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Nature-Based Learning Through the Lens of Lilacs

Now that we have turned the corner from May to June, notice the changes through your senses. Your senses can tell you what time of the year it is without even looking at a calendar. Just the sound the trees make as their young green leaves tussle together in the treetops when it’s breezy before a rainstorm is enough to signal the time of year. The next time there’s a wind, notice the sound of the trees. How does the sound differ from the winter months when the leaves are on the ground, or in the autumn when they are crisp and turning colors? Layer upon this dance between wind and leaves the changing soundscape of the birds, insects, and frogs, and you can observe what time of the year it is merely through sound. Invite your sense of smell to the table and the conversation deepens, accessing memories through the scent of blossoms, dirt, and summer rains.

Category: Curly Willow on the Westfield River, mindfulness, Nature Based Education, Sienna Wildfield Tags: edible flowers, Lilac, Nature Based Learning, Observations, Sense of Place, Soundscape

Nature-Based Learning: Learning through the Lens of the Wild Orchid

The number Pink Lady’s Slipper orchids (sp. Cypripedium acaule) popping up in the NE woodlands this season is amazing! This plant can live up to 25+ years but not produce its first bloom for nearly a decade! So, if we’re seeing a ton of blossoms this summer, what was going on ten years ago? Let native species lead your learning, and mast bloom steer your inquiry! With the Pink Lady’s Slipper as a point of entry, support an interest in Native American studies, U.S. history, ethnobotany, poetry, ecology, phenology, ecology, endangered plants, and mythology. Read more in our post, Nature-Based Learning: Learning through the Lens of the Wild Orchid.

Category: Curly Willow on the Westfield River, mindfulness, Nature Based Education, Sienna Wildfield Tags: Ethnobotany, Moccasin Flower, Native American Studies, Nature Based Learning, Observations, Pink Lady's Slipper, Sense of Place, Wild Orchid

Nature-Based Learning: Learning through the Lens of Lilac

Category: Curly Willow on the Westfield River, mindfulness, Nature Based Education, Sienna Wildfield Tags: edible flowers, Lilac, Nature Based Learning, Observations, Sense of Place, Soundscape

Nature-Based Learning: Spring Chorus of Frogs & Toads

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.

What do you SEE? Pink azaleas? Purple violets?
What do you SMELL? Lily-of-the-valley? Spring rain?
What do you TASTE? Bitter dandelion leaves? Oniony ramps?
What do you FEEL? The warmth of the sun? A mild breeze?
What do you HEAR? Calls of chipmunks? Twitter of birds?

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.

WHAT DO YOU HEAR? 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. This video demonstrates how their chorus blends and changes over five months (in just 22 seconds!).

Category: Curly Willow on the Westfield River, mindfulness, Nature Based Education, Sienna Wildfield Tags: Amphibians, Frogs, Nature Based Learning, Observations, Sense of Place, Soundscape, Toads

Nature-Based Learning: Lily-of-the-Valley

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…

Category: Curly Willow on the Westfield River, mindfulness, Nature Based Education, Sienna Wildfield Tags: Art History, Botany, flowers, Folklore, Lily-of-the-Valley, Muguet, Nature Based Learning, Observations, Sense of Place, Spring Flowers, World Culture

Nature-Based Learning: Early May Buds & Blossoms

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 to which Einstein hinted by looking 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… Read More