Dover helps students understand what winter was like for our ancestors

Last week, the children at Mount Pleasant Elementary School were treated to an extraordinary outdoor classroom experience, guided by two of our local experts in natural history and biodiversity, Gary Dover and Professor Christopher Buddle.

The walk was part of the school’s Green Team program, which promotes environmental literacy and leadership. Helping kids connect to nature, along with reducing waste and conserving energy at the school are the main tenets of the program.

Dover lead the kids on a guided tour and imaginary journey to follow the steps of our ancestors. He started by asking the kids to pretend they were living a hundred years ago building a log cabin. The kids eyes lit up with enthusiasm.

“Our ancestors used the winter time very productively. It was a period of the year when they weren’t busy farming. They could dedicate their energy to other tasks, like building and repairing their homes,”  Dover explained.

He guided the children to look for the appropriate type, size and shape of tree to use for the roof, walls, floor and support beams of their imaginary cabin. He explained each type of tree in the forest and how it was used, comparing the natural wood to modern day synthetic materials. “Cedar was used to make roof shingles and would last a hundred years. Today’s shingles last only 15 to 20 years,” he said.

Professor Buddle describes the natural treasures hidden under the snow

Professor Christopher Buddle, described the plethora of natural life existing under the blanket of snow. He outlined the process that the insects go through in winter, becoming completely frozen and then thawing again in the spring. “The insect’s body produces an anti-freeze like substance that helps the bug thaw out when the weather starts to warm up,” explained Buddle, as the kids marveled.

In addition to the two environmental experts, Carol Bates, a dedicated and tireless local community volunteer, helped shepherd the more than 45 children through the winter woodland adventure.

I am not certain that the students were able to appreciate the level of knowledge, expertise and support that was guiding them that day. As we walked along the trails behind the school, I marveled at the incredible richness in our community. Our town is full of “Social Artists”, a term used to describe those who bring focus, passion, skill, tireless dedication and fresh vision to the social arena. Devoted individuals like Dover, Buddle and Bates, who give of their time, energy and love are part of our community’s bounty. The other part is the unique and beautiful outdoor setting in which our children can learn, grow and thrive.