Eco-Pedagogy through Natural Dyes
An immersive two-day experience for teachers!
This workshop offers more than just building your natural dye skills. Through engaging discussions and collaborative activities, you'll discover how natural dyeing can teach broader concepts of pedagogy, sustainability, art, and culture. You'll develop strategies for integrating these practices into your curriculum, fostering a holistic, ecological approach to education.
Join us!
Reconnect with nature, rejuvenate your spirit, and revolutionize your teaching practice at our transformative workshop. This immersive experience is designed not just to educate, but to inspire and energize you as you finish the previous school year and consider the next one.
The workshop will be held at the University of Chicago’s Ecological Field Station at Warren Woods in southwest Michigan.
Participants can choose to be housed in the Station’s cabins (shared rooms), bring a tent, or head home for the evening.
Nourishment provided by plant-forward meals based on seasonal, local produce.
Over two days and one night, you'll dive into the vibrant world of natural dyeing, discovering its potential to transform your classroom into a hub of ecological awareness and interdisciplinary learning. But this is more than just a workshop—we like to think of it more as a nourishing retreat.!
“The natural dye workshop seamlessly blended science, art, and sustainability”
— Elyse Wilson, Middle School Learning Specialist, Cleveland, OH
teachers' weekend!
teachers' weekend!
Stay overnight in the new field station cabins or bring your own tent to fully immerse yourself in the natural surroundings of the beautiful University of Chicago Field Station. Friday evening will be filled with connection and relaxation: join us for yoga, enjoy healthy, locally-sourced meals and refreshing drinks, and gather around a bonfire if you’d like for some community building.
Over two days, you'll explore the art and science of natural dyeing, learning practical techniques easily adapted for various grade levels. From foraging and plant identification to bundle-dyeing and immersion processes, you'll gain hands-on experience creating samples and even a naturally dyed scarf or bandana using locally foraged or cultivated plant dyes.
By the weekend’s end, you’ll leave with
- Practical knowledge of natural dyeing processes
- Cross-disciplinary lesson plan ideas
- Techniques for fostering ecological awareness in students
- Strategies for implementing place-based, experiential learning
- Resources for continuing your natural dye education
- A network of like-minded educators to support and inspire you
Most importantly, you'll depart feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected—to nature, to your fellow educators, and to your passion for teaching. This weekend is the perfect way to build momentum and set a strong foundation for the year ahead!
About Your Instructors
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About Your Instructors 〰️
The workshop will be led by Jess Boeke and Sarah Pottle (of Drift Lab Earth), educators by formal training and natural dyers, and community organizers by collective interest and experience. Jess and Sarah bring over 40 years of combined experience as National Board Certified educators and combined decades of training and leadership in the art and science of natural dyeing methods.
Dr. Emily Bretl (of Marram Collaborative and the Director of the University of Chicago Field Station) will support Jess and Sarah with specialized knowledge and practices in ecological science education, place-based teaching and learning, and arts-based curriculum design and instruction.
Southwest Michigan
Join us for this transformative experience. Embrace the power of eco-pedagogy, forge lasting connections, and return to your classroom renewed and ready to cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards. Let this be the start of your most inspiring and impactful teaching year yet!
FAQs
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Not at all! The workshop is appropriate for newbies and folks who have experience with natural dyes.
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The entire workshop runs from 10am on day 1 - 3pm the following afternoon.
Detailed Schedule:
DAY 1
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Arrival
Registration, refreshments, and welcome participants
Distribute workshop materials
10:30 AM - 11:30 PM: Opening Circle and Introductions
Icebreaker activities
Overview of workshop
Discussion of eco-pedagogy and natural dye as an entry point
11:30 PM - 12:30 PM: Foraging and Plant Identification
Guided walk to identify local dye plants
Discussion on sustainable harvesting practices and classroom applications
12:30-1:30 Lunch
Locally-sourced, healthy meal
Informal networking
Distribute cabin/tent assignments
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Introduction to Natural Dyeing
Hands-on cloth preparation (scouring & mordanting)
Preparation of dye baths for tomorrow (gather from foraged walk or cultivated/composted, start soaking dyestuff)
Basic Principles and Techniques– Review of models, materials, and resources
Discussion: Natural dyes as an entry point for eco-pedagogy, including history, culture, science, and more
4:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Free time & afternoon snacks
4:30-5:15 PM: Optional Yoga led by Jess
Gentle yoga suitable for all levels
Focus on relaxation and mindfulness
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Dinner
8:00 PM: Bonfire and warm drinks-keeping it casual with emergent storytelling and connection-building
DAY 2:
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM: Optional Morning Nature Walk with Coffee/Tea
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM: Breakfast
9:15 AM - 12:00 PM: Hands-on Dyeing
Immersion dyeing techniques
Bundle dyeing techniques
Emergent discussions on application to class
Finalize and organize dye samples
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Interdisciplinary Connections
Group discussion on integrating natural dyeing into various subjects
Collaborative lesson planning session
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Closing Circle and Reflection
Sharing of ideas and inspiration
Planning for classroom implementation
Final Q&A
Collection of feedback
Distribution of additional resources
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Mostly, yes! If you are responsible for a learning space or many learning spaces, or you support folks who are, this workshop is for you! This might mean you are a public school teacher, a university professor, a montessori teacher, a micro-school founder, a school administrator, etc. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to hi@driftlab.earth.
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With any CEUs, you must have approval from your school first. Please show them this PDF and inquire if you need some additional form of documentation hi@driftlab.earth.
In our experience, this weekend should calculate for up to 20 CEUs, depending on your school/district. -
We have on-site cabins!
There are mattresses in the cabins; folks should plant to bring pillows, sleeping bag (or preferred bedding), and towels.There is electricity and baseboard heaters in each cabin. WiFi does not usually reach out to the cabins (great time to unplug!)
There is a lot to do nearby if you want to make a full weekend of your stay. Trails, beaches, wineries, theaters, and more - we can provide recommendations.
Don’t want to stay on-site? There are lots of rental homes in Three Oaks, Union Pier, and New Buffalo (each about a 10 minute drive from the field station).
You are also welcome to bring your own tent if you'd like to camp out!
There are showers on site with hot water, as well as flush toilets. There are not toilets in the cabins; it is a shared bathhouse a short walk from the cabins.
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A suggested packing list will be provided in advance.
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Terrain around the field station is mostly level or gently sloping, although the trails to and from the cabins have some dips and bumps. The cabins have two stairs and a step up at the doorframe.
Please let us know if you need accommodations to help you get around or to make the space more accessible; we are actively learning how to retrofit our facilities to be accessible to all.
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Cell service is spotty at the field station depending on your provider. We do have WiFi, and it is easy to make calls over WiFi if service is challenging.