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Nature Preschool - The Honeybees & The Chickadees -
LEARNING LENS: Earth's Observers

PROGRESSION of LEARNING

A preschool class at Painted Oak Nature School forms a hike line.
"Prepare and Cultivate"

  • 30 months - 4 years old

  • half day OR full day schedule

  • 12-14 children, 3 guiding adults

  • 50-75% of time spent outdoors

  • focus on relationships and confidence

  • "Is it Safe? Is it Kind? Is it Gentle?"

  • Early Years Foundation Stage

  • seasonal units of study stemming from student interest and questions

  • class Story of Learning

  • individual student Learning Journeys

Preschool students at Painted Oak Nature School study a small bug.
A preschool student at Painted Oak Nature School draws her observations in an indoor classroom.
Preschool students at Painted Oak Nature School help a friend
Forest PreKindergarten - The Frogs & The Toads -
LEARNING LENS: Exploring Our Earth and Beyond

PROGRESSION of LEARNING

A child in the Forest PreKindergarten class goes down a slide in the forest
Forest PreKindergarten students at Painted Oak Nature School enjoy a snack in the forest.
Forest Pre-Kindergarten students at Painted Oak Nature Shool see something in the stream that sparks their curiosity..
A provocation in an outdoor classroom at Painted Oak Nature School
"Seed and Tend"

  • 3 1/2 years - 5 years old

  • half day OR full day schedule

  • 15-18 children, 3 guiding adults

  • 90% of time spent outdoors

  • potty training required

  • focus on play, inquiry, and creativity

  • introduction to phonics and numeracy development through Wild Learning

  • weekly sessions of Forest School combining with Kindergarten

A child in Forest PreKindergarten learns math skills in an outdoor classroom
Kindergarten - The Foxes -
LEARNING LENS: Earth and Human Activity

PROGRESSION of LEARNING

Kindergarten students at Painted Oak Nature School enjoy a stream walk in the forest
Kindergarten students at Painted Oak Nature School build literary skills
Kindergarten students at Painted Oak Nature School keep warm by the fire in their outdoor classroom
Kindergarten students at Painted Oak Nature School work on literary skills.
"Sprout and Spread"

  • 4 years 9 months - 6 years old

  • half day OR full day schedule

  • 15-18 children, 2 guiding adults

  • 50-75% of time spent outdoors

  • focus on balancing play and academics

  • introduction to Core Skills using Fundations and Illustrative Mathematics

  • provide daily school weather report

  • enrichments such as visual arts, performing arts, soccer, social-emotional learning, textiles, and Spanish immersion

Tree stumps in an outdoor classroom allow students to develop strength, confidence, balance, and other gross motor skills.
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