Many Christian-school teachers and homeschooling parents employ methods inspired by the work of Charlotte Mason, an early twentieth-century British educator. This project seeks to further encourage the integrative thinking advocated by Charlotte Mason, particularly across science, philosophy and theology.

Charlotte Mason championed a whole-person approach to education that incorporated hands-on learning, outdoor experiences, Bible study, and explicit instruction in character virtues. Mason also embraced the natural sciences as she saw the natural world as a second form of God’s revelation. This project will develop new curricula and teacher-training materials that situate the study of the natural sciences within the larger framework of the search for answers to big philosophical and theological questions.

Outputs

• Elementary, middle, and high school curricula in age-appropriate sciences
  • Elementary and middle school lessons will focus on hands-on activities that help students build a relationship with the natural world and acquire the skills of observation, patience, and open-mindedness.
  • High school lessons will also incorporate hands-on work, but will focus primarily on situating the study of science as a useful source of information in contemplating the big questions of philosophy and theology.
• A companion curriculum exploring the biblical basis for the coexistence of nature and scripture as sources of divine revelation
• Custom software to aid in the implementation of all curricula
• Lesson plans
• A national teacher-training conference at Asbury Theological Seminary in June 2020
  • This conference will attract 400-500 Christian-school teachers and home educators.
• A professionally designed marketing and outreach campaign