​Age Group: 5-12 Years Old

teaching process thought to children
​through home gardening
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Lesson 1: Introduction to Gardening and Process Thought
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• Objective: Introduce children to the concept of gardening and the idea that gardens are dynamic processes.
• Activities:
  • Take a nature walk and observe different plants and ecosystems.
  • Start a discussion about how plants grow and change over time.
  • Plant seeds in small pots and discuss the process of germination.
• Key Ideas Emphasized: Process, Nature as Alive, Interconnectedness

Lesson 2: Understanding Interconnectedness in the Garden

• Objective: Help children understand the interconnectedness of living beings in the garden ecosystem.
• Activities:
  • Create a mini-ecosystem in a jar with soil, plants, and insects.
  • Discuss how plants rely on soil, sunlight, water, and insects to grow.
  • Observe pollinators like bees and butterflies and discuss their role in the garden.
• Key Ideas Emphasized: Interconnectedness, Relational Selfhood, Nature as Alive

Lesson 3: Cultivating Creativity in Gardening

• Objective: Encourage children to explore their creativity through gardening.
• Activities:
  • Design a garden layout and discuss different plant combinations.
  • Allow children to choose and plant their favorite vegetables or flowers.
  • Create garden art using natural materials like rocks or driftwood.
• Key Ideas Emphasized: Continuous Creativity, Novelty, Aesthetics

Lesson 4: Ethics and Compassion in the Garden

• Objective: Teach children about ethical gardening practices and compassion for all living beings.
• Activities:
  • Discuss the importance of caring for plants and insects in the garden.
  • Practice sustainable gardening techniques like composting and water conservation.
  • Plant flowers specifically to attract beneficial insects and support biodiversity.
• Key Ideas Emphasized: Ethics, Concern for the Vulnerable, Relational Power

Lesson 5: Exploring Science and Religion in the Garden

• Objective: Introduce children to the scientific and spiritual aspects of gardening.
• Activities:
  • Conduct simple experiments to learn about soil composition and plant growth.
  • Discuss the beauty and wonder of nature and how it inspires awe and reverence.
  • Plant a garden bed with different herbs and discuss their cultural and medicinal significance.
• Key Ideas Emphasized: Religion and Science, God, Experience in the Mode of Causal Efficacy

Lesson 6: Reflection and Connection

• Objective: Encourage children to reflect on their gardening experiences and connect them to broader concepts.
• Activities:
  • Keep a gardening journal to record observations, thoughts, and feelings.
  • Share stories or myths about plants and nature from different cultures.
  • Reflect on the growth and changes observed in the garden over time.
• Key Ideas Emphasized: Continuous Creativity, Education as a Lifelong Process, Faith

Throughout the curriculum, parents should foster a sense of wonder, curiosity, and respect for the natural world. By engaging in hands-on gardening activities and incorporating process thought concepts, children can develop a deeper appreciation for nature and their place within it.

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​Process Philosophy from the Ground Up:
​
Teaching Process Philosophy through Home Gardening

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1. Process: Explain how the garden is a dynamic process, from seed germination to plant growth to harvest. Emphasize that the garden is always changing and evolving.​
2. Interconnectedness: Discuss how plants rely on soil, water, sunlight, and other organisms in the garden ecosystem. Show how everything in the garden is interconnected and dependent on each other.
3. Continuous Creativity: Encourage experimentation in the garden, such as trying new plant varieties or gardening techniques. Highlight the creative process involved in gardening and how it mirrors the continuous creativity of the universe.
4. Nature as Alive: Teach respect for all living beings in the garden, from plants to insects to soil microbes. Emphasize that the garden is a living ecosystem worthy of care and stewardship.
5. Ethics: Discuss sustainable gardening practices and the importance of living in harmony with the earth. Teach compassion for all living beings and the larger community of life.
6. Novelty: Encourage openness to new ideas and experiences in the garden, such as trying unfamiliar plants or gardening methods. Emphasize the role of creativity in finding happiness and fulfillment.
7. Thinking and Feeling: Explore the sensory experience of gardening, from touching soil to smelling flowers. Encourage both rational and intuitive approaches to understanding the garden.
8. Relational Selfhood: Discuss the interconnectedness of gardeners with each other and the natural world. Emphasize the importance of relationships and community in gardening.
9. Complementary Thinking: Teach both-and thinking in the garden, such as balancing the needs of different plants or finding solutions to gardening challenges that integrate multiple perspectives.
10. Theory and Practice: Connect gardening theory with practical gardening activities, such as learning about soil composition and then applying that knowledge to improve garden health.
11. The Primacy of Persuasion over Coercion: Discuss the power of persuasion in gardening, such as persuading plants to grow through proper care and attention rather than forcing growth through chemicals or excessive intervention.
12. Relational Power: Highlight the empowering relationships in the garden, such as the mutually beneficial interactions between plants and pollinators. Emphasize respect and mutual benefit in gardening practices.
13. The Primacy of Particularity: Focus on the unique characteristics of plants and garden ecosystems. Avoid generalizations and appreciate the individuality of each plant and garden space.
14. Experience in the Mode of Causal Efficacy: Encourage mindful observation and reflection in the garden, noting how human actions can influence plant growth and overall garden health.
15. Concern for the Vulnerable: Discuss the importance of caring for vulnerable plants and ecosystems in the garden. Teach empathy and compassion for all living beings.
16. Evil: Explore the concept of harm in the garden, such as the negative effects of pesticides on beneficial insects. Emphasize the importance of avoiding actions that cause suffering or harm in the garden.
17. Education as a Lifelong Process: View gardening as a lifelong journey of learning and discovery. Emphasize the importance of curiosity and ongoing education in becoming a successful gardener.
18. Religion and Science: Discuss the spiritual and scientific aspects of gardening, such as the awe-inspiring beauty of nature and the ecological principles behind garden ecosystems.
19. God: Explore the concept of God as immanent in the natural world, such as seeing the divine in the beauty and complexity of the garden. Encourage reverence and gratitude for the interconnected web of life.
20. Faith: Teach trust in the natural processes of the garden, such as having faith that seeds will germinate and plants will grow with proper care. Encourage a sense of wonder and awe in the mysteries of nature.

Dedicating a Garden
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Dedicating a garden in ways that make sense to young children involves incorporating simple, engaging, and hands-on activities that connect them to the concepts of care, respect, and ecological stewardship. Here are some child-friendly ideas:

1. Theme Gardens: Create themed garden beds based on children's interests or favorite stories. For example, a fairy garden could feature miniature houses, fairy figurines, and plants with magical names. Use this as an opportunity to teach children about caring for living things and creating habitats for wildlife.

2. Sensory Gardens: Design sensory gardens with a variety of plants that engage children's senses. Include fragrant flowers, textured leaves, and edible plants for tasting. Encourage children to explore the garden using all their senses and discuss the importance of caring for plants to keep them healthy and thriving.

3. Butterfly Gardens: Plant flowers that attract butterflies and caterpillars, such as milkweed, lavender, and butterfly bush. Teach children about the life cycle of butterflies and how to create a welcoming habitat for these beautiful insects. Encourage them to observe and document the different stages of butterfly development in the garden.

4. Pizza Gardens: Grow ingredients for making pizza, such as tomatoes, basil, peppers, and oregano, in a dedicated "pizza garden" bed. Use this as an opportunity to teach children about where food comes from and the importance of caring for plants to produce healthy ingredients for meals.

5. Bug Hotels: Build bug hotels using materials like bamboo, sticks, and hollowed-out logs to provide shelter for insects in the garden. Teach children about the important role insects play in the ecosystem and how to create welcoming habitats for beneficial insects like ladybugs and bees.

6. Fruit and Vegetable Gardens: Plant a variety of fruits and vegetables that children enjoy eating, such as strawberries, carrots, and snap peas. Involve children in planting, watering, and harvesting the garden, and encourage them to taste the fresh produce they've grown themselves.

7. Rainbow Gardens: Plant flowers in a rainbow of colors to create a vibrant and visually appealing garden. Teach children about the different colors found in nature and the importance of diversity in ecosystems. Encourage them to explore the garden and identify plants of each color.

8. Garden Art Projects: Incorporate art projects into the garden, such as painting rocks, making bird feeders, or creating garden sculptures. Use these activities as opportunities to teach children about creativity, self-expression, and the importance of caring for the environment.

9. Storytelling Circles: Create cozy seating areas or storytelling circles in the garden where children can gather to listen to stories about nature, gardening, and ecological stewardship. Use storytelling as a tool for instilling values of care, respect, and appreciation for the natural world.

10. Garden Celebrations: Host garden celebrations and events throughout the year, such as planting parties, harvest festivals, or butterfly releases. Invite children to participate in these events and engage in activities that celebrate the beauty and abundance of the garden.

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Twenty Key Ideas
in the Process Worldview

by Jay McDaniel

1. Process: The universe is an ongoing process of development and change, never quite the same from moment to moment. Every entity in the universe is best understood as a process of becoming that emerges through its interactions with others. The beings of the world are becomings.

2. Interconnectedness: The universe as a whole is a seamless web of interconnected events, none of which can be completely separated from the others. Everything is connected to everything else and contained in everything else. As Buddhists put it, the universe is a network of inter-being.

3. Continuous Creativity: The universe exhibits a continuous creativity on the basis of which new events come into existence over time which did not exist beforehand. This continuous creativity is the ultimate reality of the universe. Everywhere we look we see it. Even God is an expression of Creativity. Even as God creates, God is also continuously created.
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4. Nature as Alive: The natural world has value in itself and all living beings are worthy of respect and care. Rocks and trees, hills and rivers are not simply facts in the world; they are also acts of self-realization. The whole of nature is alive with value. We humans dwell within, not apart from, the Ten Thousand Things. We, too, have value.

5. Ethics: Humans find their fulfillment in living in harmony with the earth and compassionately with each other. The ethical life lies in living with respect and care for other people and the larger community of life. Justice is fidelity to the bonds of relationship. A just society is also a free and peaceful society. It is creative, compassionate, participatory, ecologically wise, and spiritually satisfying - with no one left behind.

6. Novelty: Humans find their fulfillment in being open to new ideas, insights, and experiences that may have no parallel in the past. Even as we learn from the past, we must be open to the future. God is present in the world, among other ways, through novel possibilities. Human happiness is found, not only in wisdom and compassion, but also in creativity.

7. Thinking and Feeling: The human mind is not limited to reasoning but also includes feeling, intuiting, imagining; all of these activities can work together toward understanding. Even reasoning is a form of feeling: that is, feeling the presence of ideas and responding to them. There are many forms of wisdom: mathematical, spatial, verbal, kinesthetic, empathic, logical, and spiritual.

8. Relational Selfhood: Human beings are not skin-encapsulated egos cut off from the world by the boundaries of the skin, but persons-in-community whose interactions with others are partly definitive of their own internal existence. We depend for our existence on friends, family, and mentors; on food and clothing and shelter; on cultural traditions and the natural world. The communitarians are right: there is no "self" apart from connections with others. The individualists are right, too. Each person is unique, deserving of respect and care. Other animals deserve respect and care, too.

9. Complementary Thinking: The process way leans toward both-and thinking, not either-or thinking. The rational life consists not only of identifying facts and appealing to evidence, but taking apparent conflicting ideas and showing how they can be woven into wholes, with each side contributing to the other. In Whitehead’s thought these wholes are called contrasts. To be "reasonable" is to be empirical but also imaginative: exploring new ideas and seeing how they might fit together, complementing one another.

10. Theory and Practice: Theory affects practice and practice affects theory; a dichotomy between the two is false. What people do affects how they think and how they think affects what they do. Learning can occur from body to mind: that is, by doing things; and not simply from mind to body.

11. The Primacy of Persuasion over Coercion: There are two kinds of power – coercive power and persuasive power – and the latter is to be preferred over the former. Coercive power is the power of force and violence; persuasive power is the power of invitation and moral example.

12. Relational Power: This is the power that is experienced when people dwell in mutually enhancing relations, such that both are “empowered” through their relations with one another. In international relations, this would be the kind of empowerment that occurs when governments enter into trade relations that are mutually beneficial and serve the wider society; in parenting, this would be the power that parents and children enjoy when, even amid a hierarchical relationship, there is respect on both sides and the relationship strengthens parents and children.

13. The Primacy of Particularity: There is a difference between abstract ideas that are abstracted from concrete events in the world, and the events themselves. The fallacy of misplaced concreteness lies in confusing the abstractions with the concrete events and focusing more on the abstract than the particular.

14. Experience in the Mode of Causal Efficacy: Human experience is not restricted to acting on things or actively interpreting a passive world. It begins by a conscious and unconscious receiving of events into life and being causally affected or influenced by what is received. This occurs through the mediation of the body but can also occur through a reception of the moods and feelings of other people (and animals).

15. Concern for the Vulnerable: Humans are gathered together in a web of felt connections, such that they share in one another’s sufferings and are responsible to one another. Humans can share feelings and be affected by one another’s feelings in a spirit of mutual sympathy. The measure of a society does not lie in questions of appearance, affluence, and marketable achievement, but in how it treats those whom Jesus called "the least of these" -- the neglected, the powerless, the marginalized, the otherwise forgotten.

16. Evil: “Evil” is a name for debilitating suffering from which humans and other living beings suffer, and also for the missed potential from which they suffer. Evil is powerful and real; it is not merely the absence of good. “Harm” is a name for activities, undertaken by human beings, which inflict such suffering on others and themselves, and which cut off their potential. Evil can be structural as well as personal. Systems -- not simply people -- can be conduits for harm.

17. Education as a Lifelong Process: Human life is itself a journey from birth (and perhaps before) to death (and perhaps after) and the journey is itself a process of character development over time. Formal education in the classroom is a context to facilitate the process, but the process continues throughout a lifetime. Education requires romance, precision, and generalization. Learning is best when people want to learn.

18. Religion and Science: Religion and Science are both human activities, evolving over time, which can be attuned to the depths of reality. Science focuses on forms of energy which are subject to replicable experiments and which can be rendered into mathematical terms; religion begins with awe at the beauty of the universe, awakens to the interconnections of things, and helps people discover the norms which are part of the very make-up of the universe itself.

19. God: The universe unfolds within a larger life – a love supreme – who is continuously present within each actuality as a lure toward wholeness relevant to the situation at hand. In human life we experience this reality as an inner calling toward wisdom, compassion, and creativity. Whenever we see these three realities in human life we see the presence of this love, thus named or not. This love is the Soul of the universe and we are small but included in its life not unlike the way in which embryos dwell within a womb, or fish swim within an ocean, or stars travel throught the sky. This Soul can be addressed in many ways, and one of the most important words for addressing the Soul is "God." The stars and galaxies are the body of God and any forms of life which exist on other planets are enfolded in the life of God, as is life on earth. God is a circle whose center is everywhere and circumference nowhere. As God beckons human beings toward wisdom, compassion, and creativity, God does not know the outcome of the beckoning in advance, because the future does not exist to be known. But God is steadfast in love; a friend to the friendless; and a source of inner peace. God can be conceived as "father" or "mother" or "lover" or "friend." God is love.

20. Faith: Faith is not intellectual assent to creeds or doctrines but rather trust in divine love. To trust in love is to trust in the availability of fresh possibilities relative to each situation; to trust that love is ultimately more powerful than violence; to trust that even the galaxies and planets are drawn by a loving presence; and to trust that, no matter what happens, all things are somehow gathered into a wider beauty. This beauty is the Adventure of the Universe as One.

Explanation: ​

Process thinking is an attitude toward life emphasizing respect and care for the community of life. It is concerned with the well-being of individuals and also with the common good of the world, understood as a community of communities of communities. It sees the world as a process of becoming and the universe as a vast network of inter-becomings. It sees each living being on our planet as worthy of respect and care.

People influenced by process thinking seek to live lightly on the earth and gently with others, sensitive to the interconnectedness of all things and delighted by the differences. They believe that there are many ways of knowing the world -- verbal, mathematical, aesthetic, empathic, bodily, and practical - and that education should foster creativity and compassion as well as literacy.

Process thinkers belong to many different cultures and live in many different regions of the world: Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, North America, and Oceania. They include teenagers, parents, grandparents, store-clerks, accountants, farmers, musicians, artists, and philosophers.

Many of the scholars in the movement are influenced by the perspective of the late philosopher and mathematician, Alfred North Whitehead. His thinking embodies the leading edge of the intellectual side of process thinking. Nevertheless, a mastery of his ideas is not necessary to be a process thinker. Ultimately process thinking is an attitude and outlook on life, and a way of interacting with the world. It is not so much a rigidly-defined worldview as it is a way of feeling the presence of the world and responding with creativity and compassion.

The tradition of process thinking can be compared to a growing and vibrant tree, with blossoms yet to unfold. The roots of the tree are the many ideas developed by Whitehead in his mature philosophy. They were articulated most systematically in his book Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology. The trunk consists of more general ideas which have been developed by subsequent thinkers from different cultures, adding creativity of their own. These general ideas flow from Whitehead's philosophy, but are less technical in tone. The branches consist of the many ways in which these ideas are being applied to daily life and community development. The branches include applications to a wide array of topics, ranging from art and music to education and ecology.

Much of this website -- Open Horizons - is devoted to the branches and trunk. Of course, some people will be interested in the roots. For those interested in gaining knowledge of the roots, we have created a free course of short videos which provides an introduction to Alfred North Whitehead's organic philosophy and serves as a guiding companion to Whitehead's seminal work, Process and Reality. These twenty six-minute videos are offered below. They can be viewed in sequence or in parts, depending on your interests. If you would like to get started on this short course to better understand the roots of process thinking, go to What is Process Thought? The ideas above represent the twenty key ideas in the trunk. ​