SPRINGville Homeschool

Start: 01/04/2024 - End: 05/23/2024
12:30-3:30p, Thursdays, Spring Semester.
Jolley’s Ranch Park, Right Fork Hobble Road, Springville, UT, USA
Buy @ $295

Course Objectives

Participants will gain the competence of an experienced outdoorsman when they create their own shelters, fire kits, water filters and other primitive tools. By playing games and socializing with other students they will generate an increasing amount of confidence in their day to day life. Students who use the sit spot on a regular basis will demonstrate an increased capacity for introspection and creativity. In our courses students develop to their fullest potential with the support of each other, our community and our instructors.

Skills Taught

Sit spot

  • meditation
  • journaling
  • ecology
  • taxonomy
  • ethnobotany
  • morphology
  • biology

Survival skills

  • shelter
  • water
  • fire food
  • wood working
  • leather working
  • medicinal/edible plants
  • and much more

Wandering

  • nature-based games
  • navigation/getting lost and found
  • tracking and awareness
  • bird language
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About the Course

A general day in our class looks like a morning game or activity followed by some time for skills. After lunch or snack students will make time to sit at their sit spot and journal or observe nature. Students will learn new skills taht compound to help them ahve an encompasing udnerstanding of basic survival skills. They will be working on things such as shelters, bow drill kits, and other skills needed to live off the land. Everyone is encouraged to explroe and ask questions about plants, tracks and animals they may encounter. Our isntructors will facilitate safe practices and hold a container for everyone to play and have fun.

Meet Your Instructor

Dakota Shaffer

Dakota has been teaching professionally since 2011 and has an insatiable love for nature. His passion for teaching brought him from Missouri to Utah to delve deeper into his career. He is a proud father and enjoys spending his time trekking in the old ways and practicing the skills of the Mountain Men. He believes these skills connect us to our ancestors and their hardships in a way that brings new meaning to our own lives.

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Additional Information

Volunteering

This course will be for ages 7-18. Students under the age of 6 must be accompanied by a parent for every class.

Upon registration you will be asked which days you are availble to volunteer for (don't worry you can switch later with other parents). This is to encourage parents to stay involved in their childs experience with us. If you wish to participate more days than you sign up for check with our instructor they usually welcome it.

What to Bring

It is highly recommended that students bring the following to each class:

  • weather appropriate clothing and footwear
  • water (more than you normally drink at home)
  • food (high in protein and fat)

A backpack containing the following:

  • cheap tin cup
  • bandana or blindfold
  • knife (see here for requirements)
  • notebook
  • pen and pencil
  • personalized first aid kit
  • an unfinished skill (to be made during class)
  • bowdrill kit (to be made during class)

Helpful Link

Vacation Days

Spring Break: April 3rd-7th

Course Objectives

Participants will gain the competence of an experienced outdoorsman when they create their own shelters, fire kits, water filters and other primitive tools. By playing games and socializing with other students they will generate an increasing amount of confidence in their day to day life. Students who use the sit spot on a regular basis will demonstrate an increased capacity for introspection and creativity. In our courses students develop to their fullest potential with the support of each other, our community and our instructors.

 

Welcome

Our goal for our homeschool students is for them to walk away with a deeper understanding of nature. We want them to leave with the skill sand confidence of a bushman and survivalist. We aim to create a safe, fun and social environment in which students can delve deeper into their inerpersonal and intrapersonal relationships.

Directions and Location

On the First day of class we will meet at Jolley's ranch and drive approxamately 1.43 miles further up the canyon to the final location. In the event the canyon is closed your instructor will inform you of alternate locations on an ongoing basis via Discord.

About the Course

A general day in our class looks like a morning game or activity followed by some time for skills. After lunch or snack students will make time to sit at their sit spot and journal or observe nature. Students will learn new skills taht compound to help them ahve an encompasing udnerstanding of basic survival skills. They will be working on things such as shelters, bow drill kits, and other skills needed to live off the land. Everyone is encouraged to explroe and ask questions about plants, tracks and animals they may encounter. Our isntructors will facilitate safe practices and hold a container for everyone to play and have fun.

 

Skills Taught

Sit spot

  • meditation
  • journaling
  • ecology
  • taxonomy
  • ethnobotany
  • morphology
  • biology

Survival skills

  • shelter
  • water
  • fire food
  • wood working
  • leather working
  • medicinal/edible plants
  • and much more

Wandering

  • nature-based games
  • navigation/getting lost and found
  • tracking and awareness
  • bird language

Course Location

Word on the street says

we’re pretty darn good at what we do.