By Charyn Grandau, Master Gardner

Most schoolyards in America today can be seen as underutilized resources. Underutilized because students often spend up to 25% of their day in the schoolyard but the space is not developed with educational activities in mind. Rather, most school grounds are vast expanses of grass or asphalt with few shade trees to protect sensitive skin and block loud road noises, or shrubs and plants that attract wildlife. Constructing natural habitats, ecosystems or gardens is a way to transform the usually sterile environment of the schoolyard into a rich learning ground were children can increase their knowledge, improve their social skills and gain valuable health benefits.

Taking education outdoors is not a new idea. Programs in the United States have been promoting outdoor classrooms since the 1850s when gardens were believed to teach students a civic pride and responsibility along with other desirable qualities. Later on during WWII schools contributed to the war effort by having victory gardens. Today the impetus for outdoor classrooms (ODCR) may have changed but they are becoming increasingly popular throughout this country and the rest of the world. Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Sweden and Russia have all implemented successful ODCR programs. While there is no one major push towards ODCR in the United States, the momentum generated from by multitude of agencies has brought interest to the forefront of educator’s agendas.

The societal benefit beliefs of the past have been largely justified by current research on adults and children working and learning in the outdoors. Studies have found that anti-social behavior of violence, bullying, vandalism and littering were reduced at schools that implemented outdoor classrooms. Positive social behavior, such as, attendance and graduation rates were increased. Additionally, social stress was diminished as children developed a sense of belonging and ownership in their schoolyards.

Improving the environment in the larger community can also have positive benefits. In cities where roads were closed to traffic and citizens were encouraged to plant trees and gardens crime levels decreased and community interaction increased. During the riots in Los Angeles the only property left untouched were community gardens.

Beyond social benefits outdoor classrooms enrich the educational process in a myriad of ways. Outdoor classrooms change the role of the teacher from a presenter of facts to a facilitator of learning. Here teachers model for the students the process of "finding out." Even the questions to ask can be devised by the student(s). Then experts can be sought to answer those questions. This introduces the student to a variety of sources and at the same time provides an opportunity to see adults working at their careers. Hypotheses can then be generated, and experiments designed and implemented before finally data is collected and tabulated.

In the ODCR there is an integration of skills--math, reading, writing, social studies and even art can take place during the same unit of instruction. Observation and classification skills are developed and enhanced through seeing, feeling, touching, smelling and hearing. The student experiences a balance of skills and sees the general use of subjects rather then the compartmentalized approach often experienced in the classroom. The integration of skills allows the student to see how adults apply knowledge learned from different subjects to problem solving in everyday life.

It has been shown that students develop a better understanding of new material when it is built on previous experience. Local ODCR are a familiar environment to students where they can feel safe and self-assured, an attitude that facilitates the learning process. As every educator knows for most students authentic, or real hands-on experience, is often more instructive than knowledge obtained from reading books or viewing materials such as videos.

Schoolyards devoid of trees and vegetation can also pose a health threat to children. Play areas without benefit of shade trees leave children exposed to harmful ultraviolet rays that can be damaging to sensitive skin and eyes. This is a problem worldwide where incidents of skin cancer are on the rise. Trees and shrubs also reduce dust and the automobile exhaust because they act as filters. Vegetation can also provide protection from harmful noise levels from streets in busy areas. Studies have found that vehicle exhaust and noise levels reduce concentration and learning ability in children.

Strategically placed plantings can have both health and economic benefits. Trees and shrubs can filter noise and pollutants while blocking wind and providing shade to building. The introduction of tall trees can reduce both heating and cooling bills.

Economic benefits go beyond just heating and cooler, often it is not possible to conduct field trips to natural areas more than once or twice a year. Having an outdoor classroom can remove that expense while increasing learning opportunities. Expenses are further reduced when waste materials are composted and then reapplied as fertilizers. Additionally, lawn maintenance can be reduced.

Finally, the beauty of an ODCR is that the learning opportunities begin as soon as the decision is made to begin one. Unlike a new classroom building that can take years of planning and building, education in the ODCR begins immediately when students take part in the entire process from conception, through construction and on into maintenance.