PURPOSE
Our overall course goal states: At the end of the semester, you will walk away with 1) nature connection practices to sustain you in your personal and professional life and 2) the knowledge and skills to engage others in exploring their relationship to nature.
This assignment is intended to help you do exactly that: to bring the science, the song, and the practice of nature connection into your everyday life and into your community. Nurturing an ecological identity is a commitment given there are few cultural supports for embodying interconnectivity with the natural world. We need to create our own nature connected communities.
TASKS
The time frame for this assignment should be a minimum of six hours including both hosting and participating in an offering.
Partner with 1-3 classmates to plan and host a nature connection experience for your peers. This may include classmates and friends outside the class.
Participate in at least one experience hosted by other classmates and support them in reaching the goals for the activity.
ALTERNATIVE: Not everyone needs to host an activity. Being a participant counts! You may earn full credit by being an active participant in the nature connection experiences facilitated by your peers. You will help make the event engaging and provide feedback on your experience. Make sure to participate in a minimum of six activity hours.
DUE DATES:
By TBD: Those planning to host, will create an inviting description for potential participants (see instructions below) and link it to your entry in the spreadsheet.
By TDB, everyone will sign up for at least one of the other offerings to reach the 6 hour minimum.
The description should answer the following questions:
What are your goals and objectives? (Why should people come? What practice pathways will you activate?)
What can participants expect? How strenuous are the activities?
What do they need to bring? What clothing is needed?
Where will you meet? How long?
How can they reach beforehand with questions and concerns?
Safety considerations:
If you are leading off Grounds:
Always have at least two leaders (one in front and one in the back when walking)
Have a working cellphone
Have a basic first aid kit (if far from help)
Collect emergency contact information
Bring extra water
Bring layers and wear footwear suited to the conditions
Adopt an attitude of “walking the earth softly”
Before Thanksgiving break offer an activity remembering to:
Include a threshold and closing.
Collect feedback. (This may be as simple as asking people to share their experience in the closing circle or a written feedback form with specific questions.)
Take a few pictures to document the activity.
Take notes afterwards to help with your portfolio reflections.
Final Reflection:
In your end-of-semester portfolio, integrate a reflection about your experience planning and facilitating the nature connection experience for your peers.