Weekly Suggested Events for January 23-29, 2021
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Are you looking for things to do in western Massachusetts? Seeking curriculum ideas for remote learning or homeschooling? Are you a self-directed, life-long, and/or experiential learner? Are you curious or wanting to support the interests of your family. Our weekly Suggested Events list includes suggested learning ideas, resources, and events for all ages, each week!
Scroll down to discover featured events, learning opportunities, and educational videos to support learning from home. And be sure to subscribe to our free weekly eNewsletter so you never miss out!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: JANUARY 23-29, 2021
LEARNING RESOURCES
ART STUDIES. Illustration History: Online Educational Resource & Archive for the Art of Illustration
STEM. Chemistry through Fermentation
MATH. Nature’s Patterns Reveals Mathematical Reasoning
FAMILY MUSIC. Hilltown Family Variety Show
LANGUAGE ARTS. Literary Guides
INDIGENOUS COSMOLOGIES. National Museum of the American Indian Star Stories
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: Bullitt Reservation (Ashfield & Conway)
ART STUDIES. Hirshhorn Kids at Home
FAMILIES. It Takes A Village
WORLD STUDIES. Lesson Plans on East Asia
Featured Events, Resources, & Opportunities


Imagine a school that values and encourages your child’s unique qualities: The Hartsbrook School provides just that, with warmth and attentiveness. Outdoor-based classrooms, storytelling, music, and creative problem-solving all lay the foundations for future learning and deep social connection. Children’s imagination and empathy are awakened through the rich curriculum. Walks in the woods, visits to the school’s farm animals, and tending the gardens develop an awareness of, and care for, the natural world. Discover how meaningful a school experience can be and enjoy a vibrant, active parent community. Applications received by March 1st receive first priority. 193 Bay Road, Hadley, 413-586-1908, www.hartsbrook.org

WinterFest Amherst 2021: Amherst Recreation, The Business Improvement District, and The Amherst Area Chamber presents Ice Sculptures on the Common! A Drive-Through Experience, on February 5 & 6 from 5-7pm. Welcome one and all to Winterfest 2021! This fantastical event will feature at least 11 life-sized animal ice sculptures displayed on the Amherst Common. Your favorite Winterfest mascot, Flakey, along with mascots from our local colleges and businesses, will join this event in waving to passers-by. Please DRIVE by and celebrate this amazing event! Ice Sculptures on the Common! A Drive-Through Experience takes place on the Amherst Town Common.
The Pioneer Valley Symphony in Greenfield, MA, is accepting new students to its Youth Orchestra virtual program. Thursdays 6-8pm, January 28 – May 13 (16 sessions). Students play, learn, and grow during these fun and interactive sessions led by Chris Moeringher of the Teaching Artists Community Music School of Springfield. Activities include music rehearsals, virtual recording projects, music history, theory, improvisation, and masterclasses. Open to all orchestral instrumentalists ages 8-18. Tuition is $225 for the semester; fees are prorated for rolling admission. Discounts are available for families with multiple participants and limited scholarship funding available. For more information: admin@pvso.org; 413-773-3664; www.pvsoc.org.
The Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley offers classes for all ages in art, dance, music, theatre, writing, and more! Classes are being offered virtually, in-person, and via a hybrid model, with health protocols in place. New classes are added throughout the year, so visit their website regularly! The Center also offers affordable rental space for individuals and small groups of artists, educators, and local organizations, while developing programming dedicated to arts education, multidisciplinary collaborations, and community connections. ArtPlay, the Center’s unique interdisciplinary vacation arts program, returns in February, April, and summer of 2021. They also have daytime availability for remote learning pods to rent their beautiful space. For more information: programs@nohoarts.org; 413-584-7327; www.nohoarts.org.
Four Rivers Charter Public School in Greenfield, MA, is accepting applications for Fall 2021. Prospective families can attend a Virtual Open House on Wed., January 20 at 7pm, or Sat., February 6 at 10am. Four Rivers is a small Expeditionary Learning school for grades 7-12, dedicated to educating young people for lives of learning and service. Four Rivers offers a rigorous college preparatory program aligned with the MA curriculum frameworks and emphasizes character development for moral and social responsibility. Students connect learning to the real world, work hard, and develop the independence and thinking skills needed in college and beyond.For more info & Zoom link, visit FourRiversCharter.org.
Built in 1832 as a hotel, Deer Hill House is the perfect place to stay overnight while visiting family and friends in western Massachusetts! Deer Hill House is now four separate apartments under one roof, located on a quiet country road along the Westfield River, with Deer Hill behind the house, and a large open yard. Private, sunlit, one-bedroom apartments on the first and second floor, complete with full kitchens, and baths, are ideal for a writing retreat or a comfortable home base for your adventures. Located in Cummington, MA, Deer Hill House is less than 10 minutes from Notchview, and 30 minutes from Northampton, Pittsfield, and MassMoCa. Check out the first-floor apartment or search Deer Hill House on Airbnb.

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Class Directory
Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA.

Preschool Directory
Find what you’re looking for in our 2020/2021 Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA
List of Weekly Suggested Events
SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021
ART STUDIES. 9am. Painting with Scissors
ORNITHOLOGY. 10am. Winter Birds
ORNITHOLOGY. 10am. Songbirds in Winter
ART STUDIES. 10:30am-12:30pm. Drawing & Sketching Birds
ORNITHOLOGY. 7-9pm. Owl Prowls with Hitchcock Center for the Environment
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
Self-Directed Learning:
NATURE JOURNALING
ART STUDIES
SAT., JAN 23 @ 10:30am-12:30pm
Drawing and Sketching Birds
Self-Directed Learning:
ARTS & CRAFTS
13th Annual
Handmade Valentine Swap
(Deadline to sign-up: Feb 29)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2021
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. 8am. Winter Nature Walk at Quabbin
U.S. HISTORY. 2pm. Histories of American Protest and Activism
COOKING. 3pm. Cook-Along
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
MUSEUM ADVENTURES: “How People Make Things” at the Springfield Science Museum
Self-Directed Learning:
SOCIAL ACTIVISM
U.S. HISTORY
SUN., JAN. 24 @ 2pm
Histories of American Protest and Activism
Self-Directed Learning:
LANGUAGE ARTS
13th Annual
Handmade Valentine Swap
(Deadline to sign-up: Feb 29)
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. 10am. Winter Walk at Arcadia
PreK. 10am. Virtual Create and Play with Miss Renee
PreK. 10:30am. Sing With Your Little Ones with Wendy & Anna Plummer
ENGINEERING. 10:30am. Engineering Earthquake Resistant Buildings
PreK LITERACY. 11am. Virtual Storytime with Hubbard Memorial Library
PreK. 11am. Mindful Movement
EDUCATION. 4pm. Homeschooling Your Unique Child
PreK LITERACY. 5pm. Virtual Storytime with Ware Library
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
Self-Directed Learning:
ARTS & CRAFTS
13th Annual
Handmade Valentine Swap
(Deadline to sign-up: Feb 29)
Self-Directed Learning:
EARTHQUAKES
ENGINEERING
MON., JAN. 25 @ 10:30am
Engineering Earthquake Resistant Buildings
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
PreK LITERACY 10am. Virtual Story Hour with Greenfield Public Library (Email for Zoom link) librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org
ART STUDIES. 3pm. Botanical Drawing & Painting
STEM. 3:30pm. Make a Bouncy Ball (Age 5-8)
ORNITHOLOGY. 5pm. All About Owls (Virtual)
NATURALIST SKILLS. 6pm. Wildlife Tracking by Moonlight
MARINE BIOLOGY. 6:30pm. Whales
NATIVE AMERICAN. 8pm. Star Stories
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
Self-Directed Learning:
NATURE JOURNALING
ART STUDIES
TUES., JAN. 26 @ 3pm
Botanical Drawing & Painting
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021
PreK LITERACY. 10am. Virtual Story Time with the Montague Library
PreK MUSIC. 10:30am. Virtual Family Jam!
FIBER ARTS. 12noon. Knot Just Knitters: Live at Lunchtime!
HYDROPOWER. 12pm. Do rivers need water & fish need elevators?
SOCIAL STUDIES. 1pm. The Colonialism-Depression Link
ZOOLOGY. 2pm. The Wild Lives of Opossums
PERFORMANCE ART. 4pm. Teen Multi-Media & Performance Art Lab
PreK LITERACY. 4pm. Cushman Library Story Hour with the Cushman Library
MUSIC HISTORY. 7pm. The Revolutionary History of Blues, Soul, and Funk
TEENS. 7pm. Life Skills Teens Need To Know
ORNITHOLOGY. 7pm. Waterfowl of the Atlantic Flyway
ORNITHOLOGY. 7pm. Looking for Owls
QUANTUM PHYSICS. 7pm. The Multiverse: Is Our Universe One of Many?
MUSIC STUDIES. 7-8:30pm. “What is a Chickasaw Classical Composer?”
ANIMAL STUDIES. 7:30pm. Neighborhood Naturalists: Overwintering Strategies
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
Self-Directed Learning:
QUANTUM PHYSICS
QUANTUM PHYSICS
WED., JAN. 27 @ 7pm
The Multiverse: Is Our Universe One of Many?
Self-Directed Learning:
MUSIC HISTORY
MUSIC HISTORY
WED., JAN. 27 @ 7pm
History of Blues, Soul, and Funk
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2021
PreK MUSIC. 9:30am. Let’s Make Music
PreK DEVELOPMENT. 9:30am. Virtual Grow Play & Learn Weekly Group with Hubbard Memorial Library
PreK LITERACY. 10:30am. Lenox Library Outside Story Time
EDUCATION. 12pm. Virtual Lunch with The Bement School
EDUCATION. 4pm. K-8 Virtual Info Session with Oak Meadow
MARTIN LUTHER KING. 4:30pm. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
ART STUDIES. 6pm.Collage Club
ANIMAL STUDIES. 6:30pm. Dogs
HISTORY. 6:30pm. Connecticut and the Pandemic of 1918
COOKING. 7pm.Cooking Demo: Vegetarian Asian Coleslaw
ORNITHOLOGY. 7pm. Ospreys
ENTOMOLOGY. 7pm. Signs of Insects in Winter
ART STUDIES. 7pm. Introduction to Watercolor Techniques
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021
PreK LITERACY. 10am. Virtual Story Hour with Greenfield Public Library (Email for Zoom link) librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org
PreK LITERACY. 10:30am. Lenox Library Facebook Live Story Time
DENDROLOGY. 1pm. Winter Tree Identification
AQUATIC SCIENCE. 6:30pm. Animal Adaptations
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS: Easthampton Winterfest
Self-Directed Learning:
ARTS & CRAFTS
13th Annual
Handmade Valentine Swap
(Deadline to sign-up: Feb 29)
Online and in-person events and resources shared above are done so as a courtesy and not as an endorsement. While we do our best to share accurate and up-to-date information, please take the time to confirm information, age appropriateness, registration requirements, safety protocols, and associated costs.
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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.