Creating Little Botanist was presented at the Anchorage Association for the Education of Young Children Conference February 2015 by Katie Olson. Katie has over 12 years experience working as the Directress at The Learning Tree Montessori and also serves as the Program Chair at Alaska Christian College in Soldotna. This session takes a look at the importance of creating a connection with the natural world in order to help young children self-regulate, focus, develop observation skills, and develop a life-long loving relationship with nature. This session helps outline how educators might develop a framework for an outdoor experiential classroom for children 3-11.

1. CREATING LITTLE
BOTANIST
Katie Olson MAT ECE

2. Where to start?
 Go on walks
 Zoom in and out on specific areas
 Break out the magnifiers, insect nets, tweezers, containers,
colored pencils/field journals
 Take time to mediate, pray and simply have peace time in
one area outside.
 Let the students pick their own spots MANY feet away from
their friends (under a tree, by flower bed, by a tall stand of
weeds, a log, etc) (What do you think might happen if they
return to spot each day?)
 No talking –(This is self time) fellowship with everything in that
tiny area
 Start off for one minute then gradual build up to 5+ (try 1 min)
 Have students orally or through writing/drawing describe their
experience each day with the group

3. Your goal
 Create a relationship with the outside world
 Maria Montessori believed the best way to captivate a
child’s interest in learning is through preparing a
thoughtful “prepared environment” (nature vs.
classroom learning)
 Create a natural rhythm of input to children’s
worlds
 Christakis and Zimmerman (2009) state “Young brains
undergo rapid changes during the first three years of
life. External stimuli are known to influence
neurological development and to set patterns for life.
Therefore the quality and quantity of stimulation that
young children are exposed to, carries lifelong
cognitive effects.” (sleep patterns, impulsivity control,
reflection, appreciation of the natural world, health)

4. Reggio Approaches
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Reggio_Emilia/
 The child as an active participant in learning. The Reggio approach “sees a child as a very
competent protagonist and initiator who interacts with their environment,” Lyon says. Andra
Young, head teacher of a Reggio-inspired school in San Francisco, says that students are
allowed to follow their own interests, but that “it's not willy-nilly.” For example, she says,
students in her classroom were showing an interest in building, so she brought wood stumps and
building materials into the classroom. While exploring how to hammer nails, the children were
given the opportunity to reinforce math skills, problem-solving and emerging literacy—all in
relationship to their hands-on project.
 The significance of environment. “The environment of the school is seen as the third
educator,” after the teacher and the parent, says Lyon. Most Reggio classrooms include a studio,
or “atelier,” which is filled with materials such as clay, paint and writing implements. Children use
these materials to represent concepts that they are learning in a hands-on way.
 The teacher, parent and child as collaborators in the process of learning.“Normally,” says
Lyon, “parents are not seen as part of the educational process in an authentic way.” But the
Reggio approach views the parent as an essential resource for the child's learning. To foster
community, Reggio schools host a variety of events throughout each school year, including
conferences and special lectures for parents. “For example, a teacher observed that a lot of
parents were complaining that their children weren't sleeping well,” Lyon says. The school
responded by bringing someone in to speak to parents about the issue.
 Making learning visible. “The teacher observes and documents the daily life of the school to
make learning visible,” says Lyon. In Reggio-inspired classrooms, teachers use a variety of
documentation methods, such as cameras, tape recorders and journals, to track children's
thoughts and ideas as they play together or work with materials. For example, says Young, each
child has a portfolio binder, including photographs of their projects, quotes from the child,
artwork and writing samples. “It's kind of like a narrative of what the child learns at
school,” says Young, noting that the children take great pride and satisfaction in their portfolios.

5. Laying the foundation
 After your morning outside time 15-30 minutes (allow energy
released and interest peaked) I normally return to classroom
for morning meeting/snack. Then create a bank of
questions to engage inquiry, such as:
 What is a plant? (have students share orally, draw, paint and
create)
 Introduce plant puzzles
 Why are these puzzles broken up into parts? (anatomy and
physiology)
 Who knows the names of these parts or what they do? (share
or break up in groups and collaborate/share)
 Share anatomical names and functions (one each day or as
long as your group can stay engaged)

6. Laying the Foundation by posing
questions:
 Do all plants look alike? (have students
share/draw)
 Why do you think scientist group plants?
 After a time of sharing, show an example
 There are THOUSANDS and thousands of plants
so let’s start with how we know about plants?
 Study a group of plants and examine them more
closely
 What purpose do you think this plant (plant
group)has? (let students share their own personal
experiences/knowledge)
 Maybe show a video, share a book, a personal story
about the group of plants

7. Children as Researchers
 Prepare your environment for your purpose
 Have students select a task based on their age
and interest. Examples:
Students should each have a field journal or a
folder to compile their research to bind into a
portfolio from their studies.
 Research three types of angiosperms and tell 3
different uses for that particular plant. (books,
computers, iPads) (teach older students how to cite
their work for reference)
 Draw/paint/create one type of angiosperm
 Have pre-printed coloring sheets with facts about that
particular plant group.

8. Great Resources for your
students
 Wild Herbs Pictures and Usage
http://mamarosemary.com/blog/2014/7/9/teaching-
children-about-wild-herbs-summer-herb-camp-
extra
 USDA Forest Service Wildflowers and Herbs
Coloring sheets with common usages
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/kids/coloring/pages/
westernyarrow.html
 The Taste of Herbs Chart
http://www.methowvalleyherbs.com/2013/10/6-
reasons-why-herbalists-should-study.html

9. Resources for children and
families
 Wild Craft Board Game:
http://learningherbs.com/wildcraft/#wildcraft_intr
o
 Montessori 3 part cards
 Youtube (prescreen) How to harvest, dry/use

10. Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 1
Wild Plantain
Plantago major
•Crush and use to soothe mosquito/bug bites
•Leaves can be eaten in salad, stews/soups or
frozen/dried for teas

11. Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 2
Yarrow
•Use leaves to stop nose bleeds and superficial bleeds
of the body.
•Dry the plant and grind up in a coffee grinder for tea
to help with upper respiratory colds and kidney
infections.

12. Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 3
Dandelion Root
•Good for purification of gallbladder and liver
•Diuretic cleans kidneys
•Source of B vitamins, protein, zinc, fiber and more
•Can have a laxative effect for constipation
•Steve Brill notes “The leafís white, milky sap removes warts,
moles, pimples, calluses, and sores, and soothes bee stings
and blisters.”

13. Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 4
Wild Chamomile or Pineapple Weed
•Relaxes
•Calms tummies
•Helps with headaches
•Calms colic babies

14. Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 5
Wild Alaskan Clover
•Great cancer fighting agent
•Legume and high in fiber
•Helps with inflammation of all sorts
•Used as a expectorant and great for chest colds

15. Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 6
Horsetail
•Dried and used as a tea for urinary tract
infections, inflammatory illnesses
•Kidney stones

16. Our Favorite Wild Alaskan Tree
Spruce
•High in vitamin C (Captain Cook)
•Expectorant for respiratory colds
•New needle buds used for teas (helps asthma)
•Can be made into jams

17. Katie and Lia’s Spruce Gum
Recipe
 Materials needed:
 Clean container for collecting sap
 Clean paint scraper or anything with wide blunt
edge
 Old Sauce pan (will never be able to use for
anything else ever again)
 Camp stove
 Cheese cloth and hemp thread
 Old metal spoon
 Pan filled with water
 Wax paper or Aluminum Foil

18. Katie and Lia’s Spruce Gum
Recipe
 Collect sap
 Place your collection in the middle of double folded cheese
cloth. Tie tightly with hemp rope at top.
 Boil water in your sauce pan.
 Once boiling, place cheesecloth sap into the pan.
 The sap will float out and the bark and bits will stay in the
cheese cloth.
 Collect floating sap and place in cool water.
 Continue until all sap is melted.
 Take all clean sap out of water and place on wax paper.
 Tear off a bit and have yourself a chew.
 It has a wonderful fresh piney flavor 

19. Spruce Gum

20. Other Outdoor Activities/Fun with
Kids

21. Zen Gardens

22. Gardening with Children

23. For more information:
 Katie serves as Directress/Owner at The
Learning Tree Montessori
(Preschool/Kindergarten-Youth Summer
Programs)
 Faculty-Chair Paraprofessional Education at
Alaska Christian College
 Follow us on Facebook:
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Learning-
Tree-Montessori/117807091634383
 kolson@alaskacc.edu
 260-7422 ext 113