K-12 Partnership Book Study 2025

2025 Summer Book Study: The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

Thursdays, July 10, 17, 24 from 7-8:30pm EST; optional in-person session during Summer Institute

Compensation: a copy of the book, a journal, and a stipend ($TBD), SCECHs

Click here to apply. Applications due by May 10, 2025, decisions communicated by May 16

“The gift economy can be all around you.” (p. 38). 

We invite K-12 educators to join us for our 2025 summer book study as we read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. Indigenous scientist, Robin Wall Kimmerer, harvests serviceberries and considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. In your journal and small group discussion, we’ll explore the scientific side of reciprocal relationships and unpack the concept of a gift economy. We’ll take in the themes of this book as adult learners and reflect on our teaching practices and the scientific themes present in the text.

What to expect: You will receive a copy of the book, a journal, weekly reading assignments, and prompts for journaling and discussion. When we meet, we’ll have a short whole-group activity or presentation and then move into small groups for discussion related to the weekly reading and discussion prompts.