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Mountain School at Home
Students! Parents! Teachers! Download Mountain School-inspired lessons and activities for students of any age to enjoy at home, in the classroom, on vacation, or anywhere you are! Originally developed to support students and families during the 2020-2021 school closures, these lessons—and the connection to nature they inspire—are timeless!
Lessons to Download
Lesson 1: Sit Spots Sit spots involve taking time to sit in a spot of your choosing in the natural world and getting to know it a little better. This time allows you to use your senses to observe: sight, smell, hearing and touch. This can be done in a backyard, a local park, a balcony, or even just by opening your window and bringing your attention to what’s going on outside. View on blog / Download pdf /en español
Lesson 2: Tree Bud Journal Spring is in the air, and it's the perfect time to investigate one of the most wonderful parts of the year: the leaves returning to our favorite deciduous trees and shrubs! This multi-week activity is perfect for attuning your senses to the changes happening in the natural world—in the wilderness, a neighborhood park, or your own backyard. View on blog / Download PDF /en español
Lesson 3: Nature Art & Writing Art and writing can be wonderful strategies for expressing feelings and processing emotions in a positive manner for both children and adults alike. There is no “right” way to do art or writing and there are so many different styles to explore and we invite you to explore what medium feels natural to you. Here are some ideas to get you started! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 4: Walking with Wonder Soaking in sunshine or trotting in the rain can bring immense amounts of joy that are long lasting. By directing your energy and attention on your walks you can add a little extra oomph and make each walk unique—even if it’s the same path each time! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 5: Tuning In To the Seasons with Phenology Every year, plants, animals, and fungi go through cycles of change. If you have noticed the first flowers in spring, or the last maple leaf fall in autumn, then you have made a phenological observation. By helping you learn to pay close attention, phenology—the study of seasonal change —is a great way to engage in the natural world. View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 6: Mountain School Trail Cookies One of every student’s favorite Mountain School treats is the delicious Trail Cookies included in their sack lunches. They are made from scratch by the amazing kitchen staff at the Environmental Learning Center. Packed with protein and all sorts of chewy, crunchy goodness, Trail Cookies help keep students energized for learning out in nature. View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 7: Adaptations In this lesson, we are going to embody the special adaptations some animals possess in order to help us understand what life would be like if we could see in the dark or hear sounds from further away. These characteristics serve many animals as adaptations that help them survive in the wild. View on blog / Download PDF/ en español
Lesson 8: Making Granola A popular staple of Mountain School breakfastsis our kitchen’s original Mountain School Granola. This delicious, crunchy goodness is hearty enough to power learners of any age through a morning spent in the woods. We’re happy to share the recipe so now you can enjoy it at home! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 9: Learning Bird Calls Identifying birds and their calls can seem a daunting challenge when there are so many different types! Starting small and practicing with common birds near you will help you to experience the world in an entirely new way. Use this lesson to become better acquainted with the feathered inhabitants in your neighborhood! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 10: Make Your Own Treasure Map Practice your map and navigational skills, and enjoy a totally unique adventure outside, by creating your very own treasure map! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 11: Shadow Painting and Poetry Learn how to make a beautiful work of art using the intricate outline of natural object's shadow. And then have fun with poetry while you imagine what would happen if your shadow had a mind of its own! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 12: I Spy Nature As we go about our daily lives, we rely heavily on our vision to tell us what is going on in the world. This lesson will help you get outside and get in touch with all your senses. View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 13: Love Letter to a Douglas Fir The Douglas Fir is a constant companion in Pacific Northwest forests, a sage chaperone, and a place for a curious human to rest their head. It stands tall in the natural history of the North Cascades, and in the heart of Mountain School instructor, Taylor Woolsey. Learn about this essential tree species through poetry and creative reflections. View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 14: Enjoying Field Guides Field guides are an excellent way to take ownership of your own learning. They give us an opportunity to pair names and facts with the colors and creatures we encounter on our adventures in nature. This lesson will help you get the most out of using field guides and shows some creative ideas for even more learning. View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 15: Watersheds in the North Cascades Consisting of hundreds of glistening glaciers, tumbling waterfalls, and rushing creeks, the Skagit River Watershed is the largest in the Puget Sound Basin, providing over 20% of the water flowing into the Sound. Learn about this wondrous feature of the North Cascades in a lesson from original Mountain School curriculum first taught 30 years ago! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 16: Glaciers! What is a glacier? How do they form? There are over 300 glaciers in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex, making the North Cascades the most glaciated area in the United States outside of Alaska. This engaging lesson will help you learn about these natural wonders by watching videos and making your own glacier! View on blog / Download PDF
Lesson 17: Inner & Outer Landscapes Get ready to exercise your creativity and observations skills as we explore external and internal landscapes, how they change over time, and how they can be connected. View on blog / Download PDF / en español
Lesson 18: Water Cycle! In this 5-part lesson, we will explore how water moves around our planet by making observations, conducting an experiment, and creating a story about the water cycle! Download PDF /en español
ACHOTUS Video Series: A Cultural History of the Upper Skagit
Mountain School instructors Jillian Ross, Imara White, Alexa Brandt, and Kari Paustian bring you this wonderful reinvention of a traditional Mountain School activity that goes by the acronym "ACHOTUS". As they imagine traveling back in time, students are introduced to historical figures with special relevance to this area, and by doing so, gain a fuller understanding of human interaction with this landscape. It's important to recognize the variety of ways people connect to a place like the Upper Skagit in order to remember that there are other perspectives.
Episode 1: Indigenous Presence
Journey back through TEN THOUSAND YEARS of history with time traveler Alexa to learn about a distant time when the Swinomish, Sauk-Suiattle, Upper Skagit, Nlaka’pamux, and other indigenous communities were already practicing their traditional lifeways in the North Cascades. Visit our blog post for Alexa's recommended extra resources to learn more about Indigenous presence from the Skagit Valley to the Salish Sea.
Episode 2: George Holmes
Travel back in time to 1914 in this second episode in which Alexa meets George Holmes, a gold miner who began life as a slave in Virginia, but found freedom, respect, and fortunes on Ruby Creek in the North Cascades. Watch the video and then hop over to our blog to learn more about George Holmes and mining in the Skagit Valley.
Episode 3: Lucinda Davis
Join time machine pilot Alexa as we head back to 1918 to meet the sharp-shooting homesteader and roadhouse proprietor, Lucinda Davis—an extraordinary woman and inextricable part of the story in the Skagit Valley. Watch the video and then hop over to our blog to learn more about Lucinda Davis and homesteading in this region.
Episode 4: J.D. Ross Buckle up one last time for this final episode in which we meet the visionary businessman James Delmage (J.D.) Ross. Known as the “Father of Seattle City Light,”J.D. set out to tame the Skagit River beginning in 1917. Throughout his long career—which included being appointed by FDR to the Securities & Exchange Commission and becoming the first administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration—J.D. kept returning to the Skagit River. Perhaps more than any other person to pass through the area, J.D. Ross drastically changed the face of the North Cascades. Watch the video and then hop over to our blog to learn more about J.D. Ross, Seattle City Light, and the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project.
More Video Lessons
"Hello, It's Tree" Since we can't sing together around the campfire at Mountain School this spring, we are bringing the sing-along to you at home! This Adele-inspired song about native trees of the North Cascades was written, sung and choreographed by our awesome instructors in March 2020, in the early days of Stay at Home, at our Confluence Property on the Skagit River in Marblemount, WA.
Owl Adaptations with Lindsay Enjoy this talk about owl adaptations -- how their physiology helps them to be superior nocturnal predators -- with instructor Lindsay McCord.
Raptor Adaptations with Lindsay Enjoy this talk about raptors like hawks and eagles with instructor Lindsay McCord.
Composting with Tanner Join Mountain School instructor Tanner Johnson at the Confluence Garden on our property in Marblemount for some tips on how to start and maintain a healthy compost pile, turning food scraps and yard waste in to healthy soil for gardening.
More Resources
Our Mountain School instructors compiled some of their favorite educational and nature-exploration resources that they have been itching to share with others! These recommendations include books, poetry, podcasts, citizen science apps, videos, and live cams.
We also have lots of resources for older students to dive deeper into topics in the Youth Leadership Adventurescurriculum like climate change & getting outside in your own backyard. It is geared towards YLA alumni, but available for any students curious to learn more and includes articles for youth climate activists, fun outdoor activities and interesting podcasts. Visit ncascades.org/signup/youth/YLA/alumni
Thank you for helping us offer these at-home lessons for transformative learning experiences in nature by making a gift at www.ncascades.org/give.
