This week at Camp: Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back.
Camp Mansfield is located on two acres in the occupied Lenni-Lenape territory, presently known as New Jersey. This week we will read 'Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back' - a collection of stories from the indigenous ancestors of this land to introduce us to the American Indian ethnobotanical traditions and tales. We will explore practices that create a kinship between people and plants, learn to braid sweetgrass and observe native plants that American Indians have used for centuries to heal and craft with.
This week's itinerary was nearly complete last night but by the time I had a moment of quiet, free time to sit down at the computer to send it out, I had zero brain power left. This past Saturday we hosted my daughter’s first birthday and then my best girl friends and their kids stayed the night. It was so much fun but it takes me longer to recover than it used to. So yesterday we had a reallllllly slow day restoring the house back to order and we started collecting books and materials for camp. We read a story from Native Plant Stories by Joseph Burchac and picked out crafts for Wednesday from the Earth Child’s Handbook by Brigid Ashwood.
Earlier this year, a friend recommended a lecture hosted at Princeton University, where one of my favorite authors was speaking and my husband and I were fortunate enough to attend in person. The lecture was led by Robin Wall Kimmerer; a mother, scientist, decorated professor and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and she went on to discuss the honorable harvest. Her message moved me to tears and it felt like such a privilege to be in her presence. The lecture delved into indigenous practices and knowledge for sustainability - this week’s theme is inspired by Robin and is one I am particularly passionate about. Check out the itinerary below!
itinerary
- Arrival + CIRCLE TIME 9-9:30am // Verses, songs and movement games in the backyard. Since it will be so hot, I'll have a big pitcher of refreshing still water infused with lemon balm and mint for everyone to sip on throughout the day.
- MORNING FREE PLAY 9:30-10:30am // We will have blankets spread out in the grass, building blocks, books and a curated morning basket. We can tour the gardens to find sweetgrass and try to braid some for drying.
- STORY TIME 10:30am // “In Native American legend, the thirteen scales on Old Turtle’s back hold the key to the thirteen cycles of the moon and the changing seasons. The lyrical poems and striking paintings [from Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back] celebrate the wonder of the seasons, from the Northern Cheyenne’s Moon of the Popping Trees to the Big Moon of the Abenaki.” We'll read through one or two of the stories and have a fun snack! With green apples and green grapes we'll make cutie turtles that we can crunch and munch.
- SEMI-GUIDED ACTIVITY 10:30-11:30am // Magic Moon Window Clings from the Earth Child's Handbook.
(This was SUCH a fun craft, as an adult I really enjoyed this one. We stuck them to the glass of our front door and adapted the craft to make all the phases of the moon!)
- FREE PLAY + LUNCH PREP 11:30am // Wander and mingle until lunch is served. Help with lunch, continue crafting or do your own thing. Browse the morning basket for activities and books.
- LUNCH 12:30pm // Three Sisters Stew will be made from locally sourced ingredients and served alfresco. We will follow a recipe from Chickasaw.net
- QUIET TIME 1-3pm // Naps for littles. Older children to assist in afternoon reset and set-up art table. Child-led art to last until about 4pm.
- ART until 4pm // Child-led art. During this time, art supplies will be provided for undirected creating. Kids will be free to cut, color, paste, pipe, calligraph, paint and play to their hearts content. For many people, when they think of art, they think of a finished product, such as a museum painting or a sculpture. But art is also a process, and when working with young children, art experiences should focus on the process rather than the finished product.
- SNACK 4pm // Local blueberries! We will snack on fresh, local berries while we mix up a corn, blueberry and wild rice salad. The recipe is from Firstnations.org and it will need to marinate overnight so everyone can take home a portion to enjoy on Thursday.
-AFTERNOON FREE PLAY + Departure until 5pm // After snack we will tidy up and play freely until departure.
As mentioned last week, take what works for you and leave the rest. Adapt this schedule as you see fit and most importantly, HAVE FUN with your kids!