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From museums to bookstores, landmarks to landscapes, western Massachusetts is rich with resources for exploring the world of children’s literature and picture book illustration. Drawing inspiration from the pages of a favorite picture book, families can embark on place-based studies of children’s literature, local history, and the local landscape.
18 Story Books on Weather for Kids There’s a riotous energy this time of year: the mad leafing out of plants and trees, crazy bird song at dawn, unruly swarms of biting insects, the palpable freedom of school letting out for summer, and wild weather that can change from snow squalls to thunderstorms within hours. Those first spring storms are greeted with a mixture of excitement and nervousness in our home. Thunder… Read More
The winter solstice is an introspective celebration for reconnecting with nature and community. As we begin to stay indoors more and spend time with families and friends, the winter season is an opportunity to disconnect from technology and reconnect with neighbors and family. Storytelling fosters this connection through intergenerational dialogue and shared experiences.
Thanksgiving is a national holiday that ties us back nearly 400 years to a time when the Wampanoag Indians were vital in helping the Pilgrims survive their new world. This year along with your harvest feast, go ahead and have a slice of history too! Here are four non-fiction books that give interesting perspectives about our national holiday, dispelling some of the more romantic myths and introducing some fascinating facts…
Hilltown Families and Mass Appeal (a weekday, hour-long lifestyle program on NBC) have teamed up to offer a live monthly segment on WWLP 22News! Each month, Hilltown Families’ Founder & Executive Director, Sienna Wildfield, joins Mass Appeal hosts to talk about ways to engage in your community while supporting the interests and education of your children (and yourselves!).
This monthly segment continued on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. This month Sienna and Seth talked about ways to engage in our community in the late fall. Reviewing the newest edition of Learning Ahead, Seth and Sienna talk about learning through the lens of the food, habitat and culture found in the Nov/Dec issue of Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western MA:
Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western Massachusetts is a bimonthly publication produced by Hilltown Families that sheds light on embedded learning opportunities found in cultural resources that exist within the geography, history, and cultural traditions of Western Massachusetts.
With these downloadable seasonal itineraries, self-directed teens, lifelong learners, and families are encouraged to engage together in cultural opportunities that support similar interests, resulting in a shared history, strengthening sense of place.
Looking through a seasonal lens, our Cultural Itinerary for Western Massachusetts for November and December includes…
American writer, Washington Irving’s story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, doesn’t take place in Massachusetts, but it does show how the idea of a legend or passed down history is often used as a way to tell the story of a haunting.
Hilltown Families on Mass Appeal: Foliage, Pumpkins & Hauntings Hilltown Families and Mass Appeal (a weekday, hour-long lifestyle program on NBC) have teamed up to offer a live monthly segment on WWLP 22News! Each month, Hilltown Families’ Founder & Executive Director, Sienna Wildfield, joins Mass Appeal hosts to talk about ways to engage in your community while supporting the interests and education of your children (and yourselves!). This monthly segment continued on… Read More
In this video by Kylee Reschke, five Fireside Poets from the 19th century are introduced. Discover why they are called the Fireside Poets (also known as the Schoolroom Poets) and why they are relevant today.
Hilltown Families and Mass Appeal (a weekday, hour-long lifestyle program on NBC) have teamed up to offer a live monthly segment on WWLP 22News! Each month, Hilltown Families’ Founder & Executive Director, Sienna Wildfield, joins Mass Appeal hosts to talk about ways to engage in your community while supporting the interests and education of your children (and yourselves!).
This monthly segment continued on Monday, August 29, 2016. This month Sienna and Lauren talked about agricultural fairs, fall festivals, one room schoolhouses and apples featured in the debut of “Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western MA.”
Who am I? Where am I? These are the fundamental questions proposed by the humanities. Inquiries related to local history, literature, and education, inspire us to think deeply about the places where we live and how our identity fits into the context of our community and the seasons.
Funded in part by Mass Humanities, Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western Massachusetts is a NEW bimonthly publication produced by Hilltown Families that sheds light on embedded learning opportunities found in cultural resources that exist within the geography, history, and cultural traditions of Western Massachusetts.
By emphasizing place-based exploration through humanities inquiry, these cultural itineraries connect residents of all ages to their place, helping to shape a more comprehensive understanding of our cultural identity, heritage, and history. This contributes to establishing meaningful relationships between young people and elders, and more active citizens.
With these FREE downloadable seasonal itineraries, self-directed teens, lifelong learners, and families are encouraged to engage together in cultural opportunities that support similar interests, resulting in a shared history and a strengthened sense of place. Click through to download a free 38-page PDF!
From now until Oct. 11, Williams College’s Chapin Library will host an exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare: “‘While Thy Booke Doth Live’: Shakespeare and His World.”
From museums to bookstores, landmarks to landscapes, western Massachusetts is rich with resources for exploring the world of children’s literature and picture book illustration. Drawing inspiration from the pages of a favorite picture book, families can embark on place-based studies of children’s literature, local history, and the local landscape.
Speaking to teenagers’ desire for freedom, The Homeschool Liberation League chronicles a young teen’s quest for educational independence. Teaching readers about nontraditional education and the importance of relying on friends, family, and community when engaging in self-directed studies, the story promotes self confidence and educational independence in teens.
Western Massachusetts is a treasure trove for community-based studies of literature and literary history! Including historic homes, local landmarks, beautiful trails, and more! Here in the western half of the state, community-based educational resources for explore American literary history are plentiful.
In this month’s Open Sesame, Cheli shares two new novels – a middle grader and a young adult – which use multiple perspectives to show there’s more than one side to a story.
Cheli presents four new picture books teeming with night animals in this month’s Open Sesame. Great summer bedtime stories celebrating animals and literacy!
In this month’s Open Sesame, find four new books that revel in summer delights – think ice cream and swimming, circus and stars!
It’s almost officially summer! The perfect time to get away with a great book. Whether relaxing at the beach or the park, chilling in a tent or a hammock, traveling by car or plane, or even standing in line at the amusement park, here are a dozen quick picks for middle graders, all with the common thread of taking place during summer. These books are so good, some of you grown-ups may enjoy reading them as well
April is National Poetry Month, and Cheli has a treat in store for kids with a Spring-ful selection of recommended book- very appropriate for budding young bards!
Celebrate all things local and book-related at the first annual Easthampton BookFest! Created by Easthampton City Arts+, and supported by countless literary folks from the community, the event is chock-full of book- and story-themed events that encourage learning and creativity. This is an opportunity that is not to be missed!
This month in “Open Sesame: Kid Lit Musings & Reviews,” Cheli featured three new picture books for Women in History month!
In celebration of Black History, Hilltown Families contributing writer, Cheli Mennella has 10 wondering recommendations on books that celebrate this month in “Open Sesame: Kid Lit Musings & Reviews,” featuring stories of bravery, heroism, pursuit of justice and so much more…and each one beautifully illustrated.
This month in “Open Sesame: Kid Lit Musings & Reviews,” Cheli shares seven picture books that celebrate winter’s whimsy, featuring stories with snowmen in the leading role!
The winter months are a great opportunity for kids to cozy up on the couch and read on a wintery day. This month in “Open Sesame: Kid Lit Musings & Reviews,” Cheli provides a fantastic roadmap to some enriching and diverse reading experiences, with a rich list of book recommendations. Read on to see what your kids might enjoy reading this winter…
Eight picture books capture the adventures of some canny turkeys plotting to avoid the center of the Thanksgiving table! This diverse collection brings your children into the zany world of crazy turkey-led plots and adventures. A nice twist for Thankgiving!
Some books flourish, aided by a strong main character- and they don’t come stronger than the eccentric and smooth Skink in Carl Hiaasen’s new teen novel “Skink – No Surrender.” It’s an all-action, swampy and engrossing read…but yet written with a smooth hand, like the main character himself. Is it for you? Read on and see…
“Just look to the trees, the lure of leaves, where autumn’s paintbox hangs on every deciduous limb.” It sounds beautiful and that is fall in Western Mass. Such visual exquisiteness is universally loved. It makes sense that the season should stimulate some excellent picture books. It also stimulates a great community pride in seeing fall so lavishly captured, while being surrounded by the wonderful Western Mass landscape. Read on for some great selection of picture books from Hilltown Families contributing writer, Cheli Mennella…you’ll find something for everyone!
The first day of school is a huge leap for many young children. The world of school is different than the world of home. Excitement, anxiety, curiosity, fear, and uncertainty are feelings shared by all petite pioneers as they head into the big, new territory of school. Sometimes a good story is all that’s needed to calm a fear, tickle a nerve, boost confidence, and generate joy.
Here are five new picture books for young adventurers getting ready to explore school for the first time. You’ll find an astronaut, a cat, a panda, monsters, and even a Norse goddess, venturing into the unknown, finding fun, friends, and their own brand of special.
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Cultural Itineraries
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- Season: November & December
