DISCOVER OUR PROGRAMS
TABLE OF CONTENTS | CALENDAR | ALL PROGRAMS
Using natural history study as our educational spine and with lots of opportunities for play and discovery, we will immerse in subjects like science, math, poetry, art, geography, history and environmental stewardship and more! Bean Nature-led program provides a secular, multi-age experience in the best classroom ever – the amazing outdoors!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEW BEan @ATeam; Thursdays 4TH - MIDDLE; Conservation Investigation and Stewardship
Spring Camp; Ages All
DATES TBA
Fledging Forest School; Saturdays; 10-2 pm 3-5yrs and 5.5-9 years
Field Trip Fridays
FALL ECO EARTH DETECTIVES BEan @ A Team M T W TH
Teen Leadership Camp; TNT 1x a month Weekends; Felton
BE IN NATURE NEW NON PROFIT SPROUT
CALENDAR OF PROGRAMS
SPRING FAMILY CAMP IS COMING!
Ages: ALL
2026 NEW SPRING FAMILY CAMP TBA
Dates: SPRING BREAK TIME! ITS COMING!! STAY TUNED! GET ON OUR NEWSLETTER FOR UPDATES!
Time: Spring Break Time; syncing calendars with best Spring Time 3-5 days Family Camp Time
Where: The Nest, Felton, across from Henry Cowell St Pk.; A Private land base and forest we are priveleged to rent for our forest fun adventures
Whet: Come out and Play and Learn wilderness survival skills, Hands on fall crafts, get out hiking in the expansive forest with games and a plant ID walk
.A general structure of our day can include…
Thanksgiving Circle—Sharing words of gratitude, starting at 10:30
Awareness Games—Scout skills, blindfolded drum stalk, camouflage, animal forms, and more
Wandering—Outdoor exploring and harvesting and Plant walk
Wild Crafts & Skills—Let’s make a Fall Craft with wild our gatherings
Food - Come support our Teen’s in Biz! Purchase and Snack on
E ‘n’ E Snacks! Their snacks are organic, locally sourced when possible, handcrafted in small batches, made with love, and free of gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts, and tree nuts.
https://instagram.com/enesnacks_official
Our Forest Family FunDay
Gain Skills
Experience and Immerse
Create
Observe
SNACKS BY E ‘N’ E SNACKS!
Ecology Science Investigations
Spring Earth Investigations!
BEan @ A Team Homeschool Community
Earth Detectives: Adventure & Discovery; Ages: K - 3;
Calling all curious explorers! 🐾 Each week, we’ll head outdoors to investigate, create, and celebrate our amazing planet. Through hands-on adventures, kids will learn how everything in nature is connected — from the tiniest insects to towering oak trees!
SJ Tuesday and Morgan Hill Monday
Earth Nature Connectors: Journals and Inquiry; Ages: K - 3;
We will develop a deep sense of place and connection to nature through mindful observation. We will blend science, art, and storytelling in our own illustrated nature journal. We will cultivate curiosity, empathy, and environmental awareness through creative inquiry
San Jose, Thursday and Morgan Hill Monday
NEW CSI - Conservation, Stewardship, Investigations; NEW 4th- Middle School
An immersive, hands-on program designed to help students in grades 4 through middle school develop a deep understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Through inquiry-based learning, field experiences, and project-based stewardship, students explore ecosystems, examine human impacts on the environment, and discover ways to actively participate in conservation and sustainability efforts.
San Jose, Thursday AND Morgan Hill, Monday
Where you can find us! Monday Morgan Hill; Tuesday San Jose; Wednesday Cupertino; Thursday San Jose
We offer NEW curriculum each semester! WE follow the seasons, while integrating current topics and curriculum choices.
2025 Fall Semester Learn by doing with curriculum we pull from and weave into our daily flow:
Life Lab Garden Curriculum, NGSS Science in the garden Curriculum; UCSC; Valley Water Lessons, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Readers, Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots The Soil Story: Kiss the Ground, Cal Academy of Sciences; Cornell Lab of Ornithology; CA Native Plant Society Nature Journaling; Nature Connection Core Routines from Coyote’s Guide; Braiding Sweetgrass with Natural History, Plant and Indigenous studies curricula
🌱Grades K–3! 🌎 SPRING Earth Detectives: Adventure & Discovery
Calling all curious explorers! 🐾 Each week, we’ll head outdoors to investigate, create, and celebrate our amazing planet. Through hands-on adventures, kids will learn how everything in nature is connected — from the tiniest insects to towering oak trees!
🗺️ What We’ll Explore:
🌿 Mapping Our Place — Sit-spotting & environmental mapping
🌊 California Ecosystems — From mountains to coast
🌼 Gypsy Garden Adventures — Gardening, composting, & plant life
🍎 Where Does Our Food Come From? — Farm-to-table discoveries
🦋 Monarch Migrations — Pollinators & migration paths
💚 Earth Heroes — Real stories of scientists & eco-activists🐾 Plus:
✨ Animal encounters & natural history fun
🎨 Creative art & journaling projects
🚶♀️ Two community field trips per semester
📖 Weekly Discovery Book & home “Fun Work” activitiesThrough observation, journaling, and play, students will grow as eco-explorers, artists, and Earth caretakers — learning to see the world with curiosity and care. 🌍💫
#EarthDetectives #EcoKids #OutdoorLearning #NatureLovers #STEAMLearning #K3Education #HandsOnLearning #KidsInNature #EnvironmentalEducation #CuriousKids
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Calling all young explorers (Grades K–3)! 🐞🌎 Nature Connectors: Journals & Inquiry
Join us for a creative outdoor adventure where kids become artist-scientists — discovering the wonders of nature through drawing, storytelling, and hands-on exploration.✨ Each week we’ll:
🌿 Explore local ecosystems and learn about animals, plants, and pollinators
🎨 Create beautiful nature journals with sketches, watercolor, and poetry
🔍 Practice mindful observation and inquiry like real naturalists
📖 Read inspiring “Discovery Books” that bring art and science to life
🚶♀️ Go on two fun community field trips per semester!💚 Kids will build curiosity, creativity, and a deep love for the Earth — all while learning through play and imagination.
🖋️ Each child keeps their very own Nature Connectors Journal — a treasure of art, stories, and discoveries to share at home!
🌞 Let’s connect, create, and care for our planet — one page at a time.
#NatureConnectors #OutdoorLearning #NatureJournaling #EcoKids #K3Learning #ArtAndScience #CuriousKids #LoveTheEarth #HandsOnLearning
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WE will document our learning in our Natural Studies Learning Journals and share our learning journey with parents in our Google Classroom, with learning materials, FUN WORK, to do at home and follow along our learning journey!
WE will investigate
WE will inspire students using critical thinking skills and have lively discussions, using fun work to learn beyond our time together each week with your student at home.
WE will share our contagious enthusiasm for regenerative earth learning and engage in safe, engaging social emotional learning.
WE will create art using nature and the earth around us.
WE provide a direct, safe animal encounter with some combination of reptiles, amphibians, insect discovery and mammals from our BEan Home Zoo!
WE have fun with nature awareness games and skills and FUN!
BEan staff offers a wealth of classroom experience implementing and adapting curriculum for diverse students.
Our ample resources/curriculum will always be our experience and what our natural environment in our invisible classroom offers us, always changing and thus we will be flexible and dynamic as nature.
Forest School Saturday Friends
3:00 pm
Forest School
BEan JOINs SANTA CRUZ FOREST SCHOOL in Huddart
10-2 PM
WHERE: Woodside Huddart Park and we will park hop to Palo Alto & Cupertino ….
WHO: AGES: 3.5-5 and 5 -9
Huddart Date is Dec 13th, Jan 24th
NEW FIELDTRIP FRIDAYS
WHEN: 1x a month Field Trips ($5 or nominal fee)
AGES: All Family
WHERE: Dec 12th Alum Rock Park; Jan 14 WED Valley Water Education REG HERE
What: Stewardship; Animal Exploration; Natural Space Adventure and Science Study
We will have a Spring Weekend Family Camp NOT included in pricing TBA on dates
Where:
Saturdays 1x a month Woodside and park hopping; <We will be voting on park hoping as well to Foothill Park in Palo Alto and Cupertino Stevens Creek
Fridays 1x month Field trips for Stewarship and Nature Knowledge in the Bay Area
Support Each Week:
Forest School Friend program begins the process of Nature Led Immersion in the early stages of childhood development. Our intentions will be to promote a sense of belonging in nature, with all it’s creatures, and with each other. Mrs. Bean, is skilled at nurturing nature sensory integrative awareness skills and relational regulation skills for young children.
To support the day each enrolled Family will rotate 1 adult volunteer time rotation as needed. Marisa will have Lead Teen, as well, thus our aim is to need minimal Parent/Adult volunteer time to support our day:). See enrollment reg to sign up!
Forest School friends will have the opportunity to engage in CORE ROUTINES each week, including:
gratitude and song circle
storytelling tea time
yoga animal forms
wild play and adventurous wanders
nature awareness games
creative sit spot time
art with a myriad of textitles
closing circle
Children will be introduced to focused themes each week, we will announce in your parent email prior to class start. We will follow nature’s guide of the seasons in our planning and see what our Earth provides for us, to create outdoor time with: wild art, wild play, tree exploration with safe climbing and exploring, shelter, tools, fire, camouflage, eco art, terrestrial creature investigations, wild crafting potions and medicines, creek exploration, wandering, and wild discovery of plants and flowers — exploring these with their peers through inquiry-driven content provided by the creative nature educator.
Example Schedule
Forest School applies creative, place-based, nature curriculum with the trees, the plants, the birds and all the natural spaces as our learning tools, this essential environment supports and invites the child to engage in their mind-body-sensory awareness and immersive connection, regulation to their self and to each other, in simple and natural ways connective, easeful ways.
We begin our day in Gratitude circle with our morning song and share
After this time we find a peaceful spot for snack and story. We will play nature based animal games.
Next we begin our natural science and history wander, exploration time and adventure to new spaces. We will journal, sit spot, create art, connect and play, with curiosity and wonder.
At the end of our time we will wander back to our base camp site. We will circle up with play and connection to share our story of the day on our adventures.
Moms and Dads will return at 2:00 PM to pick us up.
Saturday 5.5 and up will stay until 3 pm.
Each week we will gather as we trickle in slowly, allowing our bodies to catch up and our minds to follow, with no rush to our morning start. Mom or Dad can join their student that is not yet able to stay in class without support. As we grow our confidence our explorations grow longer and our independence grows too.
Support Each Week:
To support the nature led day, each enrolled Family will rotate 1 adult volunteer time each week. Marisa will have Lead Teen, as well, thus our aim is to need minimal Parent/Adult volunteer time to support our day:). See enrollment reg to sign up!
TNT (TW/TEENS) 1x a Month Campouts with Spring Backpacking Trip
Does your Tw/Teen (TNT) want desire to be part of an amazing TEEN Leadership, Stewardship and ReGenerative Earth Immersion and Backpacking program? Want to try us out? contact us!
Tween/Teen (TNT) Nature-Led Leader In Training (LIT):
Description of Tween/Teen (TNT) Nature-Led Leader In Training (LIT):
Leaders In Training will take an active role in becoming a BEan IN NATURE community of natural stewards! We will work with expert outdoor naturalists and educators learning Nature Led connection through wilderness experiential studies, engaging in active safe social emotional core values.
We want to support our Tw/Teens to gain confidence, independence and meet new friends and old ones, while having amazing epic adventures each day with us!
Our BEan Leaders In Training program is a dual program, designed to connect teens to Nature AND to each other, and deepen their connection to the earth.
Space will be limited!
TNT (TW/TEENS) 1x a month Overnight Camp
We hope your TW/TEEN (TNT) can join us Epic TW/Teen (TNT) 1x a month weekends!
WHEN: 1X A MONTH: Sept 26-28; Oct 17-19
Nov14-16
and Expedition BKPK weekend Jan 30th -Feb 1st
Friday arrival 4:30-5:30 pm (OG fam choose Friday day) and ending SUNDAY NOON
Where: Felton, Private Land Base
Who: 12.5 and up; TW/Teens (TNTs)
A major role for our Teen Leadership Events are:
to share contagious enthusiasm, epic adventures and amazing stories
to gain a curiosity for the outdoors and learn new wild skills
to support the desire to be part of a fantastic nature tribe
to connect deeply to ourselves and to each other, while building confidence, independence and participating in reciprocity for our earth and and its beings
Stewardship and Leadership on the land
We are planning our LOCAL backpacking trip for Spring/Early Summer now, as well!
Ollie, 13 --
I really enjoyed learning nature skills such as how to use a fire rod/flint and steel, how to identify wild plants, and plenty of other valuable pieces of information. At mealtime, we had hot dogs galore and after that we roasted marshmallows. In the morning we roasted buns and apples, along with a few marshmallows too, and during the day, (not including lunch, when we had sandwiches) we were free to forage the billberries (basically CA blueberries) and blackberries that grew there. I also made a few great friends. I would recommend this program!
Mom--
I was looking for a program in which my son could level-up his nature skills - TNT Bean in Nature fit the bill! We've been very happy with the program. Marisa and her staff are caring and knowledgeable and my son comes home from the campouts happy and excited to share his new skills.
Cost: We strive to always make this possible for all of our families! Financial Need: We have 1 Parent Partial Work trade open for Spring.
What will your Teen Participate In?
Hiking and Exploring Wild Forest Skills Day, Eve Cooking dinner over the fire, Safe Epic late night stealthy, late night ninja forest fun and sleeping outside or in their tent.
FALL Stewardship will be on the land, learning permaculture and soil regeneration, with fun comraderie, connectiveness and skills! We will focus on a myriad of skills dependent on the weather and flow of our natural environment
Mastering fundamental skills each month, group core values and independence, and deep land connection .
Hiking in the Redwood Forest habitats and creek life near us; Macro Invertebrate ID, Bird Language and ID, Wilderness tool making, Leatherwork, First Aid med making, , Wild Plants ID, Wild Crafts, Mushroom ID, and Field ID more
Lessons will be mixed with activities and games designed to grow connection, stealth and camouflage, balance, and fun.
PREREQUISITES: Tweens and Teens (TNTs) 12.5 and up, DETAILS
Your teen can register to learn amazing wild skills and step into mentoring and leadership together as a tribe while having loads of fun with other TW/Teens (TNTs).
This program design will build on existing skills and support the learning of wild skills, games and projects.
We want to support our Teens to gain confidence, independence and meet new friends and old ones, while having amazing epic adventures each day with us!
Want CPR and First Aid
additional training?
Taught by an amazing instructor ALL ON ZOOM! Share with Nicole you heard about here program through BEan!
Nicole Roma Thurrell, CTRS, WEMT
Director, Institute for Wild Med
BEan at A Team May 2026 Complete! See you next summer!
Ages: K - 6th Grade SAN JOSE ATEAM
Students will be guided in an immersive and engaging outdoor class environment that invites students into mind-body awareness and engaged learning with Animal Extravaganza and Camp Welcome fun with Connective Active Nature Games and Wild Skills and Crafts!
Wild Survival Animal Extravaganza
Class Name
K-3
Learn the skills of wilderness survival, to strengthen our connection to the earth and it’s creatures. Master the most bushcraft lessons, crafts, and games learn tools and forest skills important for Animal Survival.
Each week the children will SEE, TOUCH, MEET A LIVE ANIMAL from our wealth of friends/families! We will see a Ball Python, A Leopard Gecko, a Bearded Dragon and possibly others! Animal Sharing Fun Time! Got an animal you want to share! Sign up!
WILD CELEBRATION! Close class with GARDEN FEAST of harvested foods from our BEan Garden at SJ A Team (We have a BEAN A TEAM garden here!)
3 weeks of Wilderness survival skills in the magical wild Outdoor space with BEan at A Team Garden, crafting, designing, playing!
Each camp group will engage an age-appropriate activity
Happy Campers - Welcome to Camp ATEAM!
K-5/6
Launch into Summer fun with Bean in Nature's Camping themed class! Join us as we embark on activities such as Scavenger hunts, map discovery, and camp-out crafts! There also will be camping stories and a camp-out inspired snack! Nature awareness and safety will also be woven into the days!