Outdoor classroom design has become a popular aspect for many schools and classrooms. What’s the best way to design outdoor classrooms? How do you fund them? How do you use them? What benefits do they have?
Let me break it down for you… and give you my one hardcore opinion about the whole concept.
Outdoor Classroom Benefits
Outdoor classroom benefits come in abundance when you have an area for it. Students need to get out of the four walls. Period. Creativity and curiosity are fostered through exploration. There are schools in heavily populated cities that do not have access to an on-site area for growing and exploration. Land-locked schools have this problem, too, but being outside is being outside. The best part about outdoor classroom benefits is that outdoor classrooms can start so small and grow very large. It just takes a start. How small is small? A planted pot with something growing for observation can be an outdoor classroom area. Just bring the kids outside. Outdoor classroom design doesn’t have to be big and extravagant. It just has to be on purpose.
Outdoor Classroom Project
Make an outdoor classroom project. Starting small is best in my opinion. Why? It’s best because students need to first get interested. Then….they need to take ownership and make it their project. Imagine all the concepts and cross-curricular ideas that can be studied if they create and design it in a project-based learning format. I have seen some immaculate outdoor classroom areas, but you know what…. the best places are the wild areas. There should be a little thought and planning, especially if you are thinking about attracting creatures like pollinators. Students need to understand this, too. Creating a busy outdoor classroom takes some knowledge on how to attract a few creatures. My favorite outdoor classroom area is a pollinator garden. When they are planned out well, they are teaming with life. Again… start small. Don’t forget that an outdoor classroom area includes everything… even the sky.
Outdoor classrooms for schools
Remember this. You don’t have to stick to just one area. Having multiple areas allows for more classrooms to come out during the same time frame. Having multiple outdoor classrooms for schools allows for outdoor classroom design to be different. Different areas can focus on different concepts…. growing, pollinators, composting, math grids… you name it the list goes on and on. Outdoor classroom design should never be finished. Just like the outdoor spaces at your home…. they can always change.
Outdoor Classroom Day
Celebrate your projects with an official day. Outdoor Classroom Day has its own website with uber resources for teachers and schools. Let this idea of getting outside invade your classroom! Grow it. Let the students create it. Make it great. Fund it through grants. Outdoor Classroom Day provides multiple resources to do this… and don’t forget Donor’s Choose. I have funded multiple outdoor classroom resources through Donor’s Choose including webcams for outside so that when you can’t get outside… you can.
Resources for lessons are helpful when trying to plan an outdoor classroom. Check out my Outdoor Classroom STEAM for K-1 and Outdoor Classroom STEAM for 3-5 which comes with a complete outdoor classroom design project.
Check out my Camping STEAM Unit! What type of scientists could you possibly study during a camping study…. Neil DeGrasse Tyson who looked up at the stars and never stopped!!! All of these accompany outdoor classroom activities well!
Plan an epic year for your students with The Ultimate STEM/STEAM Project-Based Learning Classroom Guide! This resource is totally free and full of helpful information!
