning lab, supporting interest in ecology, botany, and entomology. In this video, watch a bumblebee perform “buzz pollination,” a technique that they use to dislodge pollen from some plants, and this spring, see if you can spot other pollinators in your garden while observing their pollination techniques.
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Sunday, May 31, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
- Sunday, May 17, 7-8am: RADIO SHOW: Hilltown Family Variety Show streaming on 103.3FM WXOJ.
CULINARY ARTS/DANDELIONS: For as long as human history has been recorded, the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) has been used as food and medicine across the globe. While not native to this continent, this nutritious golden flowering plant arrived with the European colonization of the 1600’s and is now commonplace in lawns and meadows across North America. In the spring, the dandelion is one of several common wild edibles foragers look for to supplement their dinner plates. Grow Forage Cook Ferment has a helpful list, which includes, of course, DANDELIONS! Looking through the lens of dandelions, interests in culinary arts, pastry arts, baking, and even home brewing can be supported. Within these interests, lessons in chemistry and math are implicit, while the art of taste and texture is an explicit driving force. Learn how to identify and properly harvest dandelion leaves, flowers, and roots this year, and give them a go in your own kitchen too. Try a recipe for Dandelion Lemon Cupcakes to support an interest in pastry arts, or if you prefer baking, check out this recipe for Dandelion Leaf Bread. Or put on your chef hat and pair Dandelion Fritters with a Dandelion Leaf Salad to experiment with the textures and flavors found within the culinary arts. If you’re interested in beverages, this Dandelion Root Coffee Recipe can set you up with a warm brew, or learn about the art of fermentation by making Dandelion Mead or Dandelion Fennel Kombucha!
BAKING/CHEMISTRY: When you bake a cake, toast some bread, or pour waffle batter on a griddle, the principle of “Chemical Change” is being demonstrated. Baking is a delicious way to integrate concepts of chemistry, making learning relevant to your taste buds and also multidisciplinary! In this video, learn about “Chemical Change” and then head into your culinary lab and bake a cake!
FOOD SCIENCE/MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY: Love food and chemistry? Dive into the world of molecular gastronomy, where chefs create unique foods using unconventional materials and methods.
STEM/GEOMETRY & PHYSICS: The seed head of the common dandelion is anything but common. Within the shape and patterns of its seeds are lessons in geometry and physics. Close observations will reveal geometric patterns that can lead a curious mind to identify spiraling patterns known as the Fibonacci sequence. Looking closely and learning how the Fibonacci sequence and Golden Ratio are closely tied can spotlight a mathematical foundation found throughout nature. Learn the sequence and see where you can find it in other places, including pinecones, the shell of a snail, sunflowers, and of course, dandelion flowers and seed heads. The sequence order is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144 and on to infinity. Pick a dandelion with a full seed head and give it a puff. Notice how each seed and it’s attached pappus release and take flight. How is that dandelion seed carried through the air, floating across great distances over meadows and river beds? The answer is rooted in physics. In 2018, scientists from the University of Edinburgh discovered a traveling dandelion seed creates a vortex of air, which aids in its propulsion, a concept worthy of biomimicry in aerodynamic techniques. Learn about this discovery in this video and see if you can identify ways human innovation has been inspired by nature.
SUSTAINABILITY/BIOMIMICRY: What’s the best way we can care for the places we live while sustaining 10,000 generations to come? The answer may lie within the structures and behaviors of the natural world and understanding the limits and opportunities found in our places. “Biomimicry, the practice of looking deeply into nature for solutions to engineering, design, and other challenges, has inspired a film about a ground-breaking vision for creating a long-term, sustainable world.” This short film, “Biomimicry,” featuring Janine Benyus, takes a look at how some of our most pressing human-made problems may be solved by mimicking nature. Benyus delivers natural and human examples, offering hope and encouragement for 10,000 generations to come when we accept her invitation to “apprentice” with “masters” in the natural world.
CBEdu RESOURCE/SCIENCE CAFES: Science Cafes are part of a grassroots movement to open science to everyone and to bring free presentations and engaging conversations into casual community settings. Here in Western MA, working scientist shares their research with the public every month via SciTech Cafe in Northampton. At these monthly events, all ages are welcome, allowing self-directed learners to participate in community events such as science cafes can help them to learn how to engage with an intergenerational community of learners while challenging them to learn more about in-depth science topics on their own. Each science cafe is lead by an expert in the field who share their expertise to science cafe participants. The opportunity to learn about a science topic from an expert scientist grants learners access to a pool of knowledge that is both deep and wide. These events will continue virtually this spring! Find out who will be presenting at www.scitechcafe.org. Northampton, MA.
CHEMISTRY/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: What happens to the plastic you throw away? “We’ve all been told that we should recycle plastic bottles and containers. But what actually happens to the plastic if we just throw it away? Emma Bryce traces the life cycles of three different plastic bottles, shedding light on the dangers these disposables present to our world.” View full TED-Ed lesson: What really happens to the plastic you throw away – Emma Bryce
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Plan your summer birthday now!
Monday, June 1, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
DANCE STUDIES/CANADIAN STEP DANCE: Ottawa Valley Step Dancing is a type of Canadian dance with origins in France, Ireland, and Scotland. In this type of step dancing, steps reach high off the floor and are paired with flowing arm movements. You can learn the basic steps of Ottawa Valley Step Dancing and watch the magic of its pairing with music in this short video.
DANCE STUDIES/WORLD FOLK DANCES: While it is certain that Irish dance traditions date back thousands of years, there is very little recorded information about those traditions until the 17th-century, because most ancient cultural practices around the world were not written down. What we do know is that when the Normans invaded Ireland, they brought with them the courtly ’round dances’ common in Europe during the Medieval period. In the 1600s, we begin to see references to Irish folk dances, known as ‘rinkafadda,’ which were often performed in fields and involved lines or rows of men and women facing each other. By the 1760s, hornpipes and fiddles were added to Irish dancing traditions and the custom of traveling dance masters began and would last until well into the 19th century.- Want to see examples of not only Irish dance but also other traditional folk dances from around the world? Check this out these folk dances from around the world.
DANCE STUDIES/JACOB’S PILLOW: Did you know one of the best community-based resources to support an interest in dance studies exists in the Hilltowns of Western MA? Dive into Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive, an ever-growing collection of dance videos filmed at Jacob’s Pillow from the 1930s to today, plus new illustrated essays. Playlists include Women’s History, Black Voices, Cultural Diversity, Distinctive Costumes, Indigenous Dance of the Americas, Men Dancers, and several others. Jacob’s Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts recipient, and home to America’s longest-running dance festival, located in Becket, MA.
SPORTS/ROCK CLIMBING: Looking for inspiration or new techniques to try out on your next climb? Watch Ashima Shiraishi, an extraordinary young rock climber, and hear her thoughts on the sport:
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Schools are accepting applications for 2020/2021 school year!
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
GOAL SETTING/VISION BOARDS: Vision boards – a tool for supporting children in keeping goals in mind – can serve as a powerful visual reminder of the importance of hard work and responsibility. When displayed in an important place at home, vision boards can help children to keep their goals in mind every day! Read more in our post, Vision Boards: Creative Tool for Supporting Children with Accomplishing Goals.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/EARLY CHILDHOOD: Teaching your kids at home? One of the best ways for children to learn is simply to let them play. Most educators and parents understand that for children, playing is essential to learning as well as emotional well-being. Playing allows children to grow their imaginations and practice new skills in a safe, fun environment. With so many useful and healthy aspects to play, parents can benefit from participating. Taking time out of a busy day to play with your children not only helps you form happy memories and bond with your kids, it can also increase your well-being and vitality. So go ahead, just let them play!
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/TODDLERS: Spring has arrived here in Western MA, which means we can now move our creative free-play outdoors! Toddlers can make the best of anything, especially dirt! Read more in our post, Let Them Grow: Dirt Play.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY: We have a couple of columns that have great ideas for generating both facilitated and self-directed play. Check out these archived columns, What to Play? Play Ideas for Family & Community and Let Them Grow: Fresh Ways to Engage Toddlers in Creative Free Play.
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Plan ahead for Fall 2020!
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
BIOLOGY/SYMBOLIC RELATIONSHIPS: Though the relationships between the two are generally predator-prey, studying the ways in which birds and insects depend on each other can offer insight into the inner workings of the local landscape. By learning to identify insects and birds, families can explore the who-eats-who of their surroundings! Read more in our post, Interconnections Between the Birds & the Bees.
LITERATURE/FIREFLY: The anonymous 10th-century Japanese text The Gossamer Diaries tells the story of one of the wives of a Kyoto prince. While courtly etiquette and ritual dominate her day to day life, she occasionally escapes to a small temple, where she can enjoy moments of solitude and freedom. During one of these moments, she writes: “The scene was a lovely one. The moon flooded through the trees, while over in the shadow of the mountain great swarms of fireflies wheeled about.” Indeed, fireflies have played a role in Japanese literature and folklore. Fireflies can not only inspire a love for literature, but also support interests in biochemistry, entomology, and zoology. Anyone who has seen these magical creatures dancing through the night will not be surprised that they have so entranced cultures around the world.
ENTOMOLOGY/BEETLES: Mass Audubon invites families to go on a beetle scavenger hunt! “There are at least 107 known species of beetles in Massachusetts, 30,000 in the United States, and 350,000 around the world. How many beetles can you find? While on the hunt, don’t forget to watch how they defend themselves, listen to the sounds they make, and observe how they communicate with each other.” Use their free downloadable activity page, It’s Beetlemania!, to guide you!
ENTOMOLOGY/BUTTERFLIES: Why Is Blue So Rare In Nature? “Among living things, the color blue is oddly rare. Blue rocks, blue sky, blue water, sure. But blue animals? They are few and far between. And the ones that do make blue? They make it in some very strange and special ways compared to other colors. In this video, we’ll look at some very cool butterflies to help us learn how living things make blue, and why this beautiful hue is so rare in nature.” – It’s Okay To Be Smart
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Start planning now!
Thursday, June 4, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
WILL & ESTATE PLANNING/COMMUNITY EXPERTS: When we look at our communities, and we think about community resources we have access to, our elders and community experts are an important asset to our community-based educational resource landscape. Their sharing of knowledge and skills is a type of collaborative consumption that leads towards sustainable and resilient communities while supporting interests and education. For many parents, both new parents and grandparents, estate planning is an interest they have many questions about… so we turned towards two community experts with questions generated from our readers who have been generous enough to share their expertise with our readers, attorneys Mark NeJame and Julie Kling of NeJame & Kling Law Offices. Read more in our post, Local Expert Q&A: The Importance of a Will.
BUSINESS/CURRENT AFFAIRS: Small Business Classes with the Small Business Administration. These free online classes are aimed towards business owners; however, students of business administration can tune in to learn about small business management through conversations around COVID-19 recovery and economic strategies.
PSA from thebagshare.org.
COMMUNITY SERVICE/SEWING: Put your skills and interests in sewing and values of kindness to work! DIY Masks of Western Mass is a public Facebook group of volunteers who have decided to help the effort in making Masks for medical personnel, service workers, and other organizations and people who may need them. Swap stories, find support, organize drop-offs via this online group! Also, be sure to connect with the Bag Share Project for future community sewing events to make reusable bags for independent grocery stores, food co-ops, and local libraries.
KINDNESS/ART: Some folks are attracted to street art, such as sidewalk chalk art and yarnbombing because it is anonymous and puts art in public spaces for all to enjoy. If you want to put art out into the world to brighten a stranger’s day, another more subtle idea is art-rock. Painting words of kindness and encouragement on small rocks found in your yard and then left in outdoor public spaces for others to discover has the power to connect the community through the integration of art and nature while nurturing emotional intelligence.
COMMUNITY SERVICE/HOSPITAL: To ensure patient safety, Cooley Dickinson Hospital is currently following Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidance in accepting non-medical grade PPE (such as homemade masks). In this video are instructions on how to make face masks, which can be dropped off at Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s North Entrance, Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm. 30 Locust St. (Route 9) Northampton, MA.
FOOD SECURITY/SERVICE-BASED LEARNING: Food insecurity can strike anyone, including working families, elders on limited incomes, and people faced with a sudden illness or layoffs. Organizing a Virtual Food Drive with The Food Bank of Western MA can support folks experiencing food security in the region. Organizing a virtual food drive has many benefits, including cost savings to The Food Bank of Western MA in staff time, no extra driving for participants, and accessibility to families near and far who want to support food drives in our region. There are also a lot of learning opportunities, including communication and organization skills. Find out how to organize a virtual food drive and learn more about food security, the value of volunteering, and the need for well-supported food banks in communities. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. 413-247-9738. 97 N Hatfield Rd. Hatfield, MA.
KINDNESS/HOMELESSNESS: Thanks to Birthday Wishes, a nonprofit organization serving much of New England and New York, children living in homeless shelters can celebrate their birthdays with games, cake, and gifts – and there are lots of ways in which families can help to support the organization’s efforts! Birthday Wishes’ mission is made evident through their name: they make homeless children’s birthday wishes come true. This is done in a few different ways, depending on a family’s living situation. Birthday Wishes organizes and holds parties for children – either individually or in groups – at homeless shelters in numerous communities. However, some children reside in safe shelters where non-residents aren’t able to visit. For these children, Birthday Wishes provides a Birthday Box packed with everything a family needs to have a small gathering to celebrate – cake mix and frosting (as well as a baking dish), party hats, favors, decorations, and – of course – presents!
SERVICE-BASED LEARNING/VETERANS ASSOCIATION: Families can engage in community service projects by becoming involved with the Veterans Association of Central Western Massachusetts’ volunteer program or by donating items to veterans who live on the VA campus.
Start planning for Fall 2020!
Friday, June 5, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
CULTURE STUDIES/POTTERY: Pottery has been a part of human civilizations ever since the Neolithic era – which was over 10,000 years ago! Much more than just a means of making dishes, pottery serves as a creative outlet for many artists. The slow development of the art and technology surrounding pottery speaks volumes to the changes that human civilization has undergone. Additionally, while pottery can be found in countless cultures all around the world, techniques, styles, and uses vary between cultures, and close study of various pieces of pottery can speak to the similarities and differences between cultures near and far. Exploring pottery through children’s literature provides a means for exploring culture and history. Rins Swentzell’s Children of Clay: A Family of Pueblo Potters spotlights a Tewa Indian family in New Mexico, who tell the story of their family’s and community’s history through a series of clay objects – allowing readers to learn about Tewa history and culture. Laban Carrick Hill’s Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave tells the true story of an enslaved man living in South Carolina during the early 1800’s. Readers learn about 19th-century pottery techniques while also learning about the experience of slavery.
CULTURE STUDIES/INDONESIA: Learn about Indonesian culture through wayang kulit. Wayang kulit is an ancient form of storytelling through elaborate shadow puppets and complex musical styles, originating on the Indonesian island of Java. These stories borrow characters from indigenous myths, Indian epics, and heroes from Persian tales. Learn more about this the history and techniques of this form of Balinese shadow-puppetry in this video:
PSYCHOLOGY/MAGIC: Magicians often ask audience members to choose a playing card “at random.” Researchers from McGill University, however, have found patterns in these choices. Much like a computer cannot generate a truly random number, humans do not pick cards entirely at random. The researchers found that of their 667 participants, women were more likely to name the King of Hearts, and men the Queen of Hearts when asked to name any card. Understanding the role of human behavior in the phenomenon of magic can make magic shows that much more interesting and entertaining. A good magic show can captivate children’s attention as they watch intently, trying to figure out how the magician made an object appear, disappear, or change. As children try to make sense of the world around them, magic opens up their minds to a world of seemingly impossible possibilities. Read more about magic at our post, Magic Shows: The Psychology Behind Magic Tricks & Illusions.
FILM STUDIES/ANIMATION: The 2013 animated film Boy and the World (PG), winner of over 40 film festival awards, involves almost no dialogue but features stunning visuals and an equally superb soundtrack of Brazilian music. Screen this movie at home to experience a foreign film, from Brazil, without the struggle of reading many subtitles. Instead, viewers can focus on the artwork and music. The lack of dialogue makes this already family-friendly film great for children. You can also discuss with your children the themes of environmentalism, which are implicit in the story. Parents and kids who enjoy making art will likely feel inspired by the unique animation style employed by the filmmakers. Get a sense of the animation style, music, and themes of Boy and the World in this trailer:
FILM STUDIES/CASABLANCA: It is surprisingly difficult to account for Casablanca’s enduring popularity. Generally considered to be one of, if not the best films of all time, Casablanca seems to delight its die-hard fans endlessly and continues to capture the hearts of first-time viewers. But for all its popularity, as novelist and philosopher Umberto Eco observes, “by any strict critical standards … Casablanca is a very mediocre film.” Indeed, it’s hard not to acknowledge the overwhelmingly melodramatic tone, the stereotyped characters, and the cliched dialogue. However, the film’s apparent faults are precisely what give Casablanca its timelessness and resonance. While stereotypes as a narrative tool are generally regarded as sloppy, great thinkers such as Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell have observed that narrative stereotypes or archetypes possess a universal quality throughout literature, film, and folklore. It is through such devices that we learn about ourselves and our place in the world. To return to Umberto Eco: “Thus Casablanca is not just one film. It is many films, an anthology. Made haphazardly, it probably made itself, if not actually against the will of its authors and actors, then at least beyond their control. And this is the reason it works, in spite of aesthetic theories and theories of filmmaking. For in it there unfolds with almost telluric force the power of Narrative in its natural state, without Art intervening to discipline it … When all the archetypes burst in shamelessly, we reach Homeric depths. Two clichés make us laugh. A hundred clichés move us. For we sense dimly that the clichés are talking among themselves, and celebrating a reunion.” In other words, whether it’s seeing Rick as a representation of Franklin D. Roosevelt or viewing the film as an allegory for the contemporary refugee crisis, Casablanca has that rarest of abilities to speak to any historical or personal moment.
THEATER/LANGUAGE ARTS: Shakespeare’s lasting popularity over hundreds of years may stem from his command of the English language, and the universal themes explored in his plays and poetry. Shakespeare used a great deal of creativity with words. He combined short, familiar words into compound words, and sometimes changed verbs into nouns and vice versa. This is how he invented hundreds of words still used every day. Shakespeare’s plays allow us to explore relatable ideas by reading, performing, and witnessing performances of his words. Plays are meant to be performed, and Shakespeare’s plays undergo countless renditions, iterations, and adaptations on the stage and film. At home, families can celebrate Shakespeare’s lasting impact by screening the 2011 film Gnomeo and Juliet. (Rated G), the 2010 adaptation of The Tempest (Rated PG-13), and the 2012 film Much Ado About Nothing (Rated PG-13).
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Saturday, June 6, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
PLANT STUDIES/FOLKLORE: In shade gardens across the Hilltowns, Lily-of-the-Valley makes its debut in mid to late May. This delicate, fragrant flower is rich in folklore and goes by many names. Learning through the lens of Lily-of-the-Valley, let the different names of this spring flower start as your guide for learning this week. Read more in our post, Nature-Based Learning: Lily-of-the-Valley.
BOTANY/FLOWERS: Did you know that a dandelion flower is many flowers that make up a single head? Getting curious and paying attention to flowers that pop up during the spring and summer can help us become more mindful of the seasons, weather conditions, and plant species. Our front lawns, local meadows, and even cracks in the sidewalks can be a great place to start simple lessons in botany! Keeping a journal to document observations, either in words, sketches, or photographs, can support awareness of seasonal patterns and how sunlight, insects, weather, and soil conditions can impact plants. In the spring, one flowering plant which can quickly spark curiosity and begin simple lessons in botany is the common dandelion. Easy to identify and loaded with teachings in not only botany, but also the culinary arts, history, and STEM, the dandelion is perfect for learning about a plant life cycle, the parts of the flower, and the processes of pollination and seed distribution. Getting curious about the structure and function of the dandelion and exploring the entire plant from blossom to stem to taproot is a great place to begin. Compare and contrast a dissection of the dandelion flower with other plants that are flowering at the same time (i.e., daffodil, azalea, wild violets). Notice the differences in form, color, and patterns. Compare the levels of sunlight (full, partial, or shade) in which these different plant species grow, which insects are essential to their pollination and research to learn if they are an annual or perennial plant. In this video, learn how to conduct a flower dissection and how to organize an exploration of flowering parts and functions.
NATURE-BASED LEARNING/MINDFULNESS: It was Albert Einstein, who said, “Look deep, deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” During the spring, as nature bursts into bloom, help deepen your connection with which Einstein hinted by look towards the emerging blossoms of flowering plants purposefully planted in gardens or self-seeded in the crevices of sidewalks or manicured lawns. Every spring, flower buds emerge and unfold into inviting blossoms, an annual appearance rooted in the seasons of the past. We can “look deep” into that past to learn about botany, ecology, art, and history. But to “understand everything better,” the beauty of a flower invites us into the present moment where it can spark reverence and capture faith in the process of bud to bloom to seed. It is there our understanding of “everything” can awaken. This spring, pick a flowering plant nearest you and spend a mindful moment with it every day. Use your camera or sketchpad to capture it’s unfolding process. Notice its pattern of opening, relationship with pollinators, variants of colors and tones, textures, and smells. Welcome a flowering tulip tree, azalea bush, or dandelion plant into your daily observations and appreciations. Use your senses to connect with the essence of your chosen plant and pair it with self-directed learning about plant science or natural history. Blending the two not only supports place-based education, but it also strengthens a sense of place through the cultivation of respect for nature’s process and, ultimately, “understanding everything better.”
MINDFULNESS/HONEY: Depending on the climate and local flora, the terroir of honey changes based on which flowers in a region the honeybees have pollinated. Honey produced in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts could have a slightly different taste than the honey produced in the Pioneer Valley. It’s fascinating how the flavor profile of the honey changes based on environmental differences; it truly reflects a sense of place, topography, and geography. A delicious project your family can try at home is to purchase a few bottles of different types of honey from a local hobby apiarists, farmers’ market, or food co-ops for their very own taste test! Using descriptive language to identify the flavor tones and undertones can integrate language arts into this activity while keeping participants in the present moment through mindful eating.
GEOLOGY/THE TRUSTEES: Follow along with The Trustees of Martha’s Vineyard Education Manager, Molly Peach Mayhew, as she guides you through a virtual lesson about weathering and erosion. This lesson is designed for elementary school-aged students. Materials: chocolate chip cookie, non single-use straw, skewer or toothpick, plate, and a glass of water.
FORAGING/WILD EDIBLES: Learning about wild edible plants opens up new possibilities for learning and lifestyle. Once you’ve begun recognizing local edible plants, your nature walks will be filled with discovery. Identifying wild edibles is a fun skill to learn with your family. Once you’ve identified an edible plant such as dandelion greens, fiddleheads, violets, lamb’s quarters, and garlic mustard, you can try cleaning and eating them, and possibly even incorporating them into cooking! Learning how to identify edible plants around you will add another layer of fun, understanding, and discovery to your nature walks. Challenge all members of your family to learn, too, by playing a game to see who can spot edible plants first.
NATURE CENTER/HITCHCOCK CENTER: Keep connected with nature and the seasons while staying safe at home! The Hitchcock Center in Amherst, MA, has virtual nature-inspired offerings, including their favorite off-the-beaten-path hikes, teaching resources, animal anecdotes, seasonal discoveries, bird watching, and nature-based bingo! Find out more online: www.hitchcockcenter.org.
MASS AUDUBON/NATURE STUDIES: Mass Audubon has a newly-launched Explore Nature at Home section on their website. Find videos from their team of amazing naturalists and educators like “Bird of the Day” and “Nature in Your Neighborhood” from cities and towns across Massachusetts. Activities to download for the entire family include nature bingo, coloring sheets, and a scavenger hunt. There are also ways to engage in citizen science by recording wildlife observations and actions you can take to protect the planet.
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
- Sundays, 7-8am: RADIO SHOW: Hilltown Family Variety Show streaming on 103.3FM WXOJ.
WORLD HISTORY/DANDELION: Once respected around the world for its nutritional value and medicinal properties, today, the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is seen by many as a noxious weed. Why? We have the rise of “lawn culture” to thank whose origin stems back to 17th century England where lawns were a status of wealth. Before this landscaping trend took root in the U.S., we might have seen dandelion varieties in seed catalogs and homegrown samples entered in the county fair during the 1800s. But here we are 200 years later, and this delightful and tenacious little flower has been hexed by many as undesirable. And to add insult to injury, the cost of herbicides spent each year to kill this gift from nature is in the millions, impacting far more than just the dandelion. Learning about history through the lens of the common dandelion can help us understand how our culture has gone from loving to hating (and hopefully back to loving) this flowering herbaceous perennial plant. This approach to history might tap into established or budding interests in nutrition, medicine, culinary arts, agriculture, social studies, ecology, and even mythology. Start your history lesson with this short video “Dandelions and Civilization: A Forgotten History” by The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered.
GARDEN-BASED LEARNING/SCIENCE: Gardening is a multidisciplinary activity embedded with learning every step along the way, from botany to soil science to meteorology. Gardening with children encourages their natural inquisitiveness and experimentation. Plus, most kids love to get dirty! If your child loves being outside, gardening will give you both a productive reason to spend more time. Garden-based learning is a fun and productive activity to try with your children. After you have planted your foods or flowers, your child can nurture them and watch them grow. As children nurture plants and watch them change, they learn about scientific concepts such as habitat and life cycle. On an even more basic level, they learn the logic of cause and effect relationships; for example, if a plant does not get water, it will wither. Waiting for a bulb to flower or fruits to grow can teach patience, while plants that require a lot of watering can start discussions about responsibility. Combining gardening with cooking can have a great impact on your child’s nutrition. Getting children involved in growing and preparing the foods they eat can have a positive effect on dietary choices. Incorporating whatever foods are ready to be eaten into your dinner can teach you to be creative and add variety to your meals. Plus, harvesting the result of your effort and enjoying it in a meal can teach your children about long-term rewards. Gardening and farming make vegetables fun and instill in children the importance of understanding from where food comes.
HISTORIC DEERFIELD/SENSE OF PLACE: Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, MA, holds an important place in American history and the interactions between Native American and early European settlers to the Pioneer Valley. Historic Deerfield has been referred to as one of the best-documented small communities in American history, contributing to a deep sense of place through its layers of authentic historical representations. In this video, learn more about this Western Massachusetts treasure, how it supports place-based education, and why it’s an essential piece of our local heritage. While at home, Historic Deerfield has several printables to encourage self-directed learning through the lens of Colonial History. Support an interest in food history, museum collections, and writing and communications with these printables: Butter and Biscuits, Exploring Collections, and MYO Homemade Berry Ink and Fake Old Paper.
HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE/ARCHITECTURE: Typically, this time of the year, we see the opening of the Hancock Shaker Village (HSV), where families get to meet newborn lambs, piglets, calves, goats, chicks, and ducklings in the Round Stone Barn. The HSV is a great place to learn about the biology of these animals and their significance in the historical context of farming life. In addition to history and biology, many people who visit Hancock Shaker Village are interested in the architecture of the Round Stone Barn, built-in 1826 as a cow stable. When open, the Hancock Shaker Village has something for everyone: art, history, science, and baby animals! Take a short tour of the interior of the beautiful Round Stone Barn and make plans to visit when they reopen:
NOLUMBEKA PROJECT/NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES: According to the National Congress of American Indians, there are more than 550 tribes, bands, nations, pueblos, rancherias, communities, and Native villages in the United States today. Tribes can differ in many aspects of their culture, including language, customs, and dress. There is a lot to learn about Native American culture, and it’s important to start locally by connecting with Native American communities where you live. In this recorded webcast, “Who Are the Abenaki: Past, Present, and Future,” join Don Stevens, Chief of the Nulhegan Band of the Abenaki, Elnu Abenaki artist and scholar Melody Walker Brook, and Nulhegan Abenaki singer/songwriter Bryan Blanchette. This video is the third of the “River Stories 2020: Recovering Indigenous Voices of the Connecticut River Valley,” presented by the Nolumbeka Project.
ART HISTORY/VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOUR: Norman Rockwell Museum’s online museum resource, Illustration History, allows families to explore the history of the art of illustration. Filled with important and interesting images, biographical information about artists, and information explaining the cultural context of illustrations, Illustration History provides an in-depth look at the role of illustration and the transformations that the art has undergone as culture has evolved. Read more in our post, Illustration History: Online Educational Resource & Archive for the Art of Illustration.”
AVIATION HISTORY/VIRTUAL MUSEUM: The New England Air Museum in Windsor, CT, has made it easy for folks to stay engaged with the museum online while supporting studies in STEM, aerodynamics, and history through the lens of aviation!
VENTFORT HALL/AMERICAN HISTORY: Take a virtual tour of Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum in Lenox, MA! Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Ventfort Hall is the home of The Museum of the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age as a time of rapid economic growth in the United States, occurring in the late 19th century. Ventfort Hall was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the last century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. Through exhibits and events, The Museum of the Gilded Age interprets the great changes that occurred in American life, industry, and society during the Nineteenth Century, a fascinating period of American history. For more information, take a virtual tour in this video and visit them online at http://www.gildedage.org.
NAUMKEAG/LOCAL HISTORY: Learn about history with a journey through the contents of a closet at Naumkeag, the Gilded-Age summer home of the Choate family located in Stockbridge, MA. Now a property of The Trustees, Naumkeag is a quintessential country estate of the Gilded Age with a gracious house, magnificent gardens, and panoramic views. This architectural masterpiece is a National Historic Landmark, providing a special link to the history of the Berkshires.
HISTORY/FASHION: “Get dressed!” These two words have been said more than once in an impatient tone to children when parents are running late or running out of patience. Let’s take this sentiment and look through the lens of getting dress as an opportunity to learn about history. This video series does just that! Starting with women getting dressed in the medieval fashion of 14th century England and spanning centuries through the lives of many, this video series visits working women in the summer (18th century), working-class suffragette of the early 1900s, British WW1 soldier, and many others. Can you imagine getting dressed in a hurry in the 18th century? After watching this series, you might have a better appreciation for Velcro and snap buttons! While watching, make notes of things you might be wondering or questions your child might ask. Let your curiosity lead your learning. Search the internet for answers, and allow the questions and interest that arises from your quest for knowledge, continue to fuel your path of learning.
FASHION HISTORY/HISTORIC NORTHAMPTON: History at Home with Historic Northampton. The museum’s new virtual learning and engagement resources support an interest in local history through their collections and activities. Online learning featured on their website includes fashion history, as shown in this video featuring the history and purpose of a “cardinal cloak.”
LOCAL HISTORY/SILK: Have you ever wondered why “Mulberry” would be the name of a business or street in the Pioneer Valley? With it’s reference to Mulberry Street in Springfield, MA, could the Dr. Seuss classic, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, be indirectly related to our silk industry heritage? Being the sole food source for silkworms, the influence of the mulberry tree craze of the 1830s still dots our landscape to this day. Look for mulberry trees in and around Northampton. Stop to appreciate it’s origin and how it might relate to our local textile history. – More About the Northampton Silk Industry. Learning about our local history through the lens of silk can help shed some light on understanding our region’s industrial past, how local architecture (mills) relates to this past, and help us connect more with the history of our local landscape.
LOCAL HISTORY/WALKING TOURS: Western Massachusetts is rich in walking tours, an excellent community-based educational learning activity families can do together on their own. Unlike scheduled tours guided by interpreters, self-guided walking tours offer flexibility to explore on terms that best fit the needs of your family within the context of their community. Families can use walking tours as a way to expand on a subject that children learn about in their school-based curriculum while strengthening a sense of place through place-based learning and discoveries. Read more in our post, Learn About Western Massachusetts Communities & History on Foot with Self-Guided Walking Tours!.
Plan your summer birthday now!
Monday, June 8, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
ART, HISTORY, SCIENCE/BERKSHIRE MUSEUM: Did you know that there are more than 40,000 objects in Berkshire Museum’s collection, each with countless stories to tell? In their new podcast, What’s in the Basement?, Chief Experience Officer Craig Langlois invites listeners to take a trip into collection storage in Pittsfield, MA, to uncover these narratives one object – and five minutes – at a time. Different guests join Langlois in each episode to share their research and passion for the topics as they shine a light on the Museum’s fine art, historical artifacts, and scientific specimens from mummies to meteors and everything in between
ART STUDIES/SMITH COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART: Support art studies at home with Smith College Museum of Art from Home. They’re offering up content from the museum’s blog, YouTube channel, as well as content found on their social media sites that were requested by museum followers. Families are invited to visit the museum’s social media often, engaging and sharing ideas with their online platforms. Discover SCMA’s collection with their Discovery Cards, which give a closer look at SCMA’s permanent collection objects. The SCMA YouTube channel features content from the museum’s many artist lectures and talks.
ART STUDIES/HAMPDEN GALLERY: Take a virtual tour of the current exhibit, A Horse Walks Into A Bar, at the UMass Amherst Hampden Gallery. Humor is not the first thing you think of when researching or discussing Contemporary or Modern Art, but it does have a far more significant place than one might presume. R. Crumb, Peter Saul, and Erwin Wurm, to name just three, cannot be completely understood without considering their ability to make us smile or laugh. Even the late Picasso paintings and prints had as much humor as they did restlessness, angst, or sexual tension in his continued quest for the extreme. A Horse Walked Into a Bar is a survey of some of today’s artists who continue to push the boundaries of fine art toward wit and whimsy.
ART STUDIES/THE CLARK: The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA, connects folks at home with their collection through virtual programming, which consists of a video series, Clark Connects. New content is added weekly. In this video below, Amanda Bell Goldmakher, senior educator at the Clark, takes a deep dive into George Gray Barnard’s sculpture, Brotherly Love.
ORIGAMI/HISTORY: The history of origami, or Japanese paper folding, begins in the 6th century when Buddhist monks first brought paper to Japan from China. By the 7th century, paper folding played an important role in Shinto, the traditional Japanese religion, during weddings and other ceremonies. The most famous origami shape is the crane, and tradition holds that anyone who makes one thousand paper cranes will have their deepest wishes come true. Over the years, origami has evolved as an art form, and many related types of paper folding have developed. Kusudama, for example, is a type of paper folding that features the use of pyramidal units folded together to form spherical shapes. Try making your own origami Kusudama Flower at home! Watch the video below and find step by step directions here.
ART STUDIES/PRINTMAKING: IS183 Art School of the Berkshires in Stockbridge brings their art opportunities to families at home! Their talented Berkshire artists have created online classes, video tutorials, and printable projects to inspire creativity and encourage making art at home. Their videos explore the art of origami via paper airplanes, sewing skills via plushies, ceramics for all ages, paper art via paper beads, and printmaking via collagraphs.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES/ONLINE: The Springfield Museums might be closed, but their staff is working on several ways to stay engaged with local families. The Museums added a new page, Explore the Springfield Museums, to their website expressly for engagement even if families can’t visit in person. Activities include offerings from the staff at the Museums’ interactive centers: The Cat’s Corner, The Smithsonian Spark!Lab, and The Art Discovery Center. Videos include science, art, and family activities. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
Schools are accepting applications for 2020/2021 school year!
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
OYSTERS/MARINE BIOLOGY: Follow along with The Trustees of Martha’s Vineyard Education Manager, Molly Peach Mayhew, as she guides you through a virtual lesson about marine invertebrates, and in particular, oysters. This lesson includes an oyster dissection and is designed for elementary school-aged students, but useful for all ages! Materials: plain white paper (2), pencil, colored pencils or markers or crayons (8 different colors), kid-friendly scissors.
MARINE BIOLOGY/WEBCAMS: The Monterey Bay Aquarium has ten live webcams from which to choose! See breathtaking sea nettles drift and pulse, busy tropical fishes, a swaying kelp canopies with swirling sardines and leopard sharks, and even sea otters frolic and swim! Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Web Cams. Watching marine life live might support an interest or possibly spark a new one!
MERINO SHEEP/FIBER ARTS: In the 19th century, Western Massachusetts saw a huge merino sheep boom when many farms purchased Australian sheep for their incredibly soft fleece to produce wool for textiles. The Hilltowns’ landscape provided an ideal pasture for livestock grazing. Although this craze for merino wool did not last long, and some of the farms no longer exist, there is still a rich and long tradition of fiber farms in our region that continue to produce fiber and yarn for hand knitters and textile artists. The benefit of purchasing local yarn is that you are more involved in and aware of the entire process of producing your wool product. Unlike commercially produced yarn, which is often processed and shipped from overseas, local yarn speaks to the land and farmers that cared for the sheep and cultivated the land. Often, the wool is processed locally and requires many hands to create it: from the farmer that cares for the animals to the sheep shearer, spinners and hand-dyers, locally grown yarn offer the hand knitter a deeper connection to our community’s agricultural roots. It also supports the local economy and helps foster collaboration and sustainable consumption. A couple of local businesses that sell local yarn include Sheep to Shawl in Franklin County and Northampton Wools in Hampshire County. Yarn can be ordered online from Sheep to Shawl now and get a gift card from Northampton Wools to use when they reopen. Until you can get your hands on a skein of local wool, learn about the history of merino sheep and the nature of their wool.
NATIVE SPECIES/ORNITHOLOGY: Springtime is filled with sightings of all kinds of exciting natural wonders. The season’s outdoor appeal makes it a perfect time of year not only for enjoying our natural surroundings, but for learning about conservation and species preservation, too! Springtime is the season for bird sightings as Western Massachusetts becomes filled with a variety of migrating bird species in the early spring months. Read more in our March/Spring Season issue of Learning Ahead. Download your free copy here.
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Plan ahead for Fall 2020!
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
PHENOLOGY/HERPETOLOGY: On the heels of a New England winter, spring in Western MA can be very engaging to the senses. This week, take inventory through your senses and notice what’s “speaking” to you. As you move through the final month of spring, notice what you observe through your senses and how your observations might change and evolve. Our sense of place is interwoven with the seasons and our five senses, deepening our connection to place through seasonal changes. Embedded within this awareness are self-directed learning opportunities that are sparked by curiosity and supported by community-based resources. Native species are a community-based resource that can deliver lessons through our senses. Take, for instance, deep listening to the frogs and toads native to Western MA. Have you ever noticed how their chorus changes through the season? How they are quiet on some evenings and very noisy on others? Pay attention to their chorus (or lack of) and let it guide your learning! It’s a great way to support interests and education in herpetology, biology, and ecology. Start by learning the calls of different native frogs in your region. Read more in our post, “Nature-Based Learning: Spring Chorus of Frogs & Toads.”
ICHTHYOLOGY/CITIZEN SCIENCE: Do you want to become a volunteer community scientist? Individual volunteers are needed for River Herring Monitoring now through June 30, 2020. No experience necessary. These important fish are starting to migrate up local rivers, and the Connecticut River Conservancy could use the help of individuals/families in learning more about river herring population in the tributaries of the Connecticut River. River Herring are an essential part of the food chain and fish monitoring is an excellent opportunity to spend time outside and discovering your local rivers, while practicing social distancing! How does it work? Individual volunteers are assigned a location, and once a week, they go out to survey for river herring. Virtual training is provided. In Massachusetts, help is needed at the following locations: Three Mile Brook (Agawam, MA); Porter Lake Stream (Longmeadow, MA); and Pond Brook (Springfield, MA). Contact volunteer@ctriver.org to sign up!
CITIZEN SCIENCE/LOCAL HABITAT: Families can help with studies of phenology! The National Phenology Network has developed Nature’s Notebook, a citizen science program that aims to get people outdoors and observing nature. Nature’s Notebook has an app and a website where citizen scientists can record observations to help scientists better understand how climate change is affecting plants in New England. The National Phenology Network needs volunteers to take part in many of Nature’s Notebook projects, of which there are several throughout the country. Independent, citizen science like Nature’s Notebook is a great way to connect with nature, learn about phenology, practice gathering data, and learn the basics of experimental design while contributing to a scientific study.
ASTRONOMY/CITIZEN SCIENCE: Galaxy Zoo, a web-based citizen science opportunity, asks participants to support researchers in learning about how galaxies form. Citizen scientists participating in Galaxy Zoo are shown pictures of galaxies and asked to classify them based on their shape. In essence, some of these pictures are of galaxies yet to be seen by any other human being, meaning participants might get to be the first to ever them! Galaxy Zoo is used by educators worldwide in a variety of ways to introduce young people and students to the amazing world of astronomy.
LIGHT POLLUTION/CITIZEN SCIENCE: The night sky is a community-based educational resource available to everyone by simply stepping outside your home. Become a citizen scientist by gathering data on your observations of the celestial bodies above and participating in the project, Loss of the Night. Created by German researchers, Loss of the Night is designed to collect information about the amount of sky glow (also known as light pollution) present in populated areas all over the globe. An additional goal of the project is to help users learn more about the stars that they see above them and the seasonal changes that take place in the sky. Read more about this citizen science opportunity in our post, Citizen Scientists Wanted to Map the Stars. Participation with support learning about the impacts of light pollution has on our native species while supporting interests in astronomy and the scientific process.
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Start planning now!
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE/LANGUAGE ARTS: Children’s book author and illustrator Grace Lin has said: “Books erase bias, they make the uncommon everyday, and the mundane exotic. A book makes all cultures universal.” Lin grew up in upstate New York, and hers was the only Asian American family in her neighborhood. As a Taiwanese author drawing upon her personal experiences, Lin has enriched the world of children’s literature with greater diversity. Asian American children reading her books have the pleasure of feeling represented, and children of other cultures and backgrounds get to learn about experiences beyond their own. Check out her podcast, Kids Ask Writers, where she and a guest author answer kid questions! She also has a YouTube channel where she reads from her books and conducts drawing lessons. In this video, learn how to draw a Lunar Year decoration for the Year of the Rat!
LITERATURE/JANE AUSTEN: Jane Austen once wrote in a letter: “I cannot anyhow continue to find people agreeable; I respect Mrs. Chamberlayne for doing her hair well, but cannot feel a more tender sentiment. Miss Langley is like any other short girl, with a broad nose and wide mouth, fashionable dress, and exposed bosom. Adm. Stanhope is a gentleman-like man, but then his legs are too short and his tail too long.” Austen’s biting wit and relaxed, well-tempered prose have made her one of the most beloved novelists in the English language. Her six novels paint a vivid portrait of middle-class life in 19th century Britain and examine the role of women in society. Wanting her writing to support the development of her readers, her novels were often rooted in the philosophy of personal development.
LITERATURE/ONLINE MAPPING: Make great use of Google maps function by building Google Lit Trips, which gives a whole new dimension to great literature by merely putting literary characters on the map. This free enhanced visual aid enhances literacy and mapping skills and gives readers a sense of place. Many great literary stories are rooted in “journey,” and Google Lit Trips grasps this opportunity, giving readers another layer of learning. Read more in our post, “Google Lit Trips Puts Literary Characters Back on the Map.”
GENDER STUDIES/QUILTING: Families can connect new sewing skills to the study of gender roles in society by using our literary guide for the book Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt, which features both men’s and women’s quilting groups. Traditionally a skill left up to women, sewing is, of course, a skill that anyone can learn and succeed at, and in considering its typical “women only” designation, children can begin to think critically about gender roles in society.
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Start planning for Fall 2020!
Friday, June 12, 2020
Online Events: Suggest a distant learning event!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for free virtual events! Want to have your Facebook event page added? Add Hilltown Families as a co-host. Event must be free, based out of Western MA, and a single event (not a series). Questions? DM!
MUSIC STUDIES/CHORUS: A path towards a love and learning about classical music is exposure to great performances by great composers. The Mendelssohns were a prominent family in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Moses Mendelssohn was a philosopher who wrote of what he called the “Jewish Enlightenment.” His grandson, Felix Mendelssohn, was a musical prodigy who played piano, composed, and conducted. You can hear Mendelssohn’s composition, Elijah, brought to life by Cambridge Community Chorus at the Kresge Auditorium at MIT in this featured video.
MUSIC STUDIES/SPRINGFIELD SYMPHONY: Are you looking for a community-based educational resource to support music studies at home? Each week, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) Homegrown Series delivers a new video to support virtual learning! Music students can hear from Maestro Rhodes, SSO musicians, youth orchestra musicians, SSO staff, and others. Their Homegrown Series includes videos that explore and demonstrate different genres of music, composers, and pieces. You can even learn about the different instruments with their virtual Musical Petting Zoo episode!
MUSIC STUDIES/CLASSICAL MUSIC: “Light, bright, and cheerful, ‘The Four Seasons’ by Antonio Vivaldi is some of the most familiar of all early 18th-century music, featured in numerous films and television commercials. But what is its significance, and why does it sound that way?” In this TED-Ed video, Why should you listen to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”?, Betsy Schwarm uncovers the “underlying narrative of this musical masterpiece.”
MUSIC STUDIES/CLASSICAL MUSIC: Hilltown Family Variety Show Classical Music Episode with Guest DJs, Stephen and Bonnie Ward Simon:
MUSIC STUDIES/SOUND: Listen to the modern “Pioneers of Sound!” with Elska as she takes us on a sonic journey into the world of early electronic music, synthesizers, micro-beats, bells and more. Broadcasting from her Arctic island home, Elska teaches us about the origins of the most innovative sounds in pop music, how they were made, and then she plays us fascinating examples from pop music, art music, classical and some music that defies classification all together.
MUSIC STUDIES/EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM: Fill your home with the sound of Emily Dickinson’s poetry and the music that her life and work inspired. Emily Dickinson Museum House Manager, Margaret Draft, created three new Spotify playlists that celebrate the connection between Emily Dickinson and music. The playlists include covers of songs the poet played in her lifetime, compositions set to her verse, and contemporary music inspired by her life and work. To listen, you’ll need to create a free Spotify account if you do not already have one.
Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Chester, Gill, Goshen, Hadley, Heath, Hinsdale-Peru, Holyoke, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, New Salem, Northern Berkshire, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Springfield, Washington, Westhampton, and Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
