Nature Journaling with Elementary Students

Nature journaling isn’t just a drawing activity. It’s an opportunity to foster observation, patience, curiosity, and gratitude. It supports the work of Cosmic Education by placing children in relationship with their environment, helping them see that they are part of a much larger, interconnected whole. Even a single fallen leaf or an ant carrying food becomes a thread in the great cosmic story.

In the Montessori elementary classroom, we don’t just teach children about the world, we invite them to step into it, eyes wide and pencils ready. Nature journaling is a simple, powerful practice that helps students connect more deeply with the living world around them. Whether your classroom backs up to wild woods or sits in the middle of a parking lot, you have what you need to begin.

A Cosmic Connection: Nature Journaling and the Great Lessons

In the second plane of development, Montessori students are hungry to understand their place in the universe. Cosmic Education offers them that grand vision while inviting them to explore how every part of the natural world, from atoms to galaxies, plays a role in the unfolding story of life.

Nature journaling becomes a quiet, ongoing extension of that story. As students sketch the veins of a leaf or track the flight of a bird, they aren’t just observing, they’re participating. They begin to see how living things adapt, interact, and depend on one another. The abstract concepts introduced in the Great Lessons, like the interdependence of all life or the laws of the natural world, become tangible through firsthand experience.

When a child notes the phases of the moon or the blooming patterns of a wildflower, they’re not just recording data, they’re developing a sense of reverence. That reverence is at the heart of Cosmic Education. Through nature journaling, students cultivate both scientific understanding and deep gratitude, two essential foundations for stewardship of the Earth.

In this way, the practice of nature journaling helps fulfill Maria Montessori’s vision: not just of a well-educated child, but of a hopeful child. One who feels a sense of purpose, belonging, and responsibility in the great cosmic tale.

Easy Ways to Begin Nature Journaling Today

Credit My Nature Diaries

And it’s easier than you might think to begin.

You don’t need special materials, just a blank notebook and something to write or draw with. Start small. Invite students to sit quietly for a few minutes outside or near a window and ask: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you wonder about? Resist the urge to direct too much. Montessori students thrive when they feel their work is their own.

Here are a few gentle ways to incorporate nature journaling into your week:

• Create a nature shelf or “specimen of the week”: Rotate items for observation – leaves, feathers, rocks, and let students sketch and label them.

• Take micro-hikes: Even a walk around the school grounds can offer new perspectives. Encourage students to pause, kneel, and notice what’s at their feet.

• Integrate journaling into other subjects: A botany lesson might lead to a sketch of a plant’s parts; a poem about the seasons might inspire a watercolor of the sky.

There’s no “right” way to do it. The goal isn’t perfect drawings or polished entries, just presence. When children take time to look closely and record what they see, they build a habit of noticing. And that habit, nurtured over time, helps them grow into the kind of adults who care for the world because they know it.

Integrating Science and the Arts for Ecological Literacy

Making time for our students to appreciate our Earth is so beneficial. While it might create extra work (wet coats, lost gloves, muddy boots) the payoff is worth it.

One way to bring your students together with nature is by using nature as a catalyst for writing. Using experiences from the outside world can inspire your students’ writing, regardless of the season of the year. Nature journals are a time-tested way to easily integrate nature across curriculum areas.

In her course Eco-Art & Nature Journaling, Kelly Johnson walks you through how to begin a nature journaling practice and how to incorporate it into educational settings. You will get lots of ideas for how to teach nature journaling, create a journal, use journaling prompts, and more. The course will also show you how to combine the study of nature and art into your curriculum to increase eco-literacy.

Drawing on the strength of children’s inherent connection to nature, and Montessori’s valuing of nature in childhood, you will walk away with innovative practical applications for integrating art and science into the classroom while promoting a connection to place and the natural world right outside our doors.

Integrating Gardening Throughout the Elementary Curriculum

If you are feeling inspired to take your nature work a step further, our course School Gardens in the Montessori classroom is a wonderful next step. Designed specifically for elementary teachers, this course offers practical tools and guidance to help you start and sustain a thriving school garden. You will learn how to plan for success, establish safety procedures, and avoid the common pitfalls that lead to burnout. More importantly, you will gain a clear vision for how to give your garden true purpose and meaning within your classroom community.

Gardening with children is not just about growing plants. It is about growing responsibility, connection, and wonder. This course explores the deep alignment between Dr. Montessori’s vision for children in nature and what current research tells us about the benefits of outdoor learning. You will explore ways to integrate gardening into your existing lessons, discover extension ideas that support the Montessori curriculum, and reflect on how to overcome barriers to outdoor education in your own setting.

By the end of the course, you will feel confident and well-equipped to garden with your students. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or completely new to planting with children, you will come away with fresh ideas, meaningful lesson plans, and a renewed sense of purpose for bringing the outdoors into your Montessori practice.

Nature as a Tool for Teaching Writing

Many Montessori teachers find that when children spend time in nature, their writing begins to shift. Observations grow more detailed. Descriptions become more vivid. There is a noticeable difference when students write about something they have truly experienced with all their senses. Nature becomes not just a setting but a source of inspiration.

If you are looking for fresh ways to inspire writing in your Montessori classroom, this free webinar is a wonderful place to start. Explore how meaningful connections with the natural world can spark creativity and help students fall in love with the writing process. Whether your classroom is nestled in a city, surrounded by suburbs, or rooted in a rural landscape, you will find practical ideas to bring nature into your writing work.

This webinar is especially designed for Montessori elementary teachers who want to integrate nature into their curriculum and motivate their students to write with joy and purpose. You will learn how to use outdoor experiences as writing prompts, connect nature exploration to core subjects, and design nature inspired lessons that complement what is already on your shelves. It is a simple and beautiful way to deepen your students’ learning while encouraging thoughtful observation and reflection.

Credit Wings,Worms, and Wonder

Other Resources for Natural Journaling

How to Start Nature Journaling with Kids from Nature Inspired Learning – A comprehensive guide to nature journaling. This article really goes deep into all of the ways you can approach nature journaling. From sensorial writing prompts to research assignments, this post has many great ideas.

Outdoor Nature Journaling from Nature of Art – Nature journaling from an artist’s perspective. This article points out the cohesiveness of the great lessons and nature journaling as follow-up work. This post included many prompt ideas.

Nature Journal from Montessori Nature – A free printable that is a little simpler. Perfect for a younger student who needs help getting started.

Nature Journaling: Get Started and Grow from John Muir Laws – If you need a place to get started, this is a wonderful article to get you going with lots of ideas and links to free resources.