Our Learning Process

At Green Apple Garden, we believe that play is the fundamental work of childhood. We honor children’s needs and interests by using an emergent curriculum that has four major components:

  • Environmental Education, Stewardship & Justice

  • Social-Emotional Learning

  • Process Art

  • Anti-Bias Education 

Step 01: Exploration

Children engage in self-directed exploration. They discover new materials and have novel experiences in the learning environments that are carefully cultivated by our teachers and those created by nature.

Step 02: Inquiry

Children ask questions about the subject matter they are interested in. They express their questions directly and through art and conversation with their classmates and teachers. Children have hands on experiences which allows them to delve deeper into their questions.

Step 03: Investigation

Children seek answers to questions through books, songs, observing and talking with peers. Teachers are available as co-researchers and document children’s findings through art, photography, and written narratives.

Step 04: Representation

Children represent their long-term project, or investigation with an exhibit, presentation, or other visual representation of knowledge gained. Families are often invited to participate in this aspect.

Step 05: Integration

Children integrate knowledge gained throughout their lives. They find commonalities in unexpected places and delight in new discoveries.