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NATURE AS A LIVING TEACHER 

Our homeschool curriculum includes a dedicated section called Nature as a Living Teacher,
which fully supports and aligns with the philosophies and educational approaches of The Jane Goodall Institute Australia and Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature.
This component encourages experiential, relationship-based learning with the natural world, fostering environmental stewardship, curiosity, empathy, and deep nature connection through hands-on exploration, storytelling, and mentoring practices.


The Jane Goodall Institute Australia Roots & Shoots Program:

Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots is a youth service program for Australian young people of all ages.
It's mission is to foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs,
and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for people, other animals, and the environment.
Roots & Shoots is a global network of young people taking action to improve our world.
It is a youth-led action program that is currently making a difference in over 50 countries.
It builds on Dr. Jane’s legacy and vision of placing the power and responsibility for creating solutions to big challenges in the hands of the young people. All around the world today, youth are exploring problems in their communities around animals, people and the environment, brainstorming solutions and creating projects that help to solve the problems.
Roots & Shoots is a program that is different for each and every member around the world.
For instance, a project that works for inner city kids in Australia is going to differ enormously from a project that works in remote towns in Australia.
Thematic Education's - Nature As A Living Teacher Syllabus uses The JGIA Resource Box Program:
The Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots Resource Box for schools is an initiative of the Jane Goodall Institute Australia (JGIA),
with generous funding support from the Phillips Foundation and the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation.
It’s primary objective is to provide education and promote awareness among students and the community about wildlife, the natural environment and challenges facing the planet.
This JGIA program offers a FREE set of educational resources designed for both schools and homeschooling environments. 
The Resource Box is a series of education resources that includes a Parent/Teacher Guide and beautifully illustrated books.
The books are accompanied by curriculum aligned lesson sequences designed to assist parents and teachers to ignite environmental custodianship in students while meeting key learning outcomes.
Educators receive lesson plans, video resources and group support.
Also included is information on how to get involved in the global Roots & Shoots youth-led movement.









 

Dr Jane Goodall and Stewart McPherson take a look at the contents of the 2022 Roots and Shoots Australia Resource Box.

Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature:

Some of you were fortunate to grow up free to roam in the woods – building tree houses in the wild places near our home with parents and mentors who encouraged you – and you want to pass on the tradition.
Or you may be a member of the first generation that didn’t have that privilege – and you want to resurrect the tradition.
All of us can use the ideas, perspective, inspiration and examples in Coyote’s Guide to help strong nature connections again flourish in our communities.
Part mentor’s manual and part activities guide, this book builds upon the work of the Wilderness Awareness School and presents a novel and distinctive “operating manual” for the No Child Left Inside movement.
Mentoring at Wilderness Awareness School begins with child passions, the aspects of the childhood experience that lead to joy and enthusiasm.
Do you recall what you loved to do as a child, what naturally captured your curiosity?
Another integral component to play and learning are core routines of nature connection.
Core routines are the underlying practices that become a part of how we connect with the world.
Gratitude practices, storytelling, singing, sensory awareness practices, questioning and tracking are just some of the core routines that shape the wilderness awareness school experience.
These habits help us raise our awareness, be receptive to teachable moments and let curiosity lead the way.
Coyote’s Guide embraces children’s playfulness and innate curiosity and lets them, and nature, take the lead.
Thematic Education's - Nature As A Living Teacher Syllabus uses the  Fifty-four activities offered in the book to promote valuable learning experiences in the outdoors, advancing environmental literacy in a way that engages the body, mind, and spirit.
This valuable resource also shows how to use games, thoughtful questions, storytelling, and music to instill a passion for learning.
The teachings in the book introduce us to a powerful framework for building nature connection that is adaptable to kids of all ages and at different stages of nature connection.
The book is written by Jon Young, Ellen Haas, & Evan McGown and includes:

1/Principles of Nature Connection

2/Techniques of Coyote Mentoring

3/Routines and Activities for nature connection

Coyote’s Guide reveals the strategy inside the mind of the “coyote mentor” and offers dozens of activities, so you can easily design amazing learning experiences that fit your plan, your people, and your place. It sets fresh standards for environmental literacy that engages body, mind, and spirit. 

Core Routines of Nature Connection:
Core routines are the underlying practices that become a part of how we connect with the world.
Core Routines of nature connection are things people do to learn nature's ways.
These routines belong to no culture in particular, but are universal, belonging to all who live on the Earth.
If we can inspire practice of these routines, remembering our original instructions will happen on its own.

The Core Routines of Nature Connections are things people do to learn nature’s ways.
They aren’t lessons. They aren’t knowledge. They are learning habits.
These routines are the underlying practices we inspire and facilitate people into doing whenever they go outdoors.
They rest beneath all structured and seemingly unstructured lessons or activities, whether we engage one-on-one or students cruise the trails by themselves.
Routines will work magically with freedom to come and go as they please like the tides and the seasons.
Some routines will jump to the forefront, begging to be practiced, while others fade in emphasis.
Each human being comes into this world with an ancient blueprint for connecting with the natural world that has its own timetable for learning. Let it flow.
 
There are thirteen Core Routines.

​These thirteen core routines offer a practical framework for advancing nature connection, and connection in general
(after all we are nature).

Coyote teaching doesn't see an "end" to a lesson -- knowledge and wisdom are attained through a cyclical process of repeated exposure. The Coyote Teacher doesn't give a direct answer but tries to mentor the natural curiosity of their students by encouraging further questioning.

coyote's guide to connecting with nature

Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature

Book by Ellen Haas, Evan McGown, and Jon Young

                      The Mindfulness Homeschool Classroom

In a world where children are increasingly exposed to stress, anxiety, and disconnection,
The Mindfulness Classroom offers a nurturing alternative - a space where emotional resilience, compassion,
and inner peace are cultivated as intentionally as academic skills.
This section of the homeschool curriculum is dedicated to mindful living.
It’s designed to support families in raising children who are not only educated but deeply attuned to themselves, others, and
the world around them.
Through gentle guidance and conscious practices, we help children grow into emotionally intelligent, empathetic,
and self-aware individuals.
At the heart of The Mindfulness Classroom lies a profound belief: that every child holds the power to shape their
own life - not according to societal pressures, but from a place of self-knowledge, intuition, and love.
Here, we explore practices such as working with moon phases, tuning into emotions before they overwhelm, and setting heartfelt intentions.
We teach children to honour their energy, connect with nature, and live in the present moment - tools that empower them to live with clarity, purpose, and joy.
This approach naturally aligns with the values held by many homeschooling families: fostering independence, nurturing the whole child, and encouraging authentic, values-based learning.
Each lesson is designed around key themes such as unconditional love, unity, peace, and the eternal now -
shifting the focus from separation and competition to connection, cooperation, and co-creation.
Whether your child is curious, sensitive, wild-hearted, or wise beyond their years,
The Mindfulness Classroom provides a loving framework for their inner growth.
It’s not just an education - it’s a way of being.

                                The Path to 5D Homeschooling: A New Era of Learning

Hello everyone, and thank you so much for being here today.
Whether you're just starting your homeschooling journey or have been doing it for years, it's clear that you're here because you care deeply - not just about academics - but about raising balanced, kind, and conscious children.
Today, I want to introduce you to a concept that beautifully complements the values so many homeschooling families already embrace.
It's called 5D living.
Now, I know that might sound a little abstract at first - but don’t worry, we're going to make it very real and very practical.
So, what is 5D living? At its heart, 5D living is about experiencing life from a higher level of awareness.
It's not about being in a different place physically - but about seeing the world through a lens of love, unity, and inner wisdom, rather than fear, separation, or pressure from the outside world.
In simpler terms, it's like moving from just surviving… to truly thriving.
Now, if you're someone who appreciates science or psychology, think of it as a shift in consciousness.
Just like someone who heals emotionally begins to see life differently, 5D living is that kind of shift - but on a community and even global level.
And for those of you who view life through a spiritual or faith-based lens, you might recognize 5D living as very similar to living by the fruits of the Spirit - love, peace, kindness, patience.
It's about aligning our lives with deeper truth, with grace, and with compassion.
But even if you're a bit skeptical of anything that sounds too "out there" - this is still for you.
Because really, 5D living is about making a choice.
A choice to raise our children in an environment filled with empathy, calm, and understanding.
To help them respond to challenges from a place of strength, not fear.
So how does this tie into homeschooling?
Well, think about the reasons many families choose to homeschool in the first place: nurturing the whole child, encouraging independence, strengthening family bonds, and honoring each child's unique pace and path.
These are all principles of 5D living. 
When we bring 5D principles into our home learning spaces, we give our children more than just knowledge -
we give them wisdom.
Here’s what that can look like:

Emotional Resilience We teach our kids how to pause, breathe, and respond rather than react. So instead of being overwhelmed by stress or anxiety, they learn to navigate life with calm and confidence.

Stronger Relationships By emphasizing empathy and compassion, we help our kids build healthier friendships. They’re more likely to include others, stand up to bullying, and treat people with kindness.

Creative Problem-Solving 5D thinking nurtures curiosity.
Children become more intuitive, open-minded, and imaginative when tackling problems—not afraid of making mistakes, but excited to learn.

Connection to the Planet and Others We help them see that they are part of something greater. That their actions matter. Whether it’s recycling, helping a neighbor, or just noticing the beauty of a tree - this awareness fosters a real sense of belonging.

Mindfulness & Well-Being And of course, through simple daily practices like meditation, gratitude, or mindful movement, we support focus, emotional regulation, and inner peace. 

And here's the best part - it doesn’t take a major overhaul of your curriculum.
It’s not about adding more to your to-do list. It’s about how we do what we already do.
It's about bringing mindfulness, connection, and presence into your day - whether you're doing math, reading a story, or just taking a walk together.
In a 5D-inspired homeschool, your child learns to listen not just to you or a textbook - but to their own heart, their own intuition.
They become empowered learners who are emotionally grounded, spiritually aware, and socially responsible.
And as a family? You grow stronger. You communicate more openly. You support one another with love and understanding.
So whether you’re here because you want to reduce stress, deepen your family connection, or raise children who are kind and resilient in a sometimes chaotic world - 5D living offers a beautiful, aligned path forward.
Thank you for being open to this conversation.
It truly is a joy to witness families who are choosing to raise the next generation with intention, heart, and consciousness.
Together, we are creating a better world - not just for our children, but through our children.
Let’s keep growing, learning, and thriving .Together, we can raise a generation of children who lead with kindness, think with clarity, and live with a sense of purpose that uplifts not just their own lives, but the world around them.

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