Discovering Nature As Our Greatest Teacher, Healer, and Classroom.

We envision a time when all children will have access to healthy environments to learn, grow, discover, and thrive within.

An Eagle from beyond the sun is on a mission. A Hip-Hop hero is traveling through time in his dreams. A robot from outer space visits Earth every 10,000 years. If you're engaged and excited to learn more, you have much in common with the over four hundred Arlington Eagles in Pre-K through 5th grade. Read on to discover tales of our incredible integrative adventures with these bright stars.

Developing a sense of belonging within our regional ecology is one of the most healing and enriching experiences we can offer our young people. We can all benefit greatly from connecting to the land we stand on.

Hazon and Pearlstone are genuinely local and national leaders in the Nature-connection movement. Arlington Elementary is a beacon for Baltimore City in the peaceful learning environment and stellar programs it provides for all its students.

Thank you to all the families, teachers, administrators, and Pearlstone for helping InDiGO to realize these incredible learning experiences this fall. We are beginning to actualize the kind of learning we envision for all children.

At InDiGO, our work is about getting people in touch with Nature in our schoolyards, the Great Outdoors, and most importantly, within ourselves.

We are activating young people's natural love of learning, power of healing and capacity to shine.

Our framework integrates Nature, Academics, the Arts and SEL (Social and Emotional Learning). ​​​

With Pre-K, we learn how Nature designed us to learn: by moving, exploring, and playing. When a tree starts singing and playing guitar, Nature quite literally comes to life. As the tree explores his own identity, he invites these young stars to do the same. Their eyes light with the inner fire of their innate desire to learn as we discover our connection to trees. Thank you, trees, for our air, homes, furniture, floors, and more. 

We count autumn leaves as we throw them in the air with glee and name all the beautiful fall colors. We breathe fresh oxygen while learning about the large and small creatures for which trees provide food and shelter. We discuss logging and conservation as children act out the story of a girl who lived in a tree to save a forest. This video features highlights from this Fall's Pre-K three-day integrative expedition.

Support InDiGO's mission to increase access to integrative, outdoor learning experiences for Baltimore City youth at www.inwarddiscovery.org. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel to join more of our adventures. 

In Kindergarten, DJ Starfox comes to Earth to host the first-ever intergalactic dance party. She uses her super DJ powers to teach us how to fuel up our "RELATION-SHIPS" by creating harmony and finding gratitude for the people and things we love. We build healthy relationships with ourselves, each other, and the Earth. We practice awareness skills, learn how to move in our space bubbles, and discover how to use our five senses to explore our world! This video features highlights from this fall's Kindergarten three-day integrative expedition.

Farmer Cat does not get along with Crow. As Cat looks out the window, Crow is eating all her crops. Cat tries to chase Crow away, but Crow is too clever. One day, Cat investigates more closely and discovers that Crow is actually eating pests and poison ivy that would hurt Cat and her crops. Cat changes her mind and befriends Crow. Crow then tells Cat an enchanting Lenape legend to answer Cat's question of how Crow got those shiny black wings. Enjoy Baobob Studio's version of the story here. 

Through stories, lessons, games, and adventures, we introduce 1st grade to the value of "One Planet, One Family." According to Wikipedia: "Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ (All Are Related) is a phrase from the Lakota language. It reflects the world view of interconnectedness held by the Lakota people of North America. This concept and phrase is expressed in many Yankton Sioux prayers, as well as by ceremonial people in other Lakota communities."

We explore Nature within ourselves, indoors and outdoors at school and in the Great Outdoors at Pearlstone. We harvest yummy fruits and vegetables from the school garden and Pearlstone's educational farm. We practice treating plants, animals, and each other with gentleness.

As we gear up to install our outdoor classroom at school, we draw inspiration from the learning spaces at Pearlstone, including the balance course in the woods these 1st graders loved! Check out their skills in the video above.

As the time arrives for the 2nd Grade Eagles to adventure with InDiGO, a mysterious billion-year-old star being surprises us with a simple message: We are stars too! With 2nd grade, we shine like the stars we are! We discover and express our gifts and share them. We learn that we are all made of the same elements born in the stars. 

In addition to learning about the elements in the periodic table, InDiGO second graders undergo superhero training in the playground of the four elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Their training includes self-care tools, social and spatial awareness games, and directly experiencing the four elements outdoors. We make fire, dance with the wind using streamers and falling leaves, and build civilizations in the mud that we "rain" on to learn about the water cycle. We then directly experience where our water comes from by visiting a tributary of our water supply. We use language arts, drawing, and sculpting skills to create an entire superhero identity. We discover that the small things we do daily help us shine and give others the space to do the same.

At Pearlstone, we explore and connect with the elements of Nature in the Great Outdoors. We learn where our food comes from on the farm. We discover decomposers and discuss what plants need to thrive. Spoiler alert: It's some of the same things we need!

"It is time to heal from the harms of our current systems and create new systems that synergize what we already know is best for kids (and teachers)!

InDiGO activates young people's natural love of learning, power of healing, and capacity to shine. By developing their identity, relationships, values, gifts, voices, vision, and leadership, youth can begin to pursue their path, purpose, and potential. 

Why focus on young people? They are the future, duh. 

InDiGO views Education as the principal lever of long-term change that will, as our mission states, guide youth and adults to access and develop their own inner power to learn, teach, heal, and unite by discovering the wonders of Nature within and all around us. By directly providing frameworks for teachers to make their practices more integrative and outdoors, InDiGO joins global and local movements to reform public Education around child-centered principles that promote well-being and wholeness. 

The Earth is asking humanity to realize that everything is connected. A health crisis has impacted the economy, education, and each of us differently. We must stop the false dichotomies and separations between ourselves and the Earth, ourselves and others, Academics and the Arts, Nature and nurture. Now is the time to re-design our systems, beginning with Education. Let's give youth permission to shine the way Nature designed: by teaching them how they learn best[*]. Let's work together to return the motivation to learn to its rightful place: within the hearts and minds of young people, beginning with those in the most marginalized communities. 

How can we answer the call of this moment to put the pieces of how we learn and heal back together? It is time to stop teaching to produce adults who can follow instructions but instead cultivate creative innovators who can solve tomorrow's problems by thinking in terms of the way things are: integrative systems that are interdependent."

-Gabriel Pickus (InDiGO Founder and Director)

A lot has changed since his last visit 10,000 years ago. When Bolt 3000 comes to Earth, he has some challenging questions for these 3rd graders. What are those white fluffy things in the sky? What is the Earth? What is the sun? How do plants grow? How do you measure time? Why are there seasons? What is music?

The 3rd graders teach Bolt 3000 how to play and communicate, and they use their words and voices to try to answer all his questions about life on Earth. They write poems, create dances, and explore other modalities for expressing their unique voices. At school and on our adventure in the Great Outdoors at Pearlstone, we discover answers to these questions for ourselves.

We observe plants and animals in the deciduous forest of Maryland as they maximize fall to prepare for winter. We see blue herons, frogs, caterpillars, bees, worms, mushrooms, and more. We learn how to identify poison ivy and its natural remedy, jewelweed. We use beautiful things we find in the forest to create a nature mandala representing life's small and large cycles.

4th Grade takes an ancestral journey with Baltimore Hip-Hop Superhero Eze Jackson as we learn about the elements and cultural roots of Hip Hop. We use the elements of Hip Hop to develop and express our vision for ourselves and our communities.

We gather around the fire, sing songs about the Earth, and listen to stories about change, growth, and resilience. We explore the forest, swim in the creek, and make fire with a bow drill. We write rhymes, practice classic breakdance moves, and use instruments to make beats. We express our unique message to the world through an integrative “Graph-iti” math project. We go on a neighborhood garden and mural tour to discover how we can beautify community. We cross the street into Jamaica and we go outdoors to discover ourselves.

Special thank you to Montego Bay Restaurant in Baltimore for feeding us Jamaican cuisine and teaching us about Jamaican culture.

Special thank you to Eze Jackson for sharing your gifts and presence with these young people!

When an Eagle from beyond the sun crashes into the auditorium door, the 5th graders enter an epic adventure to activate their innate leadership. As the oldest students in the school, they take charge of developing school culture and school spirit. These brave Eagles pave the way for their younger peers to discover themselves in the Great Outdoors. Stay tuned for upcoming videos and projects from these Eagle leaders.

In Baltimore City, InDiGO works on every level in concert with youth, teachers, school district officials, government agencies, outdoor centers, and community organizations to make the Baltimore Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights a reality.

Creating healthy learning environments in schools, teaching in well-designed outdoor classrooms, and increasing access to healing-centered experiences in the great outdoors has never been more important for a generation of children. 

We work for systems change that increases protections for all children from harmful pollution or violence by any person or industry. We advocate for universal access to outdoor classrooms, gardens, playgrounds, and field trips.

Thank you for all the work of the BCCN to help us create a Baltimore where all children are guaranteed the following rights:

At InDiGO, we are actualizing the rights above by directly providing the following benchmarks to one entire school of over four-hundred students. We aim to build more bridges between schools and outdoor education centers as we increase access to integrative, outdoor learning.

We believe the following are baseline standards for children to build a foundation for lifelong learning and health. Please join us in advocating for all children to be guaranteed access to:

• At least two experiences in the Great Outdoors outside of a city per school year.
• At least one experience in an outdoor classroom per week of the school year on average.
• At least one week of outdoor summer camp each summer, at least 6 hours per day for five days. 

Please also join us in realizing the rights of children to:

• Move their bodies sufficiently each day and develop healthy lifestyles.

• Express themselves as they pursue their passions, gifts and interests.

• Education as Liberation, not indoctrination.

Please support us by forwarding this newsletter to anyone you know who may being interested in or inspired by our work. We are building a network of young people, educators, and advocates to help us discover Nature as our greatest teacher, healer, and classroom.