Explorations Curriculum Scope and Sequence - Grades K-3 and 6-8
Explorations is one of the Keystone subjects at the GreenMount School. It is our
environmental education program and is based on what we call the Four A’s; Awareness,
Acclimatization, Appreciation, and Action. The curriculum follows the concentric circle
model for elementary and middle school education, with the innermost circle representing
the child, moving out to family, community, city, state, region, country and world.
Additionally, the curriculum is based on seasonal changes, the awareness of which is a
child’s first connection to nature. All children at GreenMount plan, plant and maintain
the school’s raised-bed gardens. We raise vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers. The
harvest is donated to local food pantries and kitchens and is part of our community
service learning program. Adjacent to the school is Stony Run, an urban stream that
serves as a destination for ongoing streamside hikes, observations, and city ecology
lessons.
Primary Pod:
Kindergarten and Grade 1:
Fall Trimester:




What’s Happening in Nature
This Month?
Why does it rain? Intro to the
water cycle
We are the same: plant, animal
and human needs


Fall leaves, anatomy of leaves,
leaf tracings
Schoolyard exploration
Gardening


Bird species at the feeders
Winter camouflage


Schoolyard exploration
Plant propagation: cuttings
Winter Trimester:


What’s Happening in Nature
This Month?
Animal Adaptations for Winter
Spring Trimester:



What’s Happening in Nature
This Month?
Life Cycle: Frogs, Toads, Newts,
and Salamander
Gardening
1
Grades 2 and 3:
Fall Trimester:




Life cycle: monarch butterfly
Seed production in nature
Gardening
Tree Unit: Identifying with
Leaves & Branch Structure,
Aging


Wildlife in Baltimore City
Plant and animal preparations for
Winter



Intro to Chesapeake Bay
How is snow formed?
Aquatic Animals in Winter


Gardening
Spring Migrations (focus on red
knots and horseshoe crabs)
Introduction to the lunar cycle
Winter Trimester:



Birds at our feeder and birdcalls
Winter Camouflage
Scientific Illustration
Spring Trimester:



Life Cycle: Frogs, Toads, Newts,
and Salamander
Frog Calls
Plant propagation from seed

Intermediate Pod:
Grades 4 and 5:
Children in these grades study the Science of Explorations, which delves deeper into the
science behind Explorations; for details, see the Science Curriculum.
Middle School Pod:
Grade 6:
Fall Trimester:



Gardening
Preparations for cold weather
2
Ecology of Canada Goose in
Maryland

Camping: planning and
equipment

Camping trip: River Ecology

Wildlife of Maryland

Nature photography

Caribou Migrations and Natural
Resources in ANWAR


Caribou Migration
Sustainability and Energy

Wild Edibles


World Population Growth
Tree Identification by bark,
leaves and silhouette
Winter Trimester:


Birds at the Feeder and their calls
Nature Literature for young
adults
Spring Trimester:


Fresh Water Ecology
Gardening
Grade 7:
Fall Trimester:



Nature Photography
Gardening
Water Supply: Locally to
Globally
Winter Trimester:


Nature Literature for young
adults
Scientific Illustrations
Spring Trimester:


Reptiles and Amphibians of
Maryland
Gardening
Grade 8:
Fall Trimester:


Gardening
Leaf Colors and lab extracting
colors
Winter Trimester:
3


Nature literature for young adults
Birds at the Feeder and their calls


Energy Audit of GMS
Nature photography


Wildflowers of Maryland
Spring migrations
Spring Trimester:


Gardening
Medicinal Plants
4