Hello and welcome to Desert Garden Montessori’s Garden & Outdoor Environment Program – School of Sustainability!

Our sustainability program is an extension of the classroom in the outdoor environment, assisting the children in connecting with the world around them.  We do this through intentional observations, STEAM-related activities, and gardening into which a natural care of the earth can mature.

I like to begin each time with yoga, stretching, and music to center and ground our minds and bodies.  I feel this helps with transitioning from indoor work to the wide outdoor space.

Here’s to our next outdoor adventure!

— Ms. Angie

January:

• Compost:
  • Lesson: Earth & food growth activity
  • Discussion: Importance of composting and the components to make compost
• Connecting to nature:
  • Lesson: How are we ‘a part’ of nature not ‘apart’ from it?
  • Lesson: How to explore our outdoor environment with tools (binoculars, magnifying glass, microscope, compass, tape measure, sun dial, anemometer)
  • Lesson: Taking care of our environment
    • Campus Crusaders – picking up litter and helping with beautification of campus
    • Lesson:  Introduce Nature Snack Cards

February:

• Introduction to different types of gardens
  • Gardens that feed, gardens that teach, gardens that attract wildlife, gardens for art and beauty and how they can be mixed and matched for inspiration
  • Gather scrap construction paper from classrooms and make native wildflower seed bombs for Valentine’s Day (heart shapes)
  • Introduce local pollinators and their importance to an ecosystem
  • Planning for spring planting & botany journaling

March:

• Creating a nature journal and nature scavenger Hunt for Spring Break
• Lesson: Parts of a plant/flower
• Lesson: Soil composition
• Planting

April:

• Follow-up with unfinished works and activities
• Earth Day activities:
  • Lesson: The four elements
    • Earth, air, fire, water
  • Lesson: Reduce, reuse, recycle
  • Lesson: Make bird swings from sticks, twine, and beads
  • Lesson: Inspired activities

May:

• Harvest of plants and/or seeds
• Seed saving lessons