Spotlight on Outdoor Classrooms

Hands-On, Minds-On Learning – Outdoors

In Part 1 of our series on experiential learning around the U.S., we discovered how Inly School in Massachusetts utilizes an outdoor classroom for field studies. The concept of outdoor study is not unique to Inly, and is in fact, one of the simplest and most popular ways to help students get “hands-on” as they experience nature, live and in-person.

Studies have found that outdoor classrooms provide significant benefits for both students and teachers. Research from the Children and Nature Network shows that play and study in naturalized areas “positively contributed to learning and developmental outcomes.” Student engagement increased outdoors, and teachers reported increased motivation for teaching.

Both comprehension and retention improve when learning occurs duaring a practical, hands-on activity. What would you consider more memorable: reading about the life cycle of a butterfly, or witnessing the metamorphosis of a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon? Outdoor classrooms promote inquiry-based learning, and help develop critical-thinking skills, imagination and creativity.

In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv coined the term "nature deficit disorder" – a condition common in today’s children, who may spend too much time indoors communing with technology, and not enough time experiencing the great outdoors. According to Louv, problems resulting from this condition include attention issues, childhood obesity and depression.

Outdoor Classrooms to the rescue!

The Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program (AOC)

Educators in Alabama believe that children are inherent observers and explorers, and educators should approach learning in a way that capitalizes on these abilities. Alabama’s AOC program has proven that the “hands-on, minds-on” learning philosophy is effective for reaching a diverse group of students, improving student achievement, reducing disciplinary issues, and instilling students with a sense of responsibility.

Outdoor Classrooms developed through the AOC program create a living laboratory, with learning stations such as butterfly gardens, aquatic areas, or song bird sanctuaries. The kids quite literally “manipulate” their objects of study – plants, rocks, insects, water, etc. – using scientific instruments such as rulers, test tubes, thermometers, nets, microscopes and calculators, as they collect and interpret data. During this process, learning becomes more meaningful as the students apply higher-level thinking skills such as planning and deduction, and enhance their understanding of “how it all fits together.”

Here are a few examples of student activities in an AOC vegetable garden classroom:

• Calculate the number of seeds required
• Calculate the growth rate of their vegetables
• Analyze the acidity of the soil
• Research crops grown by Native Americans as well as those grown by Alabama farmers today
• Build a scarecrow, using creativity, artistic skills and teamwork
• Study the local wildlife that utilizes the garden as a food source
• Research how to utilize environmentally-friendly pest management techniques
• Research the health benefits associated with eating different types of vegetables
• Learn to associate vegetables with the Earth, instead of with a grocery store
• Donate vegetables to a local food bank

Stanleigh Hobbs Memorial Outdoor Classroom

Since 2002, the students at Olde Providence Elementary School in Charlotte, NC, as well as members of their community, have enjoyed a 10-acre nature preserve that was developed into an outdoor classroom. Just as the school was identifying their goals for this project, three local Boy Scouts were in search of Eagle Scout projects. The boys met with school leaders to formulate a plan and then went to work. Scout Adam Morse built informational kiosks at the entrances to the preserves and cleaned the nature trails. Casey Mulhearn and Chris Hazard designed and built two unique classrooms in separate areas along the walking trails. Throughout the next few years more scouts contributed to the project, adding bird houses, trail maps, drawing and writing table-tops and additional landscaping. This project is a great example of teamwork between a school and the community – one that could be emulated at your school!

Boston Public Schools

Outdoor classrooms are possibly – and popular – in urban locations, too, as the Boston Public School System has proven. They’ve implemented a program that includes adding an outdoor classroom in every schoolyard renovation since 2007. These classrooms include a sample woodland, urban meadow, planting beds and more. A couple of specialized outdoor classrooms include a greenhouse at Boston Latin Academy, and a wetland at West Roxbury High School.

You can visit their Completed Projects page for information about the projects at each school, as well as their Photo Gallery to see images of the transformations.

Now It’s Your Turn

If your school doesn’t have an outdoor classroom, this spring would be the perfect time to get it started!

Boston Public Schools offer ideas in their downloadable Outdoor Classroom Design Guide. The Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia also has a terrific resource – an Outdoor Learning Guide that includes everything from planning processes, to organizing volunteers, to tips and techniques for teaching outdoors.

Hands-on, real-world learning is at the heart of Envision’s mission. Please share your input, thoughts and questions in our comment section.