Ancestral Skills

Tuesdays 2:00-3:25 pm / Ms. Aila

(Grades 4-8)*

Students explore traditional technologies and crafts through hands-on projects that build confidence and connection with the natural world. Throughout the course, students learn core earth skills such as firemaking, shelterbuilding, toolcrafting, and natural fiber work using locally sourced materials. Projects may include making antler or avocado-pit buttons, dyeing fabric with plants like avocado, onion, or turmeric, wet-felting a small bag, soapmaking, bowdrill firemaking, and weaving baskets with willow. Additional nature-based projects may use materials like acorns or cattails. Through creative projects and nature exploration, students develop ecological awareness, resourcefulness, and growing self-reliance.

Lab Time: Due to the time and materials required for this class, we’ve included a 30-minute lab that extends the class end time from 2:55 to 3:25 PM. We are asking a $50 materials fee per student for this class, but the additional 30 minutes of supervised lab time will be included at no cost.

*Requires $50 materials fee. Ancestral Skills is open only to 4th Grade students and older, unless prior approval has been given.