Home is the snow covering the smooth layer of ice between our feet and the frozen subnivean zone beneath our feet. That snow That snow could have come from the Pacific or the Canadian Great Plains, but it fell here, upon this class of fourth graders I lead through prairie, wood, and wetland. The falling snow helps them hide during a game of thicket and makes the ice that they walk upon even more slippery than before. These children may not remember the strategies of predators and prey species, but they will remember the joy found in the snow, rather than just the chores of shoveling and trudging that the snow presents.
My memories of the naturalists of my childhood are not of ecological fact telling. They are of songs and story tellers, and the teacher who would allow us to feel the wildness of an urban park and of our own selves. A naturalist is a provider and facilitator of these experiences. Events like snowfalls and finding the remains of prey remind me- simply facilitate. Give the opportunity. Play the game, tell the story. Adults need to debrief these things, to interrogate their lessons. Children don’t need that. Prioritize the experience, their minds and interactions will do the rest, especially when given the space to write or speak their stories. They know the principles of camouflage, stillness, and misdirection. Let them experience these in a game and enjoy the falling snow of a winter afternoon.
Gossamer Naturalist 
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