Our mission at LFNS is to create an environment which fosters a lifelong love for learning and connection with the natural world for our community of learners ages 0-12 through Montessori inspired and hands-on learning experiences that the farm and forest richly provides.
Jr. Homesteaders Community
A farm and forest homeschool enrichment program
Thursdays 9-1pm
Ages 8-13
Tuition: $60 a class. Average month has 4 classes. Paid monthly.
September 5 - November 21, March - May
Located on Black Ridge Farms, Palouse WA
About Jr. Homesteaders Class:
Our vision for Jr. Homesteaders is to be a homeschool enrichment program that teaches children many useful practical life skills associated with homesteading, a deeper understanding of nature, environmental and agricultural processes and a program that would create a community for homeschoolers to feel themselves and grow their love for learning and connection to literature.
Literature based learning - Mrs. Morgan plans to read aloud around the campfire from books such as Little Britches series (still finalizing our book choices) to go alongside many of the projects done at class.
Child led learning - We strive to meet each learner where they are at and honor each child’s learning style. We strive to follow the interests of the each individual child as well as the group as a whole.
Practical life
Handwork - Weaving, felting, wood carving, leather working, sewing and crocheting
Homesteading skills - Canning, pickling, candle and soap making and cheese processing.
Wood working
Animal husbandry
Animal, natural and environmental sciences - We plan to study a farm animal each month as well us other seasonal natural science learning opportunities that we observe from nature and the farm.
Forest schooling - Survival skills, foraging, plant identification, fort building, tree climbing
Journaling and dictation opportunities - Each child will have a journal for school and are invited to make entries on what they learn.
Build community!
Mixed age learning environment - Children from ages 7-12 will be in this community creating a multi aged learning environment that gives leadership opportunities and fosters collaborative learning.
End of Year Project Presentation and Benefit Sale - At the end of the year in May we plan to have a large sale showcasing and selling their various projects of choice. For example we might plan to sell salves, candles, handwork projects from the year, canning and baking products. The children will be a part of all the money management from the sale and of deciding what the funds will go toward for our school.
Daily Rhythm
Feed animals
Class work - This may include handwork, journal entries, readings around the campfire, campfire cooking, baking, gardening, homestead projects, animal study projects
Lunch
Forest free play (with Wildflowers class)
Meet the teacher
Morgan Stevenson
BS Psychology & Early Childhood Development & Toddler Mom.
At my core, I love being outside and learning from nature. I moved to Northern Idaho in 2011 and graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in Child Development and Psychology in 2019. The intersection of childhood development and education and nature exploration has always been so exciting to me. I taught at Palouse Roots nature school from 2020-2021 and observed firsthand the multi-faceted benefits of child-led nature play, particularly in the early years. I am so excited to be a part of Little Farm nature School and hope to spark a love of nature and creativity in my students there. With my background in psychology, I am deeply committed to helping children thrive in positive, loving environments.
When I can, I love hiking and camping, gardening, and curling up with a good book, all while raising her intrepid two-year-old daughter alongside her husband in Moscow, Idaho.
“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.”
-Thomas Berry
Contact us.
littlefarmmontessori@gmail.com