Environmental Education & The Cosmic Curriculum at Hilltop Montessori School

Sustainability and the instruction of environmental education is inherent in all aspects of each learner’s day at Hilltop Montessori School. Hilltop takes special pride in their “Mamma Rainbow’s Gardening and Nutrition” program which actively engages learners in the practices of healthy eating. As Montessori faculty, we embrace Dr. Montessori’s cosmic curriculum, which fits hand in hand with our environmental education initiatives. As educators, the need for a comprehensive garden nutrition program seems necessary as an extension of the cosmic/environmental education. In keeping with this initiative, we are especially proud of our “Farm to Fork” lunch program and our wellness class for grades K-8.

The mission of the Mamma Rainbow’s curriculum is to create and sustain organic gardens and landscapes that integrate into the school’s curriculum, including food preparation, botany, studies of various cultures nourishment and good nutrition. 

Hilltop involves all students in the aspects of gardening, harvesting, preparing and serving food as a means of encouraging healthy eating habits and appreciation of various forms of fresh, organic produce and honey from the school’s gardens and apiary. Please also refer to our website page on sustainability for more information about our campus “green” initiatives.

Curriculum objectives include:

1. Student instruction in sustainability, gardening and botany.
2. Connectedness to land, earth and the community of Alabama.
3. Personal impact of healthy food choices.
4. Wellness of body, mind and spirit as it relates to environmental/cosmic education.