Garden and Environmental Education

First-hand experiences with materials make up a foundational part of our 12-Acre Classroom, from early childhood through middle school. In gardening and environmental studies, the students work in our large, organic garden year-round, collecting seeds, propagating plants, installing “slug control”, weeding bindweed and keeping blackberry brambles at bay, putting down burlap and wood chips to control future weeds, and harvesting the fruits of their labors. Students study soils, conduct hands-on demonstrations with the water cycle, dissect owl pellets, observe bird behavior, study tracks and sign of local mammals, and research native plants. As students grow, their work deepens as they take on larger group and individual projects and research that allow them to follow their curiosity and share their findings with their peers.