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Earth Day Celebrations at Greenspring

Earth Day Celebrations at Greenspring

As part of our Allegiance to Nature at Greenspring Montessori School, our faculty and staff organized a special Earth Day event for our children and families. Our Toddler, Children’s House, Elementary, and Adolescent classes took on various projects around our campus including planting stations, nature-based story walks, and nature scavenger hunts. Many classes also worked to restore natural spaces on campus and make improvements to their outdoor environments. In addition, there are many beautiful books on display in the library on Earth Day, Spring, Gardening, and more! 

After school it began to rain, but many families still joined in to help spruce up the campus grounds. We would like to extend a special thanks to all of our families who volunteered to help make this event a success! If you would like to support any of our current outdoor projects by volunteering or donating supplies, please reach out to us here. 

It was beautiful to see everyone coming together for this purposeful community event! Take a look below to see photos and more details about the projects at each level.

Toddlers

Our Toddlers visited the planting station in the morning to prepare small seedlings to bring home. They also worked together to spruce up their outdoor environments and plant zinnias in the garden bed outside of Monocacy House.

Children’s House

In preparation for Earth Day, our Children’s House classrooms hosted a week of waste-free lunches. The Children’s House Guides read stories about how waste impacts the environment and what we can do to help. The students then took a closer look at the waste the classes generated during a typical lunch. Together they talked about how waste impacts people, animals, and our environment. In addition to their waste-free lunch efforts, the children also weighed their compost collectively to see how they are helping to remove waste from landfills just by the small step we each take when we compost our food scraps.

Our Children’s House team was inspired to take on this initiative after learning more about the Roots & Shoots Program by Jane Goodall. To learn more about our Children’s House Roots & Shoots lessons, please click here.

“People are so overwhelmed by the magnitude of our folly that they feel helpless. They sink into apathy and despair, lose hope, and so do nothing. We must find ways to help people understand that each one of us has a role to play, no matter how small. Every day we make some impact on the planet.  And the cumulative effect of millions of small ethical actions will truly make a difference.”

– Jane Goodall, The Book of Hope

Elementary & Adolescents

Our Elementary children sowed vegetable and flower seeds in their outdoor gardens.They are also preparing to extend their garden area in order to grow wine plants including gourds, pumpkins, squash, and watermelon.

Our Adolescents tended to the rain garden they designed and planted on campus last spring, mending the deer fencing, wedding, and adding new plants.

Families

We also celebrated Earth Day with our families at our Spring Grounds Day. 37 volunteers came out to give back to our school by helping to beautify and maintain the Greenspring campus. Parents, grandparents, and children helped with everything from weeding and planting to window washing and fence staining. Thank you to everyone who came out to join us!

Thank you for your support as we celebrate Earth Day and help inspire the future generation of stewards for our planet. 

“Hope is contagious Your actions inspire others.”

– Jane Goodall

Winter Reading List: Service and Stewardship

Winter Reading List: Service and Stewardship

We have pulled together a beautiful collection of books to talk about service and stewardship with children. Take a look at her recommendations below! You can find these books in our library if you would like to borrow them to read with your child.

Books about Service in our Communities

Thank you, Omu!
Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu’s (pronounced AH-moo) delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself?
Extra Yarn
By Mac Barnett (Author), Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
A young girl and her box of magical yarn transform a community in this stunning picture book. With spare, gently humorous illustrations and a palette that moves from black-and-white to a range of color, this modern fairy tale has the feel of a new classic.

 

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood
by F. Isabel Campoy (Author), Theresa Howell (Author), Rafael López (Illustrator)

What good can a splash of color do in a community of gray? As Mira and her neighbors discover, more than you might ever imagine! Based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, California, Maybe Something Beautiful reveals how art can inspire transformation—and how even the smallest artists can accomplish something big. Pick up a paintbrush and join the celebration!

The Thank you Letter
By Jane Cabrera (Author)
After a wonderful party, birthday girl Grace sits down to thank her friends and family for all their kind gifts. But she doesn’t stop there! As she writes, Grace realizes there are so many things to be grateful for. So she thanks her teacher for helping her learn to write. She thanks her dog for his cheerful wagging tail. She even thanks the sky for being perfectly, beautifully blue. When Grace returns home after delivering her notes, she finds a wealth of affection–cards, letters, and notes from her neighbors and friends. A beautifully illustrated gatefold page shows how deeply her letters have touched the hearts of everyone around them.
Lend a Hand
By John Frank (Author), London Ladd (Illustrator)
Making a difference in the world can be as simple as planting a tree, giving up your seat on a bus to a disabled person, or training a puppy to become a guide dog. These are just a few of the simple acts of kindness featured in this collection of fourteen original poems. Each poem emphasizes the compassion and the joy of giving. Representing diverse voices—different ages and backgrounds—the collection shows the bridging of boundaries between people who are often perceived as being different from one another. The first step in bridging those boundaries is to extend a hand. Lend a Hand demonstrates that empathy and social awareness can start at an early age.
Maddi’s Fridge
By Lois Brandt (Author), Vin Vogel (Author)
With humor and warmth, this children’s picture book raises awareness about poverty and hunger. Best friends Sofia and Maddi live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school, and play in the same park, but while Sofia’s fridge at home is full of nutritious food, the fridge at Maddi’s house is empty. Sofia learns that Maddi’s family doesn’t have enough money to fill their fridge and promises Maddi she’ll keep this discovery a secret. But because Sofia wants to help her friend, she’s faced with a difficult decision: to keep her promise or tell her parents about Maddi’s empty fridge. Filled with colorful artwork, this storybook addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust, and helping others. A call to action section, with six effective ways for children to help fight hunger and information on antihunger groups, is also included.

Books about Service for our Environment

Bird House
By Blanca Gómez (Author)
On a snowy day, a grandmother and grandchild find an injured bird. They take it home and care for it until it can fly around the living room. It is fantastic—just like everything at Abuela’s house! But a fantastic moment is also bittersweet, for the little bird’s recovery means that it’s time to let it fly free. 
Jayden’s Impossible Garden
By Mélina Mangal (Author), Ken Daley (Illustrator)
Amidst all the buildings, people, and traffic in his neighborhood, Jayden sees nature everywhere: the squirrels scrounging, the cardinals calling, and the dandelions growing. But Mama doesn’t believe there’s nature in the city. So Jayden sets out to help Mama see what he sees. With the help of his friend Mr. Curtis, Jayden plants the seeds of a community garden and brings together his neighbors—and Mama—to show them the magic of nature in the middle of the city.
 
Timeless and vibrant, this story highlights the beauty of intergenerational relationships and the power of imagination and perseverance in bringing the vision of a community garden to life. Jayden’s love of nature will inspire readers to see their environment and surroundings as bursting with opportunities for growth and connection. At the back of the book, readers will find activities to make items found in the book, such as the milk jug bird feeder.
We are Water Protectors
By Carole Lindstrom (Author), Michaela Goade (Illustrator)

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

Kate, Who Tamed the Wind
By Liz Garton Scanlon(Author),Lee White(Illustrator)
A wild wind blows on the tippy-top of a steep hill, turning everything upside down for the man who lives there. Luckily, Kate comes up with a plan to tame the wind. With an old wheelbarrow full of young trees, she journeys up the steep hill to add a little green to the man’s life, and to protect the house from the howling wind. From award-winning author Liz Garton Scanlon and whimsical illustrator Lee White comes a delightfully simple, lyrical story about the important role trees play in our lives, and caring for the world in which we live.
What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet
By Jess French (Author)

This educational book will teach young budding ecologists about how our actions affect planet Earth and the big impact we can make by the little things we do. Did you know that there is a floating mass of trash larger than the USA drifting around the Pacific Ocean?

It is not all bad news though. While this is a knowledge book that explains where we are going wrong, What a Waste also shows what we are getting right! Discover plans to save our seas. How countries are implementing green projects worldwide, and how to turn waste into something useful. The tiniest everyday changes can make all the difference to ensure our beautiful planet stays lush and teeming with life. It is a lively kid’s educational book with fabulous illustrations and fun facts about the world broken into easy-to-digest bite-sized bits.

Old Enough to Save the Planet
By Loll Kirby (Author), Adelina Lirius (Illustrator)
The world is facing a climate crisis like we’ve never seen before. And kids around the world are stepping up to raise awareness and try to save the planet. As people saw in the youth climate strike in September 2019, kids will not stay silent about this subject—they’re going to make a change. Meet 12 young activists from around the world who are speaking out and taking action against climate change. Learn about the work they do and the challenges they face, and discover how the future of our planet starts with each and every one of us.
The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects
By Barbara A. Lewis (Author)
This book describes the different opportunities for children to get involved in community service across a wide range of areas and interests, featuring over 500 ideas for service projects for young people. This is a great place to start with your child!
Fall Adolescent Odyssey to East Hill Farm

Fall Adolescent Odyssey to East Hill Farm

In early October, our Adolescents ventured to East Hill Farm in New Hampshire for an immersive Fall Odyssey trip. The Farm is located at the base of Mount Monadnock on 150 acres where they raise heritage breed cows, goats, and pigs along with horses, sheep, chickens, and other farm animals.

Our students worked with the farm staff to accomplish morning and afternoon chores including goat milking, collecting eggs, cleaning stalls, grooming, and feeding the animals, along with preparing their own meals. They also attended workshops on cheesemaking, mycology, and candle making as well as classes in caring for each of the types of animals. The mycology workshop was a favorite – the students searched the woods to identify, dissect, and explore various types of mushrooms. They learned about the benefits of fungi in our natural environment and how to incorporate them into meals. The Adolescents were eager to learn about animal husbandry, sustainability, and farm-to-table concepts.

Odyssey travel offers many benefits to our students. It invites them to step out of their comfort zones by spending time away from their families and stretching their independence. In a new environment, students learn to care for and rely on each other. They bond through new experiences, such as caring for farm animals and learning how to make cheese. Finally, Odyssey offers lots of unstructured time to be together and build community, which will strengthen our connection for the rest of the year and beyond.

Centering the Spirit of the Child

Centering the Spirit of the Child

Dr. Maria Montessori dedicated her life to nurturing and supporting the child’s understanding and love of themselves, their community, and the Universe. Her mandate calls on us as parents and educators to provide rich and meaningful opportunities for each child to come to deeply know and understand themselves, providing them a meaningful connection to their spirit and to their own unique path and contribution to our world. She shared compelling words on the importance of love in understanding our own humanity:

“Love is more than the electricity which lightens our darkness, more than the etheric waves that transmit our voices across space, more than any of the energies that [one] has discovered and learned to use. Of all things love is the most potent. All that [one] can do with their discoveries depends on the conscience of [the one] who uses them. This energy of love is given to us so that each shall have it in [themself].” 

Yes, love is the most potent, and what better way for us to support our children and families in experiencing and expressing love than to center the spirituality of the child? Spirituality provides the window for our souls to connect deeply with ourselves, others, and the Universe at large. Spirituality requires introspection, gratitude, self-awareness, and reflection, providing us access to the deepest part of ourselves and each other. Spirituality is a pathway to love.

The terms spirit and spirituality are often associated with religious practice. Our endeavor is not a religious one. Instead, this is about centering the child’s spirit – the life force within themself that connects them deeply to others and the Universe as a whole – as part of their whole being. We can not fully serve or know the child without acknowledging and fostering their spiritual self as a critical and foundational element of their being.

Breaking it Down
Our work is guiding the child through the exploration and practice that provides them the opportunity to nurture, develop, and honor their spirit. Needless to say, this is no small undertaking. As we venture more deeply into this work, we will be focusing on four areas:

Spiritual Preparation of the Adult

This may be the most important component of centering the spirit of the child. Each adult in the child’s life is a powerful role model. Establishing daily habits that support an inner harmony and understanding of ourselves provides adults a greater capacity to nurture peace for our children. Our own cultivation of a peaceful inner life provides a strong foundation for bringing kindness and respect to each interaction with the children, and elevates and inspires our own spirits, as well.

In the weeks leading up to the start of school, our staff community focused on their own spirituality and began stepping into their own spiritual preparation as adults. This work will continue throughout the year. Please click here for a list of recommendations that we have shared with our staff that also can support families and children.

Self-Awareness and Mindfulness

Science shows that mindfulness is a gateway to spiritual discovery for children and adults alike (Lisa Miller). Watching infants and young children, we see that they are inherently mindful: bringing their full attention to each moment and being alert to the life around them. Yet often as we age, our focus on the future can prevent many of us from experiencing the fullness of the present – and really the fullness of life overall. At the same time, when we dwell on our past we also struggle with being present. Being fully present must be a priority for faculty, students, and families – and requires focused attention and daily practice.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Social Emotional Learning are the skills and tools which allow us to be able to develop healthy relationships with others. This skill development begins at birth and continues over our whole lives. If children are given opportunities to learn to identify and understand their own emotions as well as recognize and empathize with the emotions of others, their ability to connect and have healthy, vital relationships is fueled for their lifetime.

When we can connect deeply with ourselves and the Universe through our spirit, we care to elevate the world and all its living things. Spirituality gives us a means to learn our purpose and SEL provides us with the ability to share that purpose with the world.

Meaningful Connection with Nature and Appreciation for Life’s Interconnectedness

What an amazing and awe-inspiring revelation that we are all a part of a magnificent web of life; you and I are connected to every bacterium, every spider, every tree, every star, and every human. Cosmologist Brian Swimme wrote, “Our ancestry stretches back through the life forms and into the stars, back into the beginnings of the primeval fireball. This Universe is a single multiform energetic unfolding of matter, mind, intelligence and life.” Dr. Swimme reminds us that we are not the rightful rulers of the Universe, rather we are in an energetic community with all.

This is what Dr. Montessori asked us to teach to our children and what is amazing is now science is showing us over and over that humanity needs nature – and the profound impact nature has on our young people. It shows that nature regulates and grounds us — and lifts our spirits, nurturing our sense of awe and wonder.

Our commitment at Greenspring is that each child and adolescent has the opportunity to connect deeply with nature and understand the interconnectedness of all living things. How can we awaken and nurture each child’s profound connection to all the Universe’s creatures and creations– supporting them in their love of nature and gratitude for all its gifts?

Research coming out now points to the desperate need for this work for our children, our adolescents, our families, and our planet. I am linking a thought-provoking video of Lisa Miller, PhD, a psychologist and professor at Columbia University Teachers College, here for you. Dr. Miller helps us understand the current research around spirituality, the brain, and our overall mental health. Definitely worth your time! Dr. Miller also wrote The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life, which I referenced in this email, and The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving – which I highly recommend for all parents. In this email, I also referenced the book Barefoot and Balanced: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children by Angela Hanscom.

In Closing
Much of this work is inherent in the Montessori method of education and has already been in place at Greenspring. Yet now we are digging in more deeply, supporting the staff in their own spiritual preparation and integrating training in these four key areas to meaningfully support this important work with our staff, children, and families.

We welcome your partnership in this important work. We are, as ever, better together!

Outdoor Education this September

Outdoor Education this September

Our children and adolescents have been deeply immersed in nature during the first month of school. From our youngest children working and exploring the outdoor environments to our Elementary and Adolescent students venturing off campus for field trips and overnight trips, there is so much happening at Greenspring!

Our focus this year is the Spiritual Nature of the Child and we are supporting our children with beautifully prepared outdoor environments and opportunities to engage with nature. Click through the photo galleries below to see photos and learn more about this big work!

Toddlers

Our Toddlers have been exploring their classrooms and outdoor environments with all of their senses. Guides and Assistants carefully model how to use the materials and the children eagerly soak in new experiences.

 

Children’s House

In Children’s House, our students have been enjoying the gifts of the outdoors. This year, our Children’s House Naturalists introduced sit spots – a place where the child can sit for five minutes away from distractions to observe nature and enjoy time in quiet reflection. Sit spots are a way for our children to try out a new way to enjoy the world around them – observing the sights, sounds, smells, and touch of the natural world. 

In addition, our children have enjoyed the classic activities of the outdoor environments – working with manipulatives, gardening, reading stories, and fine and gross motor play.

Elementary and Adolescents

Our Elementary and Adolescent students have been exploring the natural world of the greater Chesapeake Bay watershed. Along with their work in the outdoor environments, Lower Elementary students recently traveled to Marshy Point Nature Center for a field trip to hike and explore. The children loved seeing and learning more about the creatures who live in the Bay watershed. Seeing the Monarch caterpillars and chrysalis was certainly a highlight!

In Upper Elementary, the students visited Echo Hill Outdoor School for an immersive three day trip. They had the opportunity to explore the Chester River by boat, complete a ropes course, and enjoy many team-building activities. See photos and learn more about their trip here. 

Our Adolescents have been working on campus to prepare the new rain garden and sensory trail for our younger students. They have also been harvesting tomatoes from our gardens to create various dishes before the end of the season. In Art and Physical Education enrichment, they also have ventured off campus to visit Sherwood Gardens to sketch and Oregon Ridge Nature Center to hike.

What’s Next?

We look forward to sharing the many ways that our children and adolescents explore the outdoors this year. Stay tuned for more updates this fall. 

Grand Opening of our new Montessori Nature Center

Grand Opening of our new Montessori Nature Center

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our Greenspring Nature Center! Come take a peek and meet some of our critters during our Spring Showcase on Friday, June 2nd from 3:00-5:00pm.

We created the Nature Center as an extension of our outdoor learning environments. The Nature Center will allow students to develop a broad understanding of nature, encourage a sense of respect and stewardship for the natural world, and care for all the inhabitants of the center. This nature-based space will offer a dynamic learning space for our students to meaningfully engage with life and the natural world.

“The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.”

– Dr. Maria Montessori

Meet a few of our residents in the Nature Center

Daisy

Daisy is a lionhead rabbit from the Carroll County Humane Society.

Barry & Lola

Barry and Lola are parakeets who came from a private owner who could no longer care for them.

Ivan

Ivan is a Russian Tortoise from a private owner who could no longer care for him.

Some of our other animals include Khalessi, a bearded dragon, and Oreo, a Guinea pig, as well as oscar fish, guppies, and beta fish. 

Stop by and visit the Nature Center soon!