Elementary students at The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy<\/a> have been enjoying the outdoors all year long. Their unique Outdoor Classroom provides them with opportunities for learning outside throughout every season and in any type of weather! It is a place where our students go to explore science, math, art, culture, and language\u2014in essence, the Outdoor Classroom is an extension of their indoor classroom environment, as it is a place filled with a wealth of learning opportunities!<\/p>\nThe Outdoor Classroom is the ideal environment for Science and nature studies. Botany is often a focus of study when our Elementary students visit this space. They observe the trees, leaves, and plants in their outdoor environment, making sketches and diagrams of what they see, and digging into the earth to identify root structures and the parts of plants. Students are given the opportunity to watch both the growth and deterioration of plants. They witness how plants respond to weather, pollution, animal inhabitants, and human interference in the natural world. They also identify animal tracks and listen to birdcalls, learning their unique sounds.<\/p>\n
When discussing ecology, the Outdoor Classroom became home to a \u201cFood Web\u201d created by the students. As the children used yarn to create a web among the tree branches, they saw how interconnected the different parts were. When one piece of yarn from their web was removed, the entire web started to fall apart. This type of visual, hands-on learning brought home a very important lesson on how there is interdependence in a variety of aspects of their world. These nature studies promote a sense of responsibility and respect for the natural world around them.<\/p>\n
However, nature studies are not the only studies done in this special space. The Outdoor Classroom provides learning across disciplines. Recently, as part of their Cultural studies, our MCA students were learning about the Copper Age. They brought copper to their Outdoor Classroom and hammered it to flatten it and create tools in the same manner that early civilizations might have done. The students learned that even though the copper was malleable, it was very difficult to flatten to create the shape they needed for their homemade tools. This gave them greater insight into what early civilizations dealt with when making discoveries and inventions that today\u2019s humans take for granted.<\/p>\n
The Outdoor Classroom is also a place for Math studies. For one particular lesson, the students learned about Pi and the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter by creating a circle in the ground using their own bodies, a stick, and yarn. They had the physical space they needed to create their circumference projects, and it became a meaningful lesson as they could put the different mathematical concepts together in a very prominent manner. By learning in this way and in this space, our students remember their lessons and can make important and lasting connections.<\/p>\n
Naturally, just as many of the world\u2019s greatest writers have found inspiration in nature, our MCA Elementary students use their Outdoor Classroom to enhance their Language Arts curriculum to inspire their journal writing activities. They write poetry and prose pieces, personal reflections, essays, and impromptu thoughts. With so many sights and sounds surrounding them, they can capture feelings and compose descriptive passages based on what they see and hear in this natural setting. Similarly, they engage in art activities in this beautiful space, making sketches and using the natural setting as their inspiration for their artwork. This year, students learned about how clay comes from the earth, and they used it to create birds\u2019 nests.<\/p>\n
The learning opportunities in the Outdoor Classroom are endless. They also are an integral part of Montessori education where the whole child is addressed. Students need space, movement, and connection to the world around them, and this environment fulfills each of these needs. The Outdoor Classroom is the place where students engage in team-building activities at the beginning of the year to build a strong sense of community. It is the place where they hold their annual Peace Picnic and celebrate their friendships and relationship with nature near the year\u2019s end. Dr. Montessori once said, \u201cWhen the child goes out, it is the world itself that offers itself to him. Let us take the child out to show him real things instead of making objects which represent ideas and closing them up in cupboards.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>Further, she commented, \u201cT<\/strong><\/em>he land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nCertainly, our MCA Elementary students are making connections and opening up their minds as they explore their Outdoor Classroom and their world beyond the classroom. They come to see that they are indeed citizens and caretakers of the world\u2014part of a greater whole\u2014and with this understanding comes the awakening of a sense of respect and responsibility for the people and things inside<\/em> the classroom, outside<\/em> in the Outdoor Classroom, and beyond the classroom<\/em> in their world at large. Through the Outdoor Classroom experiences, students grow and begin to internalize that sense of harmony in each aspect of their lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the arrival of spring, everyone is anxious (and happy!) to spend more time outdoors. Longer daylight hours and warmer weather inspire us to break out from our winter hibernation habits and get outside for walks, early gardening, or just a bit of fresh air! However, the Elementary students at The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":446,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[224],"tags":[205,61,230,7,229,226,213,36,228,231,225,227],"coauthors":[13],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Stock-Photo.jpg?fit=1050%2C700&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7icff-7b","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":374,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/09\/exploring-a-montessori-elementary-option\/","url_meta":{"origin":445,"position":0},"title":"Exploring a Montessori Elementary Option","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"December 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It is not uncommon for many parents to associate the word Montessori with preschool. While it is true that many Montessori schools focus on Early Childhood Education, it is important to note that what makes a school \u201cMontessori\u201d is not its name, but rather the practice of the Montessori philosophy.\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Montessori Childrens Acdemy Elementary","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Microscope.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Microscope.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Microscope.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Microscope.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":661,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/19\/eye-on-the-montessori-elementary-experience\/","url_meta":{"origin":445,"position":1},"title":"Eye on the Montessori Elementary Experience","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"February 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu Most people equate Montessori education with early childhood or the preschool years. However, did you know that there are Montessori programs which begin serving children in infancy and extend up through the elementary, middle, and high school grades? For families who embrace the Montessori philosophy, they truly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Montessori Elementary"","block_context":{"text":"Montessori Elementary","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/montessori-elementary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/E-garden-3.png?fit=228%2C304&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":760,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/11\/26\/december-decision-making\/","url_meta":{"origin":445,"position":2},"title":"December Decision-Making","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"November 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Alex Chiu Although it may feel as though the school year just started (a mere three months ago!), it is already time to consider educational options for the 2019-2020 school year! MCA will be hosting a series of Open Houses for current families to share information about both the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/december.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":603,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/14\/reflections-at-the-montessori-childrens-academy\/","url_meta":{"origin":445,"position":3},"title":"Reflections at The Montessori Children’s Academy","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"January 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"As we enter this new year, we thought we\u2019d take a look back at just some of the MCA special events and highlights from September through December. In just a few short months, the children have experienced so much both inside and outside of the classroom. Reflecting upon the fall\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/FIREFIGHTER-VISIT-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":699,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/30\/springing-forward-and-springing-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":445,"position":4},"title":"Springing Forward and Springing Up","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"April 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Growth is not merely an increase in size, but a transformation.\" ~Maria Montessori By Alex Chiu Hopefully, we can say with confidence that spring is finally here. After quite a crazy winter and the late arrival of spring-like weather, we seem to be moving toward warmer temperatures, budding trees, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"child development\"","block_context":{"text":"child development","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/tag\/child-development\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_2140-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1145,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/14\/outdoor-learning-opportunities\/","url_meta":{"origin":445,"position":5},"title":"Outdoor Learning Opportunities","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"April 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"While we all remain safely inside our homes, you may have noticed some significant and beautiful changes happening outdoors. This year, the grass seems greener, the flowering trees fuller, the skies bluer, and the sun brighter. It could be that we have a greater appreciation for these springtime changes given\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Montessori in your Home"","block_context":{"text":"Montessori in your Home","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/montessori-in-your-home\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/IMG_3186-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=445"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":447,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445\/revisions\/447"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=445"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}