Nature Studies encompasses a range of grade-level specific, hands-on themes including organic gardening, composting, water cycles, weather analysis, animal and insect behaviors and habitats, human’s responsibility to the natural world, and more. Our program also takes advantage of “opportunistic learning” where lessons in nature arise spontaneously creating truly authentic and memorable experiences. Finally, students also take time to find their quiet “sit spot” several times a month to sketch and write in their nature journals.

In the early fall, the school’s main lobby features a glass terrarium of Gulf Fritillary Caterpillars engaged in their metamorphosis process. A nature study favorite, students never tire of releasing the beautiful Gulf Fritillary butterflies into the gardens where they can restart their unique life cycle on the school garden’s Passion Fruit vine. 

In addition to sowing and harvesting our fall crops, students enjoy the opportunity to cultivate their garden beds in the spring when they can sell extra crops or summer seedlings to Arborbrook parents and faculty. The money lower school students raise goes back into the nature studies program for future planting. 
 

Arborbrook is proud to host 3 large learning gardens. Our K-6 Edible School Garden contains 14 raised garden beds (at least one per grade), several muscadine vines, passion fruit vines, fig trees, Asian Pear trees, Persimmon trees, and perennial and annual flower beds. Our Junior High Gardens encompass a large raised garden bed, jasmine trellises, and perennial flower beds. In between these two garden areas, our Pollinator Garden serves as a host for a variety of butterflies, bird feeders and our stunning perennial fall Maximillian Sunflowers. 

Our woodland playground serves as an entrance to our wooded trails where students can explore everything from native plants and trees, decomposing logs, mushrooms and lichen, insect species and bird nests. In the spring, the dry woodland creek bed fills with life, and students can wade in the water searching for tadpoles and crayfish. 

Outdoor Education
In the lower grades, students have nature study classes and in high school Arborbrook encourages students to get outside and spend a full day interacting in nature. To accomplish this, Arborbrook requires students to have participated in 17 Outdoor Education days prior to graduation. Through a parent volunteer team the school sets up specific outdoor activities on five Fridays per year. These activities are outdoor experiences such as biking, canoeing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, rock climbing, skiing, tubing and wilderness adventures. These special days are designed to help direct high school students toward spiritual and intellectual growth through experiences outside the traditional classroom setting. The goal is for them to experience, enjoy and interact with nature, develop community with one another and at the same time, grow in their appreciation for the Creator! 

Arborbrook Christian Academy is located on the edge of one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Charlotte, North Carolina is exploding in population, housing and business construction. Despite this fast-pace development, Arborbrook supports an ever-growing enclave of families who desire an education committed to slowing down, engaging in hands-on experiences, and celebrating and preserving the natural world.  Arborbrook desires to combat the American “nature-deficit disorder”, especially in the face of Charlotte’s disappearing green communities. Outdoor education is one of our school pillars, and students come to expect formal instruction and informal self-discoveries among the gardens and nature trails around campus.