Outdoor Classroom

This looks so awesome!  I wish we had such a great setting for teaching, though we at least have picnic tables scattered around the campus and I use it for gallery walk/simulations and individual work on nice days.  Will you have access to wifi?

Looking amazing, Mike Skomba . Can't wait to see it all come together!

I don't have any experience is such a cool place!

Tell me more what a Rain Garden is all about, please!

I'm green with envy for your outdoor space! That's awesome! When I've had the chance to take students outside I've found it helpful to give them time to adjust to the novelty of it and not expect them to be focused on the lesson at first. So start with an easy assignment that channels their distractions into something useful, such as an observation or scavenger hunt assignment. Have them find producers, consumers, etc and maybe use an app to ID different plants and animals they can see. Or have them do a quick journal activity where their job is to observe their surroundings and write down what thoughts and feelings they are experiencing in real time. 

Soon the novelty of being outside will wear off a bit and they can get some more challenging work done. 

Hello Mike,

I wanted to share some insights from my experience teaching in a school with an outdoor classroom. It's essential to ensure that students stay hydrated during their outdoor activities. I recommend requiring students to bring water bottles or, if possible, installing a water refilling station to make hydration more accessible. Having both options would be even better to encourage them to stay cool and hydrated throughout the day.

Additionally, if your school has the budget, you might consider the installation of misters to help keep the area comfortable during hot days. This could enhance the outdoor learning experience significantly. Another idea is to designate a specific space for S.T.E.M. agriculture, which could provide students with hands-on learning opportunities while engaging them with nature.

Let me know if you'd like to discuss these suggestions further.

Best regards

Lisa Caleb

 Mike Skomba When I was teaching at a brand new middle school, we discovered the fantastic interior courtyards that were built had sound issues.  They built in cement benches, and were ideal (looking) for a class to convene outdoors.  However we discovered sound reverberating off of everything and it made it hard to hear someone speak.  Might not be an issue for you, but in case it is there are lots of ways to add sound dampeners or barriers.  So fantastic!  Really amazing, you are lucky!

Hello Donnetta:

I once worked at a school where we "recycled" rainwater for irrigation through a simple catchment process from the sloping roofs to irrigate a S.T.E.M experimental garden. It was a great way to conserve on water bill and engage the students in experiential learning. It would be interesting to hear the context this term is being used.

Lisa

Angela:

We have an outdoor classroom at my school and we experimented with taking the laptops outside but this was problematic because middle school students to play around  a bit too hard. We had issues with missing keys and keys not working.

Would anyone like to share how they used technology outdoors on their farms ?