Programs
Summer camp
Join us for Summer Camp at Chestnut Montessori School!
The focus for this year’s Summer School is Environmental Studies. Students will enjoy Botany Studies, Zoology Studies, Sensorial Studies, Science Experiments, Food Tasting, Art Projects, Geography Studies, and more!
Summer Session I (June 15-June 26, closed June 19): Where Does Our Food Come From?
Students will begin the summer by learning where farms are located and study and overview of farm to table, along with a food map. They will learn the needs of plants, including weeding and watering, along with the lifecycle of plants, parts of plants we eat, and what is inside a flower. They will sprout seeds and start a mini garden, along with making a work chart to ensure that the gardens are taken care of each day. Students will explore food preparation through washing fruit/vegetables, making butter, squeezing fruit, cutting/slicing, grating, and preparing vegetables. The class will make and enjoy a meal together at the end of the camp.
Summer Session II (June 29-July 10, closed July 3): Study of Nature
During Summer Session II, students will study the weather around the world and how it connects with farms and animals. They will track the weather and water cycle. Their Zoology studies will take them to the creatures in the soil and how this impacts the gardens. They will study leaves and how they change throughout the seasons, making nature prints. Some of their projects will include creating a tornado in a bottle, shaving cream rain clouds, conducting soil samples on campus, creating a soil shake jar, water cycle in a bag, and evaporation science experiments. They will also continue to tend to CMS gardens.
Summer Session III (July 13-July 24): Care of Environment
During this fun session, students will learn about recycling, upcycling, composting, and reducing waste! They will study how food becomes soil and learn where their trash goes once it leaves the school. They will make recycled art and study shapes in nature. They will also learn about the needs of animals. Students will learn how to sort recycled items and collaborate to make a compost bin! Some other projects include recycled windchimes, simple machines, bridge building, melting crayons, making paper, water clock timer, marble roller coaster with toilet paper rolls, and a paper chain challenge!
Summer Session IV (July 27-August 7): Science and the Environment
Summer Session IV brings the studies of Water Runoff, Air Pollution, and Decomposition. Students will learn an overview of decomposition and decomposition helpers. They will study air pollution and track the different parts of the world that are impacted the most by air pollution. They will create a Sensory Table where they will decide what belongs in the oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams. Students will create art on homemade paper, take nature walks, create a crumpled watershed, have a runoff race, create petroleum jelly air catchers, make smog in a jar, and observe plastic versus nature decomposition.
Summer Session V (August 10-August 21): Showing Connections and Recognizing Purpose and Place
Summer Session V will bring students to connections, where they will learn about the importance of water. They will study how the environment impacts animals – where animals go to eat and how the environment impacts where animals eat. Students will study plants eaten by animals and plants eaten by humans and where these might overlap. Their tasting circle will include foods that are eaten by both humans and animals. With their study of water, they will enjoy watercolor art during this session. Other activities will include an oxygen experiment, storytelling of the environment, and water activities.
Summer Session VI (August 24-August 28): Lego Camp/How Can We Be Good Stewards of the Environment?
Students will wind down the summer by playing along with friends, building with Legos, according to age and skills set. On Friday, they will take home their favorite creation. This wrap-up of summer will include projects using recycled materials, nature walks, outside story times, and activities that promote environmental stewardship.
What People are Saying
Parent Reviews
"Our two daughters were extremely fortunate to spend 4 and 6 years at Chestnut Montessori School. Chestnut helped encourage the girls to be the passionate, curious, and compassionate people they both are today. Chestnut and Mrs. Hanson fully embrace the Montessori philosophy and helped our girls develop at their own rate - helping them to love learning and, most importantly, playing and enjoying time with other like-minded children. Their mantra of grace and courtesy as well as global citizenship lives on in our family today. We cannot recommend this school enough to help young children become amazing young adults. We were very excited to hear that Ms. Stefanski has now returned and cannot wait to continue to see how the school develops."
— Jason and Maureen Hogg
