Outdoor Classroom: Design Inspiration!

If you are anything like me, and have done some thinking about The Outdoor Classroom, you are probably super inspired and trying to come up with ways to incorporate one into your work with children!

But sometimes the question is, where should I begin?  I always find it helpful to have some concrete examples for inspiration to get my creative juices flowing and to help make the decision-making process of design and implementation easier.

This post is to serve as a collection of ideas of some possible designs for your outdoor classroom!  Enjoy!

I love the use of the clear, coloured roof of this outdoor classroom, below!  Imagine how fun it would be to be a child sitting beneath this shelter.  I'm sure the concept of light and colour would spark the interests of many...imagine the possibilities of learning!

http://www.infiniteplaygrounds.co.uk/canopies-and-outdoor-classrooms/outdoor-classrooms/


This next image shows how areas for music-making can be incorporated outdoors.  How inviting does this look?

http://natureexplorecommunity.org/2012/seca-outdoor-classroom-contest/

How exciting would it be for a child to see a library set up outdoors!  Sometimes just changing the environment slightly to something unexpected and out of the ordinary would make children want to engage in activities they typically would not be to keen on.

http://www.yourfuturelibrary.ca/design-photos/covered-outdoor-reading-lounge-for-kids-just-to-enhance-to-this-idea-we-could-have-small-furniture-for-kids-kids-size-sofas-and-chairs

Setting up a garden for children to plant and care for their own greenery utilizes the children's five senses in their learning and exploration.  I also love how this photo shows the mirror added behind the garden.  It allows the children to see all around the plants and utilizes the space effectively.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/316166836312945012/



Incorporating a pond, like the one below, may allow children to study wildlife and the lifecycle of any plants or animals living in it.  The responsibilities children take on upon caring for a pond may teach them compassion, teamwork and responsibility!

 

http://www.ladycross.derbyshire.sch.uk/Curriculum/Outdoor+Learning

Below is a photo of Deephaven Elementary School's outdoor classroom.  You can see how the open space has some areas divided to encourage small group interactions.  The different areas also support various types of play, by providing sections with tables, platforms, gardens, and open spaces.

 

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/17905576

For more Outdoor Classroom inspiration, visit my Pinterest Board at http://www.pinterest.com/leevh/the-outdoor-classroom/
 

If you have an outdoor classroom that is already up and running and you are willing to share some photos, please Tweet me!  My twitter handle is @leevictoria - I'd LOVE to hear from you!





The Outdoor Classroom: Video Example

Here is a video that shows children learning and playing outdoors in the Nature Explore Classroom at The National Conservation Training Centre.  This is truly amazing as we can see how children's natural love of the outdoors brings about curiosity and wonder of the world around them.

 

"The National Conservation Training Center installed a Nature Explore Classroom to connect children with nature. Watch the process unfold as kids begin to play, create, and explore the outdoors. This classroom serves as a model for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, public lands, schools and anyone who wants to connect children with nature" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Xv_SNvaIY)

For more information, visit: http://www.arborday.org/explore

Outdoor Classroom in Sackville, New Brunswick

This just in!  A look at a new outdoor classroom in Sackville, New Brunswick!



Image courtesy of http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/avast-ye-mateys-pirate-ship-classroom-launches-in-sackville-1.2827398

 Salem Elementary School has opened their Pirate Ship shaped outdoor classroom for students in Kindergarten to 4th Grade.  It is evident that this innovative take on the outdoor classroom has already sparked an interest in learning in the school's students.

"The kids are so involved, you would not believe it," said principal Ada Phinney. "They are just busy out here — and busy in a good way."


Image courtesy of http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/avast-ye-mateys-pirate-ship-classroom-launches-in-sackville-1.2827398

 

The principal also states, "There’s so much to feel and smell and hear, and all of their senses, I think, really absorb what is going on out here. It's a learning environment that is like no other."

The full article about Salem Elementary's new Outdoor Classroom can be found here.  If this isn't solid reason enough to incorporate outdoor classroom's into all schools across Canada, I don't know what is.

Keep up with me on Twitter at: http://www.twitter/com/leevictoria

or on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/leevh/the-outdoor-classroom/

The Outdoor Classroom: For More Information...

Image from: http://www.edenproject.com/learn-with-us/teacher-training-and-school-development/school-development/taking-the-primary-classroom-outside

 

If you are looking for more resources on The Outdoor Classroom, follow me:

My board on The Outdoor Classroom on Pinterest!

...or converse with me on Twitter!  My Twitter handle is @leevictoria and I have also posted some interesting articles regarding The Outdoor Classrom!

The Outdoor Classroom

When you think about children's learning, in what environment do you typically imagine this takes place?  For many, the obvious answer is within the classroom as this is where we are conditioned to believe most learning occurs.  However the opposite is found to be true, according to current studies:



Image from http://www.communityplaythings.com/inspiration/room-inspirations/outdoor-play

"Experience in the field and child development research alike are showing that all children need and benefit from more time outdoors; it is critical for their health, self-concept and future school success. The optimal learning and growing environment for young children is composed of a full integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. The Outdoor Classroom enhances and adds to the limited scope of activities available inside confined classrooms by providing for hands-on experiences, physical activity, social-emotional growth through peer interaction and multifaceted approaches to cognitive development that connect children to nature and maximize their learning outcomes."  This information and more can be found at http://outdoorclassroomproject.org/

Image from http://childrenandnature.ning.com/photo/outdoor-classroom

The Outdoor Classroom's vision is simple: children benefit from spending more time outdoors, especially in natural places. Its goal is equally simple: to increase the quantity, quality, and benefit of outdoor experience for children (http://www.communityplaythings.com/)

Let's talk about Social Constructivism in Middle Childhood...

Often, when we think of middle childhood and school, people tend to think of this:

Image from http://sevencounties.org/poc/center_index.php?cn=1272

Or this:


Image from http://kidsnewwest.ca/middle-years/


Or even this...a traditional classroom setting where students sit in neat rows, the teacher spits out information, and her class is expected to memorize it all:

Image from http://www.notredamecollege.edu/academics/academic-divisions/education/licensure-areas/middle-childhood-generalist

 

But in reality, many educators and parents today are facing these types of faces in the classroom:

  

http://braintourage.com/frustrated-parents/ and http://school.familyeducation.com/educational-testing/teaching-methods/37499.html?page=2&detoured=1

 

Now, why are we seeing such sadness and frustration in the classroom?  Isn't childhood supposed to be the most free and happiest times of one's life?

 

Before getting into answering that question though, let's first investigate:

 

What exactly is Middle Childhood?

 

Middle Childhood refers to the period of development where children are beginning to develop an increasing sense of independence, self-awareness, identity and empathy for others.  Typically, middle childhood refers to children between the ages of 6 and 12 years old.  What children experience and learn during these years highly influence the types of adolescents and adults they will become.

 

Image from http://nomadicconcepts.blogspot.ca/2011/02/cover-art-for-class-book-at-local.html



 

So what is Social Constructivism?

From http://jb00e.wordpress.com

 

 

Social Constructivism is a theory that basically means that we learn through a combination of interactions with others, our own personal experiences, internal reflections and building new theories upon what we already know and have experienced.

I have found two other bloggers who I feel explain social constructivism beautifully:

Teaching with Technology - by Amy Grace of Australia

Teaching with Technology

Learning Theories in the Early Childhood Classroom - by Nick Petten (I think this blog is even better than the first, as you can really feel the author's passion throughout!)

Social Constructivist Theory

In middle childhood under the social constructivist theory, children should be ACTIVE learners!

From http://www.vteducation.org/en/laboratories/active-learning-universal-design-learning-udl-collaboration-technology

 



As Vygotsky stated in his theories, children adapt their existing understanding of concepts by taking in new information (through conversations with others, external experiences, internal experiences) and comparing it to what they already know.  From here, children will form new schemas!  Their knowledge is constantly shifting and expanding as they go through their day-to-day lives!

 From http://educ1049blog.blogspot.ca/

 

The Social Constructivist Classroom 

These are some of the main things one would see in a social constructivist classroom:

From http://www.thenassauguardian.com/attachments/article/25191/Dillet%20and%20LCS.JPG

• Focus is on the students and their interests
• Students are actively involved in their learning process and draw their own conclusions to concepts and problems
• Knowledge is constantly changing - it is dynamic, not static
• Each student in the classroom's learning and understanding will be individual and will have meaning to them
• Construction of understanding is continuous and ongoing
• Emphasis of learning is made on what the children gain from social interactions
• Cultural background is also extremely valuable and contributes to the children's learning (both of themselves and about others)
• Learning is collaborative and is a process of peer interaction that is facilitated and guided by the teacher
• The curriculum is flexible and is guided by the students' interests
• Students are constantly reflecting on their learning and readjusting pre-existing schemas
• Teamwork and collaborative discussions are very apparent

From http://www.sfusd.edu/

 

 

The educational model would also follow that of the Reggio Emilia approach which is based on the following principles:

1. The children must have some control over the direction of their learning
2. Children must be able to learn through sensory experiences.  They must be able to freely explore materials
3. Children are allowed to foster relationships with their peers
4. Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves

From http://www.edutopia.org/blog/reggio-approach-2-community-learning-adam-provost

The environment would act as the children's third teacher (after first, their parents, and secondly the educator).  The classroom would be aesthetically pleasing, nature-based, home to open-ended materials and would support social interactions and complex thinking.

From http://www.reggioalliance.org/reggio_emilia_italy/infant-toddler_centers_and_preschools.php

So what's the big idea?

The big idea is that social constructivism empowers children.  When children are empowered and feel a sense of control in their learning processes, they are happier and are much better able to retain information and develop a personal understanding of the world they live in!

 

On top of this, children who work in a social constructivist classroom develop more skills than those who do not!  Social constructivism allows children to develop:

• teamwork skills
• communication skills
• problem-solving skills
• responsibility
• self-regulation
• a clear picture of their own identity
• empathy
• listening skills
• real world experience
• ...and so much more!

 At school, children should be engaged in explorations like this:

From www.thecausecard.org

 

From http://www.pitchengine.com

From http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/graphics/2013/10/31/1031wv-frost.jpg

From http://www.prweb.com/

 





The common trend in all of these images is the fact that children have the chance to interact with their peers in order to supplement their learning.  These students are free to explore, and therefore come up with their own conclusions and theories. 

Teachers would be available to supply the materials and scaffold the children's learning, but not in the traditional sense like this...

 

From http://differentiationformyidp.blogspot.ca/



 

It's time to start allowing students the freedom to decide what is worth learning about! 





Supplementary Resources

There are so many wonderful resources out there for educators to use when facilitating the big idea of Transformations!  Here are a handful of some of my favourites that I have come across for your convenience:

Videos

In this video, Robert Teacher discusses how plants grow and change.  Interestingly, he begins the video by comparing the life cycle of a plant to that of a child, something that kindergartners can relate to!

This is another neat video by Robert Teacher, but this one focuses on how animals grow and transform from babies to adults!  I really enjoy the subtitles in the video, because it also promotes literacy!

This is a video educators can show young children.  It is a Time Lapse video of a Tomato plant over a span of 22 days but sped up to last only 1 minute and 13 seconds!

Blogs

The Educators Spin On It - Gardening with Kids
http://www.theeducatorsspinonit.com/2012/06/gardening-with-blog-hop-tons-of-great.html 

 Organic Gardening - A Blog Post on Gardening with your Children
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/gardening-kids


Teach Beside Me - this blog also comes complete with an amazing list of books to supplement the learning of gardening and the transformation of seeds to plants

http://teachbesideme.com/gardening-with-kids/

 

Pinterest

The Educators' Spin On It -  The same authors as the blog above, but with fantastic ideas pinned to their Pinterest Board!
http://www.pinterest.com/educatorsspinon/gardening-with-kids/

Mind Map

If we dig a little deeper...

 

With this mind map, we can see how there are so many ways you can break down the big idea of "Transformations" into a wide variety of subcategories.  Not only are transformations seen in gardens, but in insects, the natural elements, in the kitchen, with humans, animals, and everywhere we look in nature.  Within each of these subcategories are further subcategories, and within those there are even FURTHER subcategories that all tie in to the idea of Transformations!

Through this mind map, we can see how underneath our surface "ideas" of what children may be interested in (such as kittens, snow, ghosts, etc.) is the underlying concept that truly fascinates them.  So no matter what the children in our care seem interested in, it is important that we challenge ourselves to dig even deeper so that we can even further extend their learning through their true interests.

Here's the mind map again, but a little bit bigger to see it more easily:

But What Will The Children Learn?

Despite the fact that children may be outside "playing" in the garden, they actually have just as much, if not more, potential to learn as they would in a traditional classroom setting.  Here are just a handful of the many skills children can develop while cultivating a class garden, with reference to the FDEL-K:

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Image from https://communitygarden.org/find-a-garden/gardens/alices-garden-childrens-garden/

Social Development 1.1: act and talk with peers and adults by expressing and accepting positive messages

• In the garden, children may share their ideas and observations.  Another example of this is when the children are in the process of creating their garden.  One child may ask another to dig a hole, while the other complies in a positive manner.

Social Development 1.2: demonstrate the ability to take turns in activities and discussions. 

• The children may need to take turns performing tasks such as watering the plants or using specific tools (such as taking turns using the shovel, spade, etc.)

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

Image from http://sourcethestation.com/idea/community-gardens/


Emotional Development: 1.2: identify and talk about their own interests and preferences.

• When deciding on what plants to purchase for the garden, children may voice their own opinions by saying things such as "Sunflowers are my favourite" or "I prefer flower gardens over vegetable ones"

Emotional Development 1.3: express their thoughts and share their experiences

•  The children may suggest to one another where they think it would be best to plant each seed.  They may also share stories of their experiences of gardening elsewhere like at home or with other family members.

Emotional Development 2.1: demonstrate self-reliance and a sense of responsibility.

• The children may demonstrate a sense of responsibility by reminding their teachers that they need to go outside and care for the garden.  Some children may even volunteer to pull weeds or water the plants!

Emotional Development 2.5: interact cooperatively with others in classroom events and activities

•  Children may offer the most 'prized' jobs to other children to ensure fairness in the garden.  They may also thank one another for helping carry bags of soil from one end of the garden to another or work together to keep the garden neat and tidy.

MATHEMATICS

Image from: http://drive2.subaru.com/onlineX_nationalGardening.htm

Mathematics NS1.3: begin to make use of one-to-one correspondence in counting objects and matching groups of objects

• This can occur when children dig holes and plant seedlings.  The children may recognize and develop this mathematical skill by digging one small hole and placing one sprout inside!

Mathematics M2.1: compare and order two or more objects according to an appropriate measure and use measurement terms

• As the garden grows throughout the season, the children may take notice how some plants compare in size to others.  For example, children may say things like "This plant is taller than that one!"  The children may even order two or more objects, such as rocks in the garden, fallen leaves or insects they find and arrange them from smallest to biggest.

Mathematics G3.6: demonstrate an understanding of basic spatial relationships and movements

• Children may say things like "Let's plant the daisy in front of the petunia" or "The ant is crawling on top of the stone!" to demonstrate this math skill.

Mathematics DM5.1: sort, classify, and compare objects and describe the attributes used

•  As the buds bloom in the growing garden, children may take notice of the various colours, sizes and species they see in their garden.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Image from http://www.boylansgardenandpet.com.au/#/childrens-play/4568002141

 

Science and Technology 1.1: ask questions about and describe some natural occurrences, using their own observations and representations

• After the class has finished planting their seeds and sprouts, some children may ask questions like "how long will it take for the flowers to grow?" or "how come this plant has different coloured leaves?"  Sometimes children may even express their observations or ideas through drawings.

Science and Technology 1.3: explore patterns in the natural and built environment

• Sometimes birds, small rodents and insects may take refuge in gardens.  Children who come in contact with these may take notice of the patterns in textures and colours in these visitors.  The children may comment on the swirls on the shell of a snail, or the speckled pattern of the sparrow sitting on one of the garden's bushes.

Science and Technology 2.3: select and use materials to carry out their own explorations

• As the children wish to explore their new garden, they may ask for tools such as shovels, spades or pails to dig through the dirt or transfer materials from place to place

Science and Technology 3.1: identify similarities and differences between local environments

• Children who have seen other gardens or have one in their own home may identify similarities and differences between the two.  They may say things such as "I have an apple tree in my backyard too, but it is way bigger than this one" or other observations like this.

Science and Technology 3.3: identify ways in which they can care for and show respect for the environment

• The children may offer suggestions such as "we should pick up all the litter" to keep their garden clean and safe.

Provocation Idea: Cultivate a Garden!

Some of the most breathtaking and beautiful things in the world are things that are not man-made.  Think about natural materials and matter, like water, flowers, or wild life.  The natural elements provide some of the most interesting and open-ended possibilities for learning for young children.

Image from http://www.shophawkvalley.com/kids-garden-club

Cultivating a garden with children provides so many opportunities to learn outside of a traditional classroom setting!  Boys and girls will enjoy taking part and sharing the responsibility of helping a homemade garden transform from dirt and seeds to lush plants and blooms!  Gardens not only promise the growth of plants but are also sure to attract a variety of wildlife.

 Image from https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/general/ride2school/95302/

To get started, round up your classroom of children and get them involved!  Allow the children to design the garden by selecting the seeds, plants, shrubs, flowers, and/or trees.  Nothing encourages children to participate more than by giving them choices and freedom!

 Image from  http://www.nationalgardenmonth.org/images/201103storyline/201103kids-garden.jpg

 
Teachers can also participate in the learning by inviting the children to bring in books and articles on how to care for plants and to select the ones that attract specific types of wildlife!  Inspirational short stories about gardening such as City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, a tale about a diverse group of neighbours who work together to clean up a vacant lot and transform it into a community garden, could inspire a class full of children!

Of course, every class is different so feel free to select any piece of literature that would work with your group!

The Big Idea

In my many years of working with children (babysitting since I was fifteen, working as a synchronized swimming coach and camp counsellor the past eight years, and as an early childhood educator for the past two years) I have developed an idea of "what kids like" and "what they are interested in."

Image from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24624427

Only more recently has it dawned on me that children were not solely fixated on individual topics like butterflies, Transformers, flowers or babies, despite the fact that their dramatic play and art work very often reflected these themes.  Rather, the big idea behind such interests is something even bigger.  What is it within these individual topics that fascinates children?  The common BIG IDEA behind each of these focuses is the concept of transformation!

Image from http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/butterfly-exhibit-museum-44254.html

Not only is transformation a concept that is mesmerising to watch, but it is something that children experience first hand in their day-to-day lives.  As children watch their caregivers cooking them breakfast, they see their bread transform to toast.  What was once soft and light in colour quickly changed into something else crisp and dark.  Children see how their younger siblings change from babies who are dependent and small to toddlers and then preschoolers with increasing independence.  Despite the fact that young children may not see noticeable differences in their loved ones each day, they are aware that people do transform too!

As we slowly move from these harsh and cold winter months into the light and airy months of spring, children will quickly become engrossed in the transformation of the world around us as the temperatures begin to shift.  Ice and snow will transform to water.  Browned grass will replenish and become lush and green.  Bare shrubs will quickly grow leaves!  The sky is the limit on what transformations take place and what children take notice of.

Just a thought...

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."
- Maria Montessori