NATURE AWARENESS
Nature Awareness is an introduction to how people fit into and interact with the land and Nature
Spirits around them. It introduces students to the spirits that inhabit the very land we walk on and
gives them an introductory understanding of the nature of those spirits. It will also help students
achieve a more holistic perception if the universe in which we live and participate. The course
includes a brief look into traditional Indo-European views of environment (social customs, ritual
customs, or other areas of student interest) and how such views are continued in today's society.
Students will become more aware of major environmental concerns in their immediate areas. The
primary goals of this course are to: 1) provide students with a formalized introduction to one of our
Three Kindreds; 2) show students, in a very basic way, how they fit into the chain of events we call
life; 3) provide students with a basic idea of how the ancients viewed their relationships to the land
and how we might adapt those ideas in a modern context; and 4) help students become more aware
of issues of concern in their immediate area.
Exit Standards:
 1. Describe the customs of two or three Indo-European cultures regarding the land and natural
resources, and compare and contrast these practices with the prevailing modern attitudes.
(minimum 300 words)
2. Describe your understanding of the term "nature spirits"? Discuss this concept in relation to
both ancient Indo-European and modern ADF practices. (minimum 300 words)
3. Describe the park or patch of untended nature closest to your home and what kind of park it
is. (minimum 100 words)
4. Explain where your household water comes from; what waterway is nearest to your home, and
where its source is; where it drains; if there are any large bodies of water (lakes, ocean) near
your home; what you know about the quality of water in your region; and what the major
concerns in your area regarding your water supply are. (minimum 300 words)
5. Explain where your household garbage ends up and what recycling is available in your area? (minimum 100 words)
6. Briefly describe the major sources of air and water pollution in your area, what the biggest
source of pollution in your area is, and what impact it has. (minimum 100 words)
7. Describe the basic climate of your region, the primary influences on your weather patterns,
major economic resources of your region (for example, crops, minerals, ranching, tourism,
manufacturing) and how are these affected by climate and weather conditions. (minimum 300
words)
8. Name and provide the following information for each of three species of animals (birds,
mammals, insects, fish, etc.) and three species of plants native to and currently found in your
area:
a. Its status (endangered, threatened, thriving, overpopulated)
b. A brief physical description of the species, noting if you have seen it, and where.
c. Describe at least one of the following:
i. a way it is or has been used by humans (for example, as food source,
medicinal use, raw materials for tools, clothing, housing, etc.)
ii. a way in which it has been affected by human presence or development
iii. a way in which it has adapted to or entered into an ecological
relationship with human presence or human development.
9. Identify one species of plant or animal in your local area which is threatened, endangered, or
locally endangered, or which became extinct in historic times. Explain what destroyed or
threatens this species locally, how does or might the absence of this species affect your
locality, and what, if any, steps were taken or are being taken to preserve the species.
(minimum 100 words)
10. Identify one plant or animal species which was introduced to your area and explain how its
introduction and continued presence has affected the local ecology and what, if any, steps are
being taken to mitigate those effects. (minimum 100 words)
11. Based on your experiences, meditations, and research, describe what, in your opinion, makes
a place seem "natural.” (minimum 100 words)
12. Based on your research for Questions 1 above, describe what sort of offering would be
appropriate to make to the Nature Spirits in your area, and what would be an appropriate way to make such an offering and why. Discuss the potential ecological consequences of making
this offering and ways to modify the offering in order to minimize any negative environmental
impact. (minimum 100 words)
13. Based on the research and conclusions you have drawn from question 1 through 12, describe
how you might further extend your personal and/or group spiritual practices to include the
Nature Spirits and other natural elements. (minimum 300 words)
Return to the main menu |
