About the Course
Our 8-week winter outdoor education program connects children ages 8 to 12 with the
natural world through hands-on learning, sensory awareness, and meaningful
relationships with the land. Each session follows a carefully structured rhythm that
facilitates the transition from indoor classroom settings to outdoor learning. This
structure builds focus, community, and deep engagement with the weekly themes.
The curriculum rotates between four key areas that highlight winter's unique teaching
opportunities: fire skills (progressing from 5-match to 1-match fires and alternative
ignition methods), winter tree and plant identification (including useful species), animal
tracking fundamentals (learning to read winter landscapes for signs of wildlife), and
winter bird study and adaptations. Students gain a progressive understanding through
experiential learning, discovery-based activities, and plenty of movement to stay warm
and energized. Weekly sessions also include nature journaling and group challenges.
Throughout the program, we adapt to winter weather conditions while maintaining our
commitment to outdoor learning. This includes embracing snow for tracking and
shelter-building, practicing fire skills in wet conditions, and incorporating movement
breaks and warming strategies as needed. With clear safety protocols and an emphasis
on proper winter gear (waterproof boots and NO COTTON!), children develop
confidence, resilience, and a sense of wonder in winter's challenging beauty. The
program culminates in a celebration week where students recap their favorite
discoveries and games while demonstrating their mastered fire-making skills around a
final communal fire circle. Sessions are subject to change due to weather and group needs, but our preliminary schedule for winter is:
Week 1: Welcome
Week 2: Animal Fiber & Staying Warm
Week 3: Fire Building & Safety
Week 4: 3-5 Match Fire & Natural Tinder
Week 5: Fire Challenge & Ancient Fire Techniques
Week 6: Animal Tracking Fundamentals
Week 7: Shelter Building
Week 8: Celebration & Program closing
Your Instructor
Zach (Maui) Jones
Zach (Maui) Jones, 33, has had a lifelong passion for the natural world, nurtured
through outdoor education programs and experiences, such as Deep Wild Wildreness
School and Sacred Fire Rite of Passage. His diverse background has motivated him to
help others connect with nature, leading him to found his outdoor education company,
Our Elements.
Previously, as Associate Director at Wild Earth, Zach led the WE Middle School initiative
in Kingston, NY, aiming to make nature more accessible to BIPOC and marginalized
students, reaching approximately 4,000 to 5,000 students. He also managed the WE
Summer Camp Program for deeper immersion in nature.
In his free time, Zach focuses on self-growth and has traveled to 34 countries. He holds
a Bachelor's degree in Global Environmental Studies from Clark University and has
various certifications, including WFA, WFR, and New York Water Safety. Zach enjoys
hobbies like cooking, photography, mountain biking, surfing, snowboarding, and scuba
diving.