Wild Earth Homeschool Program

Wild Earth Homeschool Program

A truly inspirational setting where farm and wilderness meet, the Wild Earth Homeschool Program provides a unique and deeply connective experience for 5-11 year olds. Skilled mentors offer students direct experience of caring for the land and animals of the farm, while learning a mix of wilderness living skills that will strengthen their relationship with themselves, each other, and the natural world.

Compassionate, knowledgeable and creative role-models will use a mix of games, storytelling, exploration and play to expand each child’s awareness of their surroundings, their interests and their ability to create a better world.

Curriculum areas include:

– Place Based Nature Connection

– Wilderness Living Skills

– Stewardship

– Community Building

– Farm and Garden Education

Wild Earth and Phillies Bridge Farm and Wilderness Program Curriculum Includes:

Woods Adventuring and Wilderness Skills:

• Naturalist Skills: basic identification skills, experiential field ecology, using field guides as a resource.
• Shelter: understanding and building debris huts, lean-tos, and other shelter options.
• Fire: primitive bow-drill and hand-drill, fire safety, fire tending will be demonstrated and taught.
• Water: finding potable water, purifying, etc.
• Wandering and Aidless Navigational Skills: lost proofing, directional awareness, song lining, map reading
• Nature Games: a variety of energetic and intuitive games that inspire learning in embodied ways.
• Natural Crafts: basket weaving, natural teas, wooden spoons, burn bowls, natural paints, natural dyes, nature journaling.

Camp Craft:

• Tarp Setup and maintenance, primitive shelter building
• Knife safety training and basic carving
• Fire safety and fire tending
• Rope maintenance, knots, etc.
• Outdoor cooking skills and appreciation

Forest Etiquette:

• Woods Safety: Identifying and dealing with hazards
• Owl Eyes, Fox Walking: Opening the Senses, connecting with the body
• The Honoring Routine: Building relationships with the animals
• Scout Communications: Communicating to each other without words
• Quiet Mind: Practicing stillness to build deeper relationship
• Leave a positive trace: Leaving no trace and leave spaces more beautiful
• Gratitude: Cultivating gratitude and gift-giving
• Bird Language: Know what is happening in the forest by listening and interpreting bird song

Connection to Food, Farm & Garden:

• Harvest and enjoy uber-fresh seasonal farm snacks
• Bake pizza with ingredients harvested on the farm in the Phillies Bridge Cob Oven
• Hang out and care for 7 month old goats
• Learn to take care of chickens
• Garden in the Phillies Bridge education and discovery gardens
• Hands on experience growing and cultivating food, herbs and flowers