Teachers are challenged every day to engage their students in creative learning experiences which also meet the school’s curriculum requirements. LREC’s Effective Outdoor Learning partnership helps teachers create these experiences in the schoolyard and other nearby outdoor places. As a bonus, these adventures often go beyond the basics, partnering students with members of the broader community.

A few weeks ago, I observed an engaging example of Effective Outdoor Learning at Pershing Elementary School in University City. Second grade students were exploring how plants and animals interact to disperse seeds and pollinate flowers, under the guidance of their teacher (and school garden coordinator) Lora Davenport. After walking outside the building and forming a circle near a mature shade tree, they did a stretching routine to help them focus on the outdoors. They were also given the opportunity to release some energy by running the perimeter of their schoolyard learning space.

Now they were ready to enter their school garden which is part vegetables and part native plants for wildlife. They explored the garden, observing pollinators at work. Utilizing simple craft materials, students then used engineering practices to design, build and test models that mimic the function of animals or insects dispersing seeds or pollinating plants. Even better—Lora had help: an outdoor learning team! Neighbors, family members, and a representative of a local garden organization (U-City in Bloom) all came to help make it a success.

In Lora’s own words:
“I LOVED doing this activity outdoors where we were able to interact with plants and pollinators that inspired the making of our own plants and pollinators. It was a gusty day, which made keeping track of the materials challenging, but the children were able to engage due to their deep interest in creating and through the help of dynamic volunteers.”

While schools these days are under pressure to focus on a narrow scope of academics, there is still room for Effective Outdoor Learning. Put those three words together and magic moments happen for learners, teachers and community partners.