Nature Summer Camp: Session 1 Our Little Micro World
2019-07-01 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-03 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-04 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-05 08:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Get ready to get very tiny this week as we explore all things small. Who are the creatures that can fit in your hand, or on a penny? We’ll investigate teeny tiny ants, pillbugs, worms and other invertebrates that have important jobs in nature. We’ll pay attention to the tiniest flowers and plants and discover how important they are to their ecosystems. Through field trips, live animal exploration, hikes and art projects, campers will investigate the tiny things in life! There will be no field trips this week.
July 1 – July 5 (1 week)
Members $295/Non-members $330
Registration

Young Naturalists: Entering grades 1-2
Eco-investigators: Entering grades 3-4
Nature Explorers: Entering grades 5-6

Nature Summer Camp: Session 1 Out Little Micro World
2019-07-02 08:30 - 15:00

Nature Summer Camp: Session 2 Animal Superheroes
2019-07-08 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-10 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-11 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-12 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-15 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-16 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-17 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-18 08:30 - 15:00 and 1 more date
In this fun session we will study the secret and not-so-secret powers of the animals that live here. We will investigate their tricks for hiding from predators and finding food, and learn about awesome adaptations their bodies have to help them leap, fly and swim. We will discover special powers including toxins, prickles and pollination. Through outdoor activities, games, observation, field trips, nature hikes and art projects, we will encounter ordinary superheroes with extraordinary adaptations.
July 8 – July 19 (2 weeks)
Members $535/Non-members $595
Registration
Young Naturalists: Entering grades 1-2
Eco-investigators: Entering grades 3-4
Nature Explorers: Entering grades 5-6

Nature Summer Camp: Session 2 Leadership Training Camp
2019-07-08 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-09 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-10 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-12 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-15 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-16 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-17 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-18 08:30 - 15:00 and 1 more date
Are you ready for a camp that will grow your leadership skills while being outside all day long, every day? Do you want to to develop your skills as a naturalist, activity leader, outdoors person, and community member? Leadership Training Camp (LTC) is for you! Now in its 6th year, LTC is designed to prepare you to be a Counselor-in-Training or Junior Counselor at Hitchcock or other camps, or to just develop leadership skills that can apply to school and in life. Our packed two weeks include games, challenges, and activities from years past, and new ones. We reflect daily on our work together as a team and what makes a great leader. We go on field trips to stretch our skills, such as rock climbing, a ropes course, hiking, and an overnight camping trip. If you’re looking to challenge yourself, learn what it takes to lead others in the outdoors, and have lots of fun, please join us!
July 8 – 19 (2 weeks)
Members $635/Non-members$695
Registration

Leaders in Training: Entering grades 7-9

Nature Summer Camp Session 2 Animal Superheroes
2019-07-09 08:30 - 15:00

Nature Summer Camp: Leadership Training Camp
2019-07-11 08:30 - 15:00

Nature All Year: Herbivorous Insects
2019-07-14 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for our sixth year of offering an in-depth natural history course for naturalists and citizen scientists. Each month, in our series of nature explorations with different local naturalists, we explore a focused, seasonal, natural history topic. We’ll look at nature in new ways, varying from broad habitat-wide perspectives to the finer details of individual species. Over the course of the year we’ll visit a variety of natural habitats in the greater Pioneer Valley area. Identification skills, ecological connections, adaptations, and life cycles of organisms will be the focus of our observations. Bring your curiosity and observation skills and be prepared to spend time outdoors. Dress for the weather as we rarely cancel due to inclement weather. Bring binoculars and a hand lens, water and snacks if you would like. Carpooling to more distant locations will be encouraged.
July 14: Herbivorous Insects with Charley Eiseman
Come out to the fields and woods to find and learn more about all sorts of insects that rely on plants for food. We’ll capture a variety and learn their names, the group of insects they belong in, and more about their amazing life histories.
Sundays once per month, 9am-12pm (some class times may vary depending on topics)
Sign up for the remainder of the year: $140 members/$170 non-members.
Or, $30 per session.
Register here

Repair Public - CANCELLED
2019-07-21 12:00 - 15:00
Repair Public is an exercise in community resourcefulness. The idea is to encourage people to learn how and/or where to fix broken items instead of tossing them into a landfill and buying replacements. The participants and facilitators are local community members just like you. You bring a broken item that you want help repairing as well as a willingness to try to fix it. There will be repair facilitators on-hand to help you figure out how to fix your treasure, each with one or more areas of specialty. We’ll have various tools available for use, as well as some basic supplies like screws, tape, glue, wire nuts, needles, threads, and probably appliance cord with some plug-ends. With all these ingredients, we intend to help you repair whatever you decide to bring in – to learn more https://repairpublic.org/. Donations and registration appreciated.
Sunday, July 21
12-3pm
Free, Registration appreciated

Nature Summer Camp: Session 3 Making and Tinkering Camp
2019-07-22 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-23 08:30 - 15:00, 2019-07-24 08:30 - 15:00
Making and tinkering camp is back! This week is all about taking things apart to see how they work, finding out what you can make out of loose parts, and most of all, trial and error! Campers will get unstructured explore time with simple machines, circuitry, batteries and motors and will be given building and creating challenges. We’ll take apart toys and other everyday objects to find out how they work. And yes, chain reaction machines (a.k.a. Rube Goldberg machines) will be part of the fun too! Although this camp focuses on physical science we’ll still be going outside for games each day. There will be no field trips this week.
July 22 – July 26 (1 week)
Members $295/Non-members $330
Registration
Young Naturalists: Entering grades 1-2
Eco-investigators: Entering grades 3-4
Nature Explorers: Entering grades 5-6
