Nature as Teacher: Bringing Place, Plants, and Symbolism into ELA

This session highlights a hands-on ELA project that brought the outside in by grounding literary study in place-based and land-based learning. Drawing from the Porcupine Hills, a place of deep personal and family significance, I brought plants into the classroom for students to work with directly. Each plant carried symbolic meaning drawn from both Western traditions and Indigenous Ways of Knowing, allowing students to engage with multiple perspectives on symbolism and meaning-making. Students created personal Yule Logs by intentionally selecting sprigs, writing reflections, and attaching their writing before placing the logs in a communal burning ceremony. The process invited students to consider what they might let go of, what intentions they hoped to set, and how nature itself can serve as teacher. While Outdoor Education students collaborated as “keepers of the fire,” the emphasis of this project was on ELA: symbolism, metaphor, reflection, and Indigenous perspectives. Participants will see how this project combined hands-on learning with deep cultural connections, and will leave with resources and strategies for adapting it in their own classrooms.