Park Forest Elementary in State College, PA, has long been known for its exemplary commitment to outdoor learning. Under the leadership of administrator Donnan Stoicovy, the school has dozens of schoolyard enhancements that have encouraged both outdoor learning as well as a sensitivity to environmental concern. The latest addition to […]

What is a “green” school? Although heads vigorously nod approval to the phrase “green is good”, it’s often not clear what constitutes “green” in a school setting. The Green Schools National Network (GSNN) is a relatively new organization that serves as a clearinghouse for education, non-profit, corporate and public sector […]

As I visit schools, I’m always amazed at the creative ways that plantings are being utilized. School gardens come in all types of sizes and shapes, but generally fall into three categories. Sometimes even small school sites have incorporated all three. Gardens that create a habitat for wildlife Although often […]

Outdoor learning can take place in three contexts. It can serve as: a venue for learning, a source of content, and a vehicle for service learning. The outdoors as a different venue for learning: In this case, the focus is not on learning about the outdoors, but rather, the outdoors […]

Without a doubt there is a growing trend for schools to incorporate the outdoors into instruction. I coined the term schoolyard-enhanced learning to emphasize the idea of using the area surrounding the school as an outdoor classroom. Field trips are great– but many schools are cutting back on these because […]