Programs and Classes

Ecology Field Studies for Schools. Educators seeking a supplement to existing curriculum may choose from a broad range of class topics and activities aligned with Michigan Benchmarks. The following outdoor studies give participants access to new ideas and experiences, which increase their ability to understand and appreciate their community and the natural world.  Please call the school at 667-8970 and ask for Peter to create a program that fits your curriculum needs.  Hold cursor over picture for caption.

 

 

Great Lakes Native American Culture. Our living history programs strive to offer historically accurate experiences which reflect deep respect and appreciation for traditional Indian life.

  • Cordage.  Plant fiber from a variety of local plants including milkweed, stinging nettle, dogbane, and basswood are used to make cord.
  • Atl-atl (spearthrower) The cultural history, construction, and physics of the atl-atl are covered in this introductory course which includes target practice on an atl-atl range.
  • Bow drill fires. Fire by friction can be accomplished as an individual or in teams using local materials.   
  • Oral storytelling. Native stories can be included in campfire programs or in wigwam introduction. 
  • Architecture. Participate in the construction of wigwam, portable conical house, or mississippian era house.  Seasonal.
  • Lacrosse and other games. Enjoy lacrosse with great lakes white ash replicas and the modern version.   
  • Native agriculture.  Using a variety of stone and bone tools, participants experience the three sisters(corn, beans, squash) garden and the early woodland garden.  Seasonal.
  • Copper culture. Great Lakes Indians have a 5000 year history with copper from the upper penninsula.  Students see examples of a wide variety of Michigan artifacts and make their own historically accurate tubular beads.

3 person team works the bow drill   Atl-atl (the spearthrower)  Removing Hair from Deer Hide

 

Pioneer America. Explore the hard work and ingenuity of early American life.

  • Simple Machines.  Use a variety of hand tools to make a bench and experience other human powered innovations that make work easier.
  • Flint and Steel Fires.  Use flint, steel, charcloth and plant fiber to master firebuilding skills necessary for light, warmth and cooking.
  • Blacksmithing.  Students will use a variety of basic blacksmithing skills to make their own hook.

Homemade hooks, strike it while its hot!          Using drawknives and shavhorses to make stool legs       Hewing a log with a toe adze and maul

 

Water.  What is your relationship with water?

  • Canoe Trips.  Thanks to a partnership between the Flint River Watershed Coalition Lapeer Group, the Lapeer Rotary, the DNR, and numerous landowners, you can canoe for 10 hours on Farmers Creek and the South Branch of the Flint River.  You will be shocked at the quality of local canoe trips which can be custom fit for your group.  Canoe trips for students are sponsored by the Flint River Valley Chapter of the Michigan Steelheaders.  www.flintsteelheaders.com
  • Wetland Ecology.  Sampling the biological community (bioassessment) is a great way to understand water quality.  Use tools like dipnets and fieldscopes to observe and classify local organisms.
  • Local Watersheds.  Hike to nearby Farmers creek to experience the beauty of the Flint River Watershed. Follow water from our backyard to the sea and learn about best management practices, habitat restoration and grassroots water activism.

Morning Mist On Skinner Lake     Flint River Canoeing   Ice fishing

Local Food Systems

  • Wild Edible Plants.  Forage for a variety of delicious local edible plants.  Try our acorn pancakes and pine needle tea.
  • Earthen Oven Homemade Pizza.  Homemade whole wheat crust and local indgredients cooked in a mud oven.
  • Big Pine Garden and Orchard.  Learn about crop rotation, mulching, cover crops, compost, extended seasons, the chicken tractor and other organic garden concepts while working and eating together.
  • Ice cream. Using only natural indgredients make homemade ice cream with a hand cranked machine.
  • Apple Cider.  Make fresh delicious cider with local apples using a human powered grinder and press.

Making fresh apple cider with local apples      Homemade, locally grown, whole wheat crust pizza with cattail and spinach, inside the mud oven  Spring garden bed preparation

 

Wildlife biology

  • Habitat restoration
  • Predator/prey game
  • Bluebird and wood duck houses
  • Invasive species
  • Animal behavior and adaptation
  • Aquatic communities
  • Council of all beings

 

Lifeskills

  • Teambuilding and low ropes initiatives
  • Community service projects

Community Programs

In addition to ecology field studies for schools, the Willows offers numerous programs for the Lapeer community.

  • Native Arts Festival.  A celebration of American Indian culture with interactive demonstrations and displays featuring Native presenters, technology, architecture, music, and food. Three day festival on school grounds, two days during the week for school groups and Saturday for families.
  • Summer Ecology Camp.  Multidisciplinary, hands-on, day camp during summer vacation.
  • Camp Ekota.  One day theme based camp programs in art, music, drama, science, math, creative writing, and physical education.
  • Watershed Programs.  Canoe trips for families and community groups. Partnering with the Flint River Watershed Coalition on river cleanup events.
  • Wild Lapeer, A celebration of Earth Day.  A partnership with many local non-profits to plan, sponsor, and provide programming for a free public festival downtown Lapeer. www.wildlapeer.com
  • Davis Brothers Farmfest.  A partnership with the Lapeer County Historical Society to plan, sponsor, and provide programming for a free public festival celebrating Lapeer's farm history at the Davis Brothers Farmshop Museum.
  • Lapeer Celebrates the Arts.  A partnership with the Sunrise Kiwanis to sponsor, and provide programming for a free public art festival in downtown Lapeer.