Northland Pines Montessori Learning Center and St. Germain Elementary School are located on magnificent school grounds that provide endless amounts of environmental education opportunities. Below are just a few examples of some of our outdoor learning facilities and opportunities:

• School Pond - Our school pond is abundant with life including fish, frogs, turtles, and macroinvertebrates. It allows for great science studies centered on water quality, ecosystems, habitats and much more.
• Pumpkin Patch - Every spring students plant cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and more. This leads to a fall full of hands-on learning. Students cook and bake a variety of foods with the fruits. They also use them for other forms of learning in science and math.
• Apple Orchard - Our apple orchard teaches students about where food comes from, pollination, health, science and much more. We also have acres of forests near our grounds which allow us to tap Maple Trees and make maple syrup and learn about various aspects of forests.
• Gardens - We have a garden with an array of fruits, herbs, vegetables and even chickens.
• Awassa Hiking Trail - The Awassa Hiking Trail connects to our school grounds which leads to miles of hiking, cross-country skiing, geocashing and much more! 

Environmental learning is education about the environment, in the environment and for the environment.

With the goal of integrating environmental thinking and ideas into learner’s everyday lives, environmental learning promotes:

• integrating science and social sciences with a multi-disciplinary approach
• learning about the Earth’s ecosystems
• identifying our individual and cultural values
• making informed and responsible choices
• critiquing societal and industrial practices that contribute to environmental problems

Environmental learning can take place just about anywhere – however in the outdoor learning area at St. Germain Elementary School, students are immersed in learning right in the heart of the Northwoods.