Mary Verschuur chronicles the outdoor work of Lincoln Montessori School in prairie, forest, and indoor greenhouse environments, pointing out the application of the prepared environment principles to the natural world. Implicit to the design are opportunities for caring, including various practical life exercises with outdoor tools blended into each habitat. The repeating cycles of nature and its seasons are part of the yearly cycle of children in multi-age groups, adding to sensory richness and hands-on tasks. Lincoln Montessori School demonstrates how schools can model simple and well-thought-out solutions with minimum expense and maximum engagement. [Reprinted from "The NAMTA Journal" 28,1 (2003, Winter): 195-204.]