North Shield
Here is an example of a 2 ½ day wilderness awareness and living course I designed and taught for a high school outdoor semester program last winter (Dec, 06’). The program was taught at an established camp inside Algonquin Park. There were 16 kids in grade 11 and 12. This will give you an example of how I use the 8 directions to facilitate the natural flow of my programs.
Day |
NE 7 am – 8 am |
East 8 am – 10 am |
SE 10 am – 12 pm |
South 12 pm – 4 pm |
1 |
Meeting and getting to the students a little bit through casual conversation |
A short test to challenge the student’s perception of what they really know about the woods and how much more there is to know, and how exciting it can be. |
The students were so into the test that we decided to continue for a while longer
My Story A brief overview of who I am, my background, and some of my ideas for the next 2 day |
Lunch
Fire Staring Did short demo then Created 3 stations - bow drill fire starting - Hand drill fire starting - Flint and steel and creating good tinder bundles |
2 |
Optional Morning Sit Spot 45 min – 1 hour |
Hike & Sense Meditation Went for walk up onto a valley ridge in the woods. Here I led the group through a meditation exercise to help them improve their senses and tune into the sounds, smells, feeling, and sights of the forest |
Talked about wild foods
Primitive Cooking The group split in two each having there own fire. Each group made a birch bark wok/steamer to cook a vegetable stir fry and learned to boil water in a birch bark container. |
Lunch
Wildlife Tracking After a short lecture, some games and exercises we headed into the forest to learn more about reading an animals behaviour pattern by its tracks.
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3
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Optional Morning Sit Spot 45 min – 1 hour |
Shelter building Went on short walk and discussed good locations and strategies for shelter building
Silent Walking Did exercises in walking silently and becoming more aware. |
Story of the vision Quest I told stories of my vision quest, rites of passages, and learning experiences alone in nature.
Individual Preparation Participants prepared for their overnight solo experience. |
Overnight Solo Students headed out on their own into the woods for an overnight solo campout with only a sleeping bag, tarp, material for a small fire, and a little bit of food. |
Day |
SW 4 pm – 6 pm |
West 6 pm – 7 pm |
NW 7 pm – 9 pm |
North 9 pm – Bed |
1 |
45 minute sit spot Each participant found a spot in the woods that they would continue to go to for solo observation time. Each day I would teach new exercises to help enrich this experience and their senses |
Dinner Time We ate fairly standard camp food for meals. Each meal we would make a pot of wild crafted tea harvested from near by the camp. |
Evening Reflection Sat in a circle and everybody got a chance to talk of lessons of the day and their sit spot experience.
Free Time around Camp Fire |
Stories and Free Time around Camp Fire |
2 |
Optional Afternoon Sit Spot 1 hour
Gathered as a group to talk about the ecology and awareness test from the first day and lessons/ experiences from our sit spots. |
Dinner Time and storytelling |
Primitive Bush Craft Students could start one of several projects or have free time. Projects included: - making cordage (rope) - Burning wooden bowls - Masking primitive traps - birch bark sun goggles |
Wolf Howl out on lake
Stories and free time around camp fire
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While working as a canoe interpreter for the Boy Scouts of America, we would get dropped off by float plane in a remote wilderness area in central Manitoba. Trip duration was between 6 and 10 days. I came up with a very basic and flexible program outline to apply to all trips. The objective of my outline was to make sure I got in all the teachings I wished to bring, yet left a very open schedule so I could work with the interests and skill level of the different groups. I once again plugged my ideas into the eight direction mentoring system I use and was amazed how smoothly the trips ran and how much the up and coming adults got out of the program. Participant ages ranged from 13 – 20, and skills and awareness ranged from next to none, to being quite proficient and aware of their surroundings.
Day & Times |
1 NE & East |
2 SE |
3 South |
4 SW & West |
5 NW |
6 North |
Days Learning Theme
Mourning (NE,E,SE)
Afternoon (S,SW)
Evening (W,NW,N) |
-Arriving in wilderness -Hazards -Learning about groups abilities
Plane drops us off
Group sits in silence and takes in the sounds and sites of nature
Talk on hazards in the wilderness
Start paddling to first days destination
The first day I usually don’t teach too much, I like to let the kids figure out their own strengths and weaknesses while I observe
Group reflection on the day, I ask group what they want out of the trip and what I can help with |
-Coaching and basic skill improvement
Talk about problems/weaknesses and strengths of yesterdays travel
Head out towards day two destination
While paddling work on improving paddling strokes and canoe handling
Go for swim
Afternoon rest in moss on side of river
Talk about more efficient camp protocol
Introductory talk on navigation, map reading, and compass work followed by exercises
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-Down to business -Refining skills to become more efficient
Head straight into the water and start paddling
Group begins active role in navigation
Work on quicker more efficient portaging
Flipped canoe rescue scenario
Tell stories and talk about local ecology and history while paddling
Try to cover lots of distance as efficiently as possible and continue to refine skills
First aid scenario: Hypothermia victim
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-Reflection on trips lessons - Celebration, rest and play
Sleep in
Take day off from paddling and stay at same camp
Learn about local plants and trees; Harvest wild tea
Practice bush skills related to groups interests. Possible Topics: See south shield
Free time and swimming
Fishing and learning to fillet fish
Fish fry for dinner with wild edibles
Story telling and Thanksgiving Circle
Night paddle
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-Advanced skill and ecological learning -strong emphasis on participant leadership
Back into the water for another day of paddling where group does all navigation
Today is all about going with the flow of the day and the groups interests
Canoe races, Water fights, Afternoon hike into the woods,
More talk on ecology and history
Group reflection on lessons of trip
Star Gazing and astronomy
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-Leaving the wilderness -Integrating the trips lessons
Paddle back to pick up point
Another moment of silence
Fly back to camp
Clean and put away gear
Prepare skits and songs for evening campfire
Play sports, soccer, football
Sleep
Campfire, skits, songs, stories and closing ceremonies
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