Courses offered in the SOLstice program include a one-week residency at Longwood's Hull Spring Farm in Westmoreland County just off the Potomac River.  In addition to active work in the field, these courses explore important issues of civic engagement.  Hull Springs Farm, a 662 acre site in Westmoreland County situated between two tributaries to the Potomac River, is just a short distance from the Chesapeake Bay.  A bus will leave from the Longwood campus on Sunday afternoon to go to Hull Springs Farm, and it will return on Friday evening.  If you live near Hull Springs Farm, you may want to meet us there.  We prefer not to have too many cars at Hull Springs Farm.

 

Science and Civic Issues

SOLstice 2011 Video

Weeks one and two of SOLstice will follow the MWEE (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience) model of the “preparation phase.”  It will include readings, videos, online assignments and other activities that prepare you for the next phase.  You will need to have access to a computer and the internet, but most of the interactive work will be asynchronous, and the flexibility should be helpful for anyone with other commitments during that time.  

Week three,  the “outdoor action phase” will bring the class to Hull Springs Farm, where, indeed, a great deal of the work will be conducted outside.  Week three, following the MWEE model of the “reflection, analysis and action phase” will be conducted online.  

Schedule for 2013

July 8-19 – online assignments and pre-workshop reading
July 21-27 – field work at Hull Springs Farm on the Potomac River - tentative agnda
July 29-August 2 – online - analysis and wrap up

Sample daily schedule for week 2 at Hull Springs Farm

Early Morning - Breakfast and orientation to the day
Morning period 1 - Building foundations - conceptual grounding for the day's work
Morning period 2 - Field applications of today's concepts
Lunch / mid-day break - Casual discussion and sharing of ideas
Afternoon period 1 - Inquiry project - exploring research questions 
Afternoon period 2 - Perspectives - meetings with natural resource professionals
Evening  - Dinner and group discussion 

Highlights of the Curriculum
 -review materials.  New materials will be posted when they are available.

 

Writing

Watch for more information about this opportunity.

Schedule for 2013

June 24-July 5 - online preparation
July 7-12 - field experience at Hull Springs Farm on the Potomac river