EDUCATING WITH NATURE 8 THE MONTESSORI METHOD IN EDUCATION 11 MARIA MONTESSORI AND A REVOLUTION IN TEACHING 11 THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE MONTESSORI METHOD 12 APPLYING THE MONTESSORI TEACHING METHOD 14 A KEY PRINCIPLE OF THE MONTESSORI METHOD: SENSITIVE PERIODS 15 THE ROLE OF NATURE IN EDUCATION 20 MANKIND AND NATURE 21 NATURE FROM A MONTESSORI PERSPECTIVE 24 LIVING NATURALLY 26 FEELING FOR NATURE AND COSMIC EDUCATION 29 NATURE IN MONTESSORI SCHOOL EDUCATION 31 NATURE IN EVERYDAY LIFE 34 55 ACTIVITIES FOR BEING IN CONTACT WITH NATURE 36 GROUND RULES: RESPECTING NATURE 38 EXPERIENCING NATURE 40 NATURE’S COLORS 42 MAKING DESIGNS USING STONES 44 HUNTING FOR SMELLS 46 A BOX OF SMELLS 48 GATHERING MOSS AND OBSERVING IT UNDER A MICROSCOPE 50 MAKING SEED AND BERRY NECKLACES 52 MAKING A DAISY NECKLACE 54 SHUCKING A CORNCOB 56 LOOKING FOR STONES AND COLORING THEM WITH WATERCOLORS 58 CONSTRUCTING FIGURES WITH CHESTNUTS 60 DEPICTING A FLOWER FROM LIFE 62 MAKING SIMPLE STENCILS AND STAMPS FROM NATURE 64 CREATING A STARRY SKY WITH POTATO STAMPS 66 BUILD A TRAY FOR OBSERVING THINGS WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS 68 BUILD A MOBILE WITH OBJECTS FROM NATURE TO DECORATE YOUR HOME 70 PAINTING WITH DANDELIONS 72 BUILDING TOWERS WITH POLISHED STONES OF DIFFERENT SIZES 74 PLAYING WITH FINE MOTOR SKILLS BY SEPARATING SEEDS 76 MAKING A MANDALA WITH COLORED CHALK AND FLOWER PETALS 78 COLORING SNOW 80 CREATING MOSAICS FROM PICTURES USING DRIED FRUIT AND GRAINS 82 CREATING DESIGNS FROM LEAVES 84 CREATING BIRDS FROM BEANS 86 MAKING FIGURES WITH PIECES OF WOOD 88 MOVING IN NATURE 90 JUMPING INTO PUDDLES AFTER A THUNDERSTORM 92 JUMPING FROM A ROCK 94 KEEPING BALANCE WHILE WALKING 96 DOING SOMERSAULTS ON THE LAWN 98 WALKING BAREFOOT: A PATH FOR THE SENSES 100 AN OUTDOOR SCAVENGER HUNT 102 SEARCHING FOR THE SEASONS 104 BIRDWATCHING 108 TAKING CARE OF LIVING THINGS 110 SPROUTING A BEAN IN A GLASS JAR 112 GROWING SEEDS INSIDE OF SMALL PUMPKINS 114 LOOKING FOR SNAILS AFTER IT RAINS 116 PREPARING A HOME FOR SMALL BIRDS 118 GROWING SALAD GREENS 120 MAKING A SMALL VEGETABLE GARDEN ON A BALCONY 122 TAKING CARE OF A HOUSEPLANT 124 MAKING BAGS OF SEED FOR BIRDS 126 OBSERVING SMALL INSECTS OUTDOORS, USING A MAGNIFYING GLASS 128 CREATING AND MAINTAINING A SMALL ZEN GARDEN 130 NATURE AND DISCOVERY 132 IDENTIFYING NORTH AND SOUTH WHILE OUTDOORS 134 COLLECTING TRASH LEFT ON THE BEACH 136 LEARNING TO RECYCLE 138 LARGE/SMALL: COMPARING SIZES USING FRUIT PITS AND SEEDS 140 HEAVY/LIGHT: COMPARING THE WEIGHT OF FRUITS AND NUTS 142 THICK/THIN: COMPARING THICKNESS USING FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PEELS 144 ROUGH/SMOOTH: COMPARING DIFFERENT SURFACE TEXTURES WHEN TOUCHING NATURAL OBJECTS 146 CONSTRUCTING A LIFE CYCLE 148 OBSERVING THE SUN’S EFFECT ON A POOL OF WATER 150 GETTING TO KNOW AND PICKING FRUIT IN AN ORCHARD 152 GOING OUT IN THE EVENING: DISCOVERING THE NATURAL WORLD AT NIGHT 154 OBSERVING THE STARS AND MOON OUTDOORS WITH A TELESCOPE 156 WATCHING THE SUN RISE AND SET 158 BIOGRAPHY AND PHOTO CREDITS 160