Our eco-literacy curriculum connects children with nature. Early childhood classes spend dedicated time each week learning through gardening, playing in the mud kitchens, taking trail walks in the woods, and exploring all of the green space that our campus offers.

Research has shown the importance of outdoor play and exploration, and our teachers can attest to the positive impacts they have seen when taking children outside.

Junior PK, PK, and Kindergarten students embark on a day of eco-literacy learning outside one day each week. Students bring boots and rain jackets to school in case it rains on their outdoor day.  All learning and exploration lessons take place outside within our early childhood gardens, outdoor classrooms, and hiking trails.

The goals of this program are to increase fine and gross motor skills, develop and increase social emotional learning skills, communication skills, and problem solving and critical thinking skills, while giving children the opportunity to be curious and drive their own inquiry for learning within nature.

Outdoor learning leads to greater resilience because students are encouraged to take appropriate risks, be challenged, ask questions and ponder. Developing a love and respect for nature and how we interact with the environment is key to the mission of Bright, where students learn to become “wise and compassionate citizens of the world.”

In addition to one day of full eco-literacy learning outside the classroom, JPK-K students also take part in environmental science lessons twice a week led by our eco-literacy specialist and master gardener. This additional special area class builds a strong science foundation leading up to our 1-5 science program. 

All students have daily recess and P.E. -- often outdoors -- built into their schedules.