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Earth Arts Summer Schedule 2011

Celebrating Six Mile Creek, Ithaca’s Green Backyard 
    

The Six Mile Creek Natural Area is comprised of forests, meadows, riparian wetlands, streams, gorges, and flowing water. We‘re fortunate to have this beautiful natural watershed adjoining Ithaca. The area is home to diverse species of trees, plants, animals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Earth Arts 2011 summer programs focus on building relationships with these habitats, our wild neighbors, their migration corridors, and the gift of water traversing through our backyard. Each week we’ll discover something new about these ecosystems, who lives here, what we have to learn from them, our connections, and how we can take care of the land. Come join us at our Six Mile Creek tributary location as we explore and appreciate our green backyard!

Little Deer  June 27-July 1, Ages 5-9      

Younger children will have fun exploring the woods and meadows through awareness games, discovery walks, and observation of animal, bird, and plant habitats and activities. They’ll learn safe navigational practices and discover aquatic stream communities, how to monitor the water, use earth materials to create tools, pottery, a forest garden and village with respect for present and future generations.

Wandering Coyotes  July 4-8, Ages 10-17

Join us this week if you like adventure, hiking, and exploring.  We’ll set out for 6 Mile Creek destinations each day from woodlands to meadows, and from streams, vernal pools, to gorge trails. We’ll increase our knowledge of this unique place through wandering, awareness games, scout missions, scavenger hunts, with team challenges and adventures. We’ll identify trees, plants, animal tracks, become invisible as the deer, move through new territory each day, then settle in for the afternoon to work on crafts and projects of choice. We’ll forage and prepare wild edible food in our village, hear stories, and give thanks for this place we call home.

Bear Cubs  July 11-15, Ages 5-9            

Younger children will get to know the mammals of Six Mile Creek this week with fun trail walks, observation, tracking, games, and stories.  Animals teach us valuable life skills through their behavior, family relationships, and survival techniques.  We’ll follow animal trails, play animal mime games, hear animal stories, create plays, clay sculptures, and masks celebrating the animals that live in our neighborhood.

Edible and Medicinal Plants- Fundamentals of Foraging, Preparing, and Enjoyment of Plants  July 18-22, Ages 8-17

This week we’ll learn about local plants, their life cycles, how to harvest them respectfully, and create delicious wild edible dishes. We’ll develop relationships to favorite and new plants, increase our awareness of plant gifts, and their habitats. Some of our activities include making lip balms, soaps, berry smoothies, edible feasts, and woven crafts and musical instruments from plants. We’ll include woodland games, favorite naturalist practices, create plant journals, stories, and have fun in the woods.

Six Mile Creek Through the Eyes of the Artist   July 25-29, ages 8-17

What happens when we spend time in the woods, observing, exploring, running, sitting, with all our senses open? This week is designed for students who appreciate the beauty of Six Mile Creek, its daily changing stories, and like to create through the arts.  We’ll practice keen observation and naturalists’ skills, research bird and animal sightings, play games, enjoy our days wandering, and express our journey through choices of watercolor, drawing, sculpture, creative writing, song, theater, and digital photography. On the last day we’ll celebrate the week with artistic presentations.

At Home in the  Woods  August 1-5, Ages 10-17 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be truly at home in the woods, to provide for all your needs with what nature has to offer? Come learn how to not only survive but also thrive in the wilderness this summer. This week we’ll learn more about shelter building, fire making, rope making, how to create create stone and bone tools, a bow and arrow, how to identify plants and trees, track animals, and much more. In addition to these skills we’ll explore, play fun games, develop leadership skills through team building and work together to create a fulfilling experience for everyone.

Women of the Forest   August 8-12, Ages 9-17

This week we'll turn to nature to help us know ourselves better, as we challenge ourselves, practice ancient survival skills, and ways of caring for ourselves. The daily rhythms of the forest will guide and inspire our community. Each day we'll gather together as women and girls, share games, stories, song, and gratitude for the meadows and woods. In return we'll receive teachings from the birds, animals, trees, plants, all of nature, as well as wise women from many cultures. Friction fire challenges, wild edibles preparation, and the creation of crafts both practical and beautiful will be among our activities. Join us for a week of exploration, discovery, games, and creativity.

Clay Traditions for Woodland Potters   August 15-19, Ages 8-17

Enrollment is full, Wait list is available.

This week we’ll make our own clay tools, dig and process clay, create functional and sculptural pieces, and fire them in pit firings, sawdust firings, and contemporary kiln firings.  We’ll look at native woodland potter’s work and design our own vessels, set of dishes, refrigeration containers to keep water cool without electricity, carve cooking and eating utensils, and create adobe sculptures for installation at Earth Arts, woodland trails, and Tutelo Park. We’ll set up camp in the cool woods, play games, hear cultural stories, and enjoy the many gifts of clay this week. There is a $10. materials/firing fee for the week.

For more information or to register please go to our website:  
http://www.earthartsithaca.org