The Seed
Founded 13 years ago, The Nature of Things began as a small, private preschool located in an addition to the Gleeson family home. We began to build the school with the intention of reconnecting children with the great outdoors and instilling an appreciation of the natural world. We also aimed to bring children back to a simpler time when kids understood where their food came from and their diets were not filled with additives, pesticides, refined sugars, and artificial colors. Believing we could reach families by educating children and promoting healthy lifestyles, we set off!
The Sapling
The ultimate goal was always to run a school on a working farm. Before long, The Nature of Things was outgrowing its small space, but the search for the perfect farm came up empty handed. Instead, the school was expanded to our Merrit Parkway location. It had forested land out back, plenty of room for a garden, and a nice little pond nearby for nature studies. The space was ample, sunny, and convenient... but it still wasn't a farm.
In 2006, the perfect property was finally discovered: twenty-two acres of fields and forest complete with a barn, pond, and access to a main road, all while abutting 350 acres of conservation land. We hit the ground running. Four years later we have a working farm with nine Nubian milk goats, six Romney sheep, two fainting goats, two alpaca, twenty-six hens, one rooster, two horses, ten Indian Runner ducks and four rabbits. The school is licensed through grade six.
Our new healthy high performance school building meets strict criteria for site selection and sustainable building practices while utilizing highly efficient plumbing systems, solar voltaic electricity, and a super-efficient geothermal heating system. It also utilizes recycled and local materials, maximizes natural lighting, includes certified wood from sustainably managed forests, and is void of products that contain toxins that may contribute to unhealthy buildings. Working closely with a team of green architects, planners, environmental science specialists, and local contractors, 2nd Nature Academy recently became the first LEED certified green school in New Hampshire!
Our Roots
At The Nature of Things, we try to provide an alternative educational environment with a strong emphasis on environmental science education, sustainable farming education, and sustainable lifestyles. It is our objective to provide a learning environment that enables children to experience success in all curriculum areas through the use of an integrated, multi-sensory curriculum, inquiry based curriculum. Through use of the Multiple Intelligence rationale, we teach through eight areas of intelligence:
Multiple Intelligences graph
(http://www.geography.org.uk/image/page/steelfig2.jpg)
With a well-rounded, hands-on approach, students at 2nd Nature Academy and Nature's Pathways are given opportunity to explore all subject areas through the use of music, movement, manipulatives, drama, literature, nature walks, cooking, art, group projects, individual activities, and discussion as well as traditional textbook modes.
For more information on our curriculum, please see our website at Nature's Academy!
Branching Out
Ultimately, it is our hope that by providing today's children with an education that keeps them healthy and happy, they will be able to pass it on as the stewards of tomorrow's Earth! And we hope this blog helps your family in those pursuits!
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