Schoolyard Habitats® How To Guide

SCHOOLYARD HABITATS®

How-to-Guide

NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

w w w . n w f . o r g

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NWF MISSIONTo inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future

NWF Executive StaffLarry J. Schweiger President & Chief Executive Officer

Jaime Berman Matyas Executive Vice President & Chief Operating OfficerCynthia M. Lewin Senior Vice President & General Counsel

Dulce Gomez-Zormelo Chief Financial OfficerMark Van Putten Past President

Board of DirectorsCraig Thompson Chair

Stephen Allinger, Kathleen Hadley, Spencer Tomb Vice ChairsThomas Gonzales, Immediate Past ChairJerome C. Ringo Immediate Past Chair

Rebecca L. Scheibelhut Past Chair

Directors:Gregor S. Bailar, Paul Beaudette, Jenny Brock, Clark Bullard, David Carruth, Shelley H. Cohen, Lyvier Conss, John

Thomas Grant, Liz Hamilton, David L. Hargett, Mark Heckert, Mason Bryant Howard, Jerry Little, Gerald Meral, Gene T.Oglesby, Lois Quam, Paul Rose, Kent Salazar, Leslie Shad, Jess Sixkiller, Gregory J. Smith, Deborah Spalding, Christine

Thompson, Lise Van Susteren, Beatrice Busch von Gontard, Mark Winland

NWF Regional Centers

Headquarters:Reston, Virginia

Field Offices:Anchorage, Alaska; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; Annapolis, Maryland;

Missoula, Montana; Montpelier, Vermont; Seattle, Washington; Washington, D.C.

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Welcome to theSchoolyard Habitats® Program

Thousands of educators, parents, administrators, and community members areworking together on Schoolyard Habitats projects. No prior gardeningexperience is necessary – just dedication and resourcefulness.

Creating Schoolyard Habitats Sites: A How-To Guide is an introductory tool forschools and other education organizations interested in restoring and creatingwildlife habitat on their school grounds. This publication can serve as a preparedto guide processs, for school communities or with consultation for NWF’sprofessional staff and volunteers.

Included in this guide are the basics of gardening for wildlife, using theschoolyard as an educational tool, involving the school community, inventoryingthe schoolyard, creating a budget and project plan, acquiring resources, andsustaining the project. Practical tips and activities will guide readers through thesuccessful completion and use of a Schoolyard Habitats site as an outdoorclassroom for hands-on teaching, experiential learning, and as a resource for theentire school community.

This guidebook can be used by anyone involved with a Schoolyard Habitatsproject. Educators will find age-appropriate activites and tools to engage studentsin the process of planning and creating Schoolyard Habitats Sites. Non-formaleducators can easily use this guide to incorporate Schoolyard Habitats projectsinto afterschool clubs and nature center programs. School and communityvolunteers can use this guide to familiarize themselves with the general process ofcreating a Schoolyard Habitats project.

The National Wildlife Federation recognizes the efforts of schools working onSchoolyard Habitats through its national certification program. With thousandsof schools certified nationwide, NWF provides continual support through anewsletter, resource materials, curricula, and volunteer support. Whether you area teacher, a parent, or a school volunteer, we hope this guide helps you transformyour schoolyard into a thriving wildlife habitat for all to learn from, and we lookforward to welcoming you into our network of certified schools.



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We hope this guide will engage and encourage everyone toappreciate the natural world around us and take actionto help conserve it.

Credits

Vice President, Education & Training: Kevin CoyleExecutive Director, Be Out There: Becky GarlandDirector, Education: Eliza RussellIllustrators: Jennifer DiRubbio

Patricia WynnneDesign: Designs by Sarah, Sarah Ornstein

NWF Executive Staff

President and CEO: Larrry SchweigerCheif Operating Officer: Jaime Berman MatyasCheif Financial Officer: Dulce Gomez ZolemoVice President, Conservation Jim LyonVice President, Affiliate Relations Dan ChuVice President, Education and Training Kevin CoyleGeneral Counsel: Cindy Lewin

Acknowledgements

The Schoolyards Habitats Program would first like to acknowledge the many schoolsin Grand Rapids, MI who field tested versions of this manual. Special thanks toPeter M. Wege, Chairman, The Wege Foundation, for supporting the developmentof the manual and schoolyards across the country..

This guidebook was created through the collaborative efforts of the NationalWildlife Federation staff.

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Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. THE SCHOOLYARD HABITATS PROGRAM

Greetings from National Wildlife Federation ............................................2Schoolyard Habitats Program Overview....................................................3Frequently Asked Questions ......................................................................7Down By the Schoolyard ............................................................................8The Schoolyard Habitats Movement ..........................................................12

II. GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE

Ecology 101 ............................................................................................19Introduction to Native Plants ..................................................................28Habitat Basics ........................................................................................31Butterfly Gardening ................................................................................34Restoration Projects ................................................................................36Soil ..........................................................................................................38Composting ............................................................................................40Container Gardening ..............................................................................43

III. TEACHING WITH SCHOOLYARD HABITATS SITES

Reaching High Academic Standards on the Schoolyard ..........................46Analyze Your Curriculum ........................................................................58Schoolyard Habitats and Service Learning ..............................................61

IV. GATHERING INFORMATION

Create a Habitat Team ............................................................................65Habitat Team Roles ..........................................................................67Team Planning Worksheet ................................................................69

Creating a Vision Statement ....................................................................70Visioning Worksheet ........................................................................71Our Schoolyard Habitats Vision ......................................................73

Conduct a Site Inventory and Choose Your Site ....................................74Habitat Hunt (K-8 Activity) ............................................................76Who Can Live Here? (9-12 Activity)................................................79Schoolyard Biodiversity (K-8 Activity)..............................................84

Site Inventory Overview ..........................................................................87Basic Site Inventory (K-8 Activity) ..................................................88Advanced Site Inventory (9-12 Activity) ..........................................99Wildlife Where You Live (9-12 Activity) ........................................107Analyzing the Site Inventory ..........................................................112



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V. ASSEMBLING THE ELEMENTS

Design Considerations ................................................................................................115Discouraging Vandalism ..............................................................................................116Accessibility Guidelines ................................................................................................119

Community Survey (9-12 Activity) ......................................................................121Putting It All Together ..........................................................................................125

Project Planning ..........................................................................................................127Four-Season Planning Tool....................................................................................131

Acquiring ResourcesCreating a Budget..................................................................................................132Budget Planning Worksheets ................................................................................133Fundraising............................................................................................................136Sample Fundraising Letter ....................................................................................141Acquiring Resources Engaging Volunteers ............................................................142Breaking New Ground (K-12 Activity) ................................................................145Planting Your Schoolyard Habitats Site (K-12 Activity) ......................................148

Planting Guideline ......................................................................................................150Planning a Planting Day ..............................................................................................151

Sample Checklist for Planting Day

VI. ENSURING CONTINUED SUCCESS

Creating a Maintenance Plan ......................................................................................154Creating a Field and Care Guide (K-8) ........................................................................156Monitoring Projects......................................................................................................158Parent Involvement ......................................................................................................160Schoolyard Habitats Certification ................................................................................161Photo Release ..............................................................................................................166

VII. APPENDIX

A: NWF’s Education and Training Programs ............................................................168B: NWF Contact Information ..................................................................................170C: Site Design Guidelines for New Schools ..............................................................171D: Pacing and Baseline Mapping and Mappling to Scale ..........................................174E: Tips for Teaching Outdoors ..................................................................................176F: Glossary of Terms ..................................................................................................178G: Careers in Conservation—Student Information Sheet ..........................................180H: Resources ..............................................................................................................182I: Feedback Form ......................................................................................................190

Section I

TheSchoolyardHabitatsProgramThis section provides an overview of theSchoolyard Habitats Program, including twoarticles supporting the use of habitat-basedlearning areas as a context for interdisciplinarylearning and student achievement.

Greetings from National WildlifeFederationSchoolyard Habitats ProgramOverviewFrequently Asked QuestionsArticles: Down by the Schoolyard andThe Schoolyard Habitats Movement

© Copyright Shutterstock.com

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THE SCHOOLYARD HABITATS PROGRAM

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your interest in the National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitats®Program. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has encouraged individuals andcommunities to create and conserve wildlife habitat since 1973, when the BackyardWildlife Habitat™ Program began. In 1996, the Schoolyard Habitats Program wascreated to meet the growing interest and distinct needs of schools and school districts increating and restoring wildlife habitat on school grounds. The Schoolyard HabitatsProgram focuses specifically on assisting school communities in the use of schoolgrounds as learning sites for wildlife conservation and cross-curricular learning.Through our Certified Wildlife Habitat certification program, we recognize theaccomplishments of, and foster networking among, innovative school communitiesnationwide.

The entire school community can become involved in creating valuable habitat—food,water, cover, and places to raise young—for wildlife in your neighborhood. Whilecreating a dynamic outdoor classroom, and expanding educational opportunities forteachers and students, you will also be creating positive change in your localenvironment.

Why should we make this effort to help songbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife withwhom we share our communities? Habitat loss is the greatest threat to biodiversity—thegrand variety of life forms that live on Earth. No matter where we are, we can take smallactions in our daily lives to make a positive impact on our local environment. At ourschools and learning centers, we have a chance, and perhaps an obligation, to put ouryouth in contact with the natural world. While doing so, we will enhance the quality ofeducation in our schools. Throughout North America, and in many other parts of theworld, interest in using outdoor teaching areas is increasing. Instead of limiting hands-on, outdoor learning to infrequent off-site field trips, you can make use of your ownliving laboratory right outside the classroom door. By engaging in a Schoolyard Habitatsproject, you can foster students’ sense of stewardship for the local environment whilealso saving money on grounds maintenance, developing stronger ties to the widercommunity and supporting need to “green the schools in face of climate change.”

In addition to actively supporting school communities in creating habitat-basedlearning sites, the Schoolyard Habitats Program is proud to recognize schools’ work onbehalf of wildlife through a national certification process. I encourage you to join thethousands of educators, students, and community members who have worked togethertoward their projects’ certification as official Schoolyard Habitats sites. Once certified,schools gain national recognition and media attention, as well as access to many specialNWF resources and networking opportunities.

We at NWF appreciate the efforts you’re making to bring the natural world into thelives of people in your school community. Good luck with your project! We hope to seeyour application soon.

Sincerely,

Craig Tufts, Chief Naturalist, NationalWildlife Federation

Greetings FromNational Wildlife Federation

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SCHOOLYARD HABITATS® PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Imagine a day when your schoolgrounds are bustling with activity:

One class watches birds using a nest box they constructed, taking notes onadaptations for flight and feeding.Another class learns about plant reproduction by examining the flowers theyplanted and observing bees and butterflies pollinating them.Another group uses math skills to estimate the tadpole population in a pondstudents helped construct.A fourth group records observations of squirrel behavior as they gather nutsto feed their young.

Turning your schoolgrounds into a National Wildlife Federation certifiedSchoolyard Habitats site is easy and fun! Your new site will provide outdoorlearning opportunities that are:

interdisciplinarystandards-basedhands-oninexpensive

In fact, your Schoolyard Habitats site will not only provide inspiration forlearning among students, teachers, and the community, but will become animportant part of your local ecosystem, providing essential habitat for wildlife.Read on to learn how Schoolyard Habitats projects positively impact the entireschool community.

1. Students

Abstract concepts and connections between various subject areas come to life in aSchoolyard Habitats site, enhancing student comprehension and performance.Students fully engage in learning through hands-on projects, investigations, andobservations in outdoor classrooms. Many educators also report rises in students’self-esteem, ability to work as part of a team, curiosity, and their level ofmotivation. Lastly, students’ sense of empowerment—the belief that they havethe capacity to create positive change—and sense of stewardship for theirsurroundings are often enhanced through the tangible results and rewards oftheir schoolyard work.

2. Educators

Schoolyard Habitats sites provide increased resources and opportunities forcreative instruction. Using the schoolgrounds as an integrating context forlearning, educators are able to teach across subject areas in the living laboratoryoutside their classroom doors. Teachers use Schoolyard Habitats projects as toolsto help them reach higher academic standards, and to provide an authenticcontext with which students can learn new content and apply new skills.Expanding classroom walls to include Schoolyard Habitats sites also helpseducators meet the needs of students with varied learning styles. Students who

Schoolyard Habitats®Program Overview

Schoolyard Habitats:Opportunities forStudent Success

“By providing our children withmany opportunities for hands-onlearning experiences, includingobservation of plants and animalsin a natural setting, we hope toinstill and nurture in them a strongsense of place, an awareness ofthe ecology of our areas and howhumans affect and are affected byour natural environment. We hopeto inspire a sense of stewardshipand caring about our environmentin our students. Within theframework of outdoor education,curriculum areas in art, literature,reading, social studies, science,and math can be integrated inmeaningful, fun ways. Activitiesour students have been and willbe involved in, including bird andwaterfowl identification, care forsongbird nesting boxes, gatheringand interpreting data on nestingbox use, developing a field guide,creating interpretive signs for ourtrail, weed pulling and clean-upprojects for the area.”

Frenchtown Elementary School,Missoula, MT




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have difficulty learning within theclassroom often thrive in these hands-on, fully engaging outdoorlaboratories.

3. Schools

The entire school benefits whenteachers and students are teaching andlearning more effectively. But thebenefits continue: schooladministrators faced with limitedbudgets enjoy knowing that studentand teacher access to hands-on

learning andteaching will notbe limited toinfrequent andcostly field trips;instead, theseopportunities areavailable on adaily basis, justoutside the schoolbuilding. Manyadministratorsalso appreciatethe naturalconnectionsbetween conceptsthat can be taughtin SchoolyardHabitats sites andmany of their

state and national learning standardsfor all subject areas. In addition,administrators enjoy cost savings:many schools spend less on schoolgrounds maintenance afterestablishing a Schoolyard Habitatssite, as high-maintenance turf grassesand exotic plantings are replaced withnative species which require less water,fertilizer and general maintenance.

4. Community

The wider school community benefitsfrom Schoolyard Habitats projects inmany ways. Businesses, civicorganizations, parents, retirees, collegestudents, and others find their livesenriched through volunteering ormaking donations to local schoolsinvolved in this work. Thiscommunity involvement and supportis often essential for the very successand sustainability of a school’s project.The tangible results of SchoolyardHabitats projects often elevate feelingsof pride and accomplishmentthroughout the wider community.

How the SchoolyardHabitats Program AffectsStudents

Recently, educators were asked:“How has the Schoolyard HabitatsProgram affected the students withwhom you work?” Their responsesincluded:“They love the gardens, areproud of them, and love tolearn from them.”

“They have gained a greaterappreciation and knowledgeof wildlife, plants,ecosystems,and theinteraction ofhumans and thenatural world.”

“Their interestin science hasgrown.Students enjoystudying in anoutdoor setting,which serves asa model fortaking care ofthe earth.”

“Students havea heightenedawareness ofnature andmore respectfor theenvironment.”

“It has been verymotivational to the kids whohave participated. Many ofmy 8th grade students whohave been the most helpfulare not always the best inthe classroom. It’s nice tooffer these studentssuccess!”

“It has helped us to grow inso many areas, socially andacademically. They arelearning stewardship andresponsibility.”

How the Schoolyard Habitats Program Affects Teachers

Educators from certified Schoolyard Habitats schools were asked: “How has yourinvolvement with NWF’s Schoolyard Habitats Program affected you?”“I now value the land surrounding our school. I am able to use thearea as a teaching tool. I am more interested in being a part ofpreservation of our resources.”

“As teachers, using our outdoor classroom, we have been inspiredto focus on natural resource education and integrate it into ourcurriculum. We now have a hands-on approach and an outsideenvironment/ classroom to use.”

“My involvement reinforces my belief in doing hands-on activitiesand field studies with my students.”

“Teachers and students are more aware of the species (plant andanimal) found in our area. Everyone is more aware of thesignificance of studying nature and exploring our environment.”


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SCHOOLYARD HABITATS®— A HOW-TO GUIDE



5. Wildlife

Schoolyard Habitats projects helpsupport local wildlife by providingfood, water, cover, and places to raiseyoung: the very basics every animalneeds to survive. The need forschools and communities to restoreand create wildlife habitat on theirgrounds is becoming greater, as morespecies face loss of habitat in growingtowns and cities across the country.By providing native plants andmaking landscaping choices withwildlife in mind, schools can make animportant difference in supportingthe health and survival of their localpollinators, amphibians, and otherwildlife.

6.The LocalEnvironment

In addition to enhancing the habitatand viability of local and migratorywildlife, schools which plant nativespecies and restore land improve theoverall health of their watershed andlarger ecosystem. Many schools havealso reduced their energyconsumption through the strategicplacement of new plantings around(and atop!) school buildings. Runoff isreduced when areas of asphalt aresurrounded by native vegetation orreplaced with soil and native plants.The local environment also benefitswhen Schoolyard Habitats projectsserve as demonstration sites thatinspire others to transform their ownhomes and community spaces.

Benefits of Schoolyard Habitats Sites

Provide easy access, on-sitefield trips

Empower students

Provide long-term involvementand access to a natural place

Affirm a place and role forhumans in the environment

Demonstrate student ability tomake a difference

Build community

Restore the local environment

Transform and beautify theschoolyard

Reduce landscapemaintenance needs (labor andcosts)

Provide a context for teachingacross all subject areas

Increase safety and productiveuse of schoolyard

Promote physical and mentalhealth and well-being (boththrough the physical activity

associated with garden work,and the peacefulness thehabitat area provides)

Provide good opportunities forcreating positive socialrelationships across the schoolcommunity

Promote high levels of studentachievement

Provide new ways to meet theneeds of all students

“This project will give theOshkoshAreaSchool Districtthe chance to preserve, develop,

and enhance educationalopportunities for the OshkoshArea elementary students, andserves the town residents intheir need for additional green

space and an area forrecreational/ leisure activities.Indirectly this project benefitsall users of theWinnebago-

Butte desMorts and the Fox-Wolf River watersheds through

the improvement in waterquality.”

Sheldon Nature Area,Oshkosh, WI,

Schoolyard Habitats site #1418


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THE SCHOOLYARD HABITATS® PROGRAM CAN HELP

WebsiteVisit the Schoolyard Habitats website (www.nwf.org/schoolyardhabitats) to learnmore in-depth information, access resources, download lesson plans andresources and much more.

CurriculumOur award-winning Access Nature curriculum provides hands-on lessons for K-12 educators which are inclusively designed for all students. Additionally, othersupportive curriculums are available on the website for downloading.

Regional Office Staff SupportRegional Education managers bring NWF’s programs to life on a regional basis.These staff members can assist in connecting you with local resources andvolunteers that can support your project.

Distance LearningNWF provides two distance learning courses for students and teacher to learnhow to create a schoolyard wildlife habitat. Happenin’ Habitats and CreatingPlaces for Wildlife can be access through www.nwf.org/wildlifeuniversity.

VolunteersNational Wildlife Federation support nearly 6,000 volunteers national who aretrained to work with schools and communities to create demonstration and outdoorlearning gardens on school or community grounds.

CertificationNWF provides a certification for wildlife habitats. The certification programmotivates schools to reach high standards in their habitat work, rewards theschool community for their achievement and provides a network See sectioneight on how to certify.

Field Education CoordinatorsField Education Coordinators bring NWF’s programs tolife on the local level. These regional educators facilitateprofessional development workshops as well ascommunity presentations about all of NWF’s Educationprograms.

Eco-School ProgramGreen the Building, Green the grounds and Green thecurriuculum by extending your Schoolyard Habitat to anintergrated school approach through Eco-schools. Learnmore on how to participate at www.nwf.org/ecoschools.

See Appendix C (p. 169) for a listing of regional NWFfield offices and contact information.

The Schoolyard Habitats®Program Can Help


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is there any difference in certifying a school or other site?Backyards, schools, community and businesses sites each certify the same way.The difference between the sites is size and intent for teaching that a schoolyard orcommunity location may have.

Where are Schoolyard Habitat projects located?The number of certified schoolyard habitats sites grow each day. There arecertified schoolyard in every state in the nation and two territories. Certifiedhabitats are also international in Thailand, Italy, United Kingdom and others.

What age groups are involved with Schoolyard Habitatsprojects?

All ages are involved. From children in day care centers and preschools, tothousands of students in grades K-12, to parents, university students, teachers,administrators, community members, and volunteers, Schoolyard Habitatsprojects truly do reach all ages.

How much land do you need to begin a Schoolyard Habitatsproject?

There is no minimum amount of land needed for these projects. Many schoolscomplete successful projects with no land at all—by building planter boxes and addingfeeders, bird baths, etc. onto an unused section of their asphalt playground, ripping upthis asphalt and planting in the ground, or by converting their roof into a schoolgarden. Others use their limited amount of green space—i.e. a small courtyard—to itsfullest potential. Smaller projects may focus on attracting and supporting local insects,butterflies, and birds, while schools with more land do everything from restoring nativeprairie, to planning and creating a schoolyard wetland.

Why should I apply for certification as an official SchoolyardHabitats site?

Schools and organizations benefit from certifying their habitat projects in manyways. Each time a school gets certified, NWF sends out a press release to theschool’s local papers; this publicity helps schools gain additional communitysupport and aids in future fundraising efforts for the schoolyard project. Oncecertified, schools are also able to order an attractive sign, which they can post toannounce and describe their efforts.

In addition, certified schools gain lifetime access to the wildlife on line newsletter,and benefit from belonging to this dynamic network of other educators andschools involved in habitat restoration and hands-on outdoor instruction. Teachersprovide concrete ideas and support to each other Blogs, and certified schools gainspecial access to NWF news and resources.

Most people find that applying for certification is a helpful, tangible goal along theroad of habitat restoration. Receiving Schoolyard Habitats certification from NWFis a huge accomplishment and reason for a school-wide celebration; certificationrepresents official acknowledgment for a school’s hard work and achievement thusfar, and provides a new boost of energy for the work that lies ahead. Certificationis not an ending, but represents an early milestone along the way.

Frequently AskedQuestions

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DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD

This article was written by Stephen R. Coffee,Executive Director of Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment.,originally published in the Virginia Journal of Education,March 1998.

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most profound. Howelse to describe the growing schoolyard educationmovement that has at its heart one fundamentalaxiom: “Take those kids outside!”? This simple ideahas become a river into which some very robuststreams of thought are pouring, streams whichdraw from the watersheds of environmentaleducation, education reform, human ecologyand beyond.

Across North America, teachers by thethousands are discovering that the outdoorspresents a broad palette of opportunities forenriching their teaching. They are beingencouraged not only by regional andnational environmental organizations, butby natural resource agencies, communityand parent groups, and schooladministrators. Perhaps more importantly,they are being reinforced by the resultsthey see and the feedback they get from theirstudents.

Schoolyard-based learning has become important to several Arlington Countyschools. At Tuckahoe Elementary, the schoolyard emphasis has become part ofthe school’s very identity, as expressed by the school’s motto, “Experience theWorld Through Tuckahoe.” According to art teacher Caryl Williams, thismeans that “learning about the world should start where you are. A thoroughunderstanding of your school and schoolyard form the best foundation forunderstanding the world at large.”

The school is ringed by gardens, compost bins and a greenhouse, but most ofwhat makes the Tuckahoe story special is invisible. Invisible, that is, if you don’tnotice that the place is crawling with parents.

Williams explains that the schoolyard program provides parents opportunities forinvolvement “beyond baking cookies.” Together, a committee of parents and

teachers designed a proposal for a series of Expedition Days,in which teachers and other adults work with small, mixed agegroups of children for an hour each month on a self-selectedoutdoor exploration.

Parent Beth Reese explains that the Expedition Days haveallowed teachers to try out ideas in a low stress situation. “Wespecifically asked them to spend no more than one hour

Down By the Schoolyard

“TheSchoolyard program providesparents opportunities for

involvement beyond cookies.”(Caryl Williams, TuckahoeElementary School)



planning for the activity, “ she says.“The important thing is to start witha good question.”

Expedition groups have studied birds,erosion and storm water, trees andsoil. They have mapped and drawnand writtenpoetry. Onegroup hasmarked out anature trail in anadjoining park.An importantcomponent ofExpedition Daysis the sharing ofnew knowledge with the rest of theschool, whether through a poster,photographs or video. One group hasdeveloped a hypertext field guide tothe schoolyard.

“It hasn’t been just teachers leadingthese activities,” says Reese. “Severalparents and community membershave been involved, as well as theschool secretary. Our custodian leads alitter study.”

At several Arlington schools, parentshave provided the spark for outdoorlearning. At Nottingham Elementary,parent and naturalist Karen McCall

visited classes and asked students tohelp envision an outdoor classroom.What eventually emerged was anexpansive bird and butterfly habitatgarden that stretches across the frontschoolyard. “Involving students in theplanning is one of the most important

principles,” saysMcCall. In arecent survey ofthe schoolyardhabitatmovement,educator MaryRivkin identifiedeight nationaland 28 regional

or local organizations devoted topromoting schoolyard habitatprojects. No doubt there are more.But while the schoolyard as wildlifehabitat is a major current in themovement, it does not define it. Noris science the only subject thatbenefits. There is also a strong currentflowing around gardening,emphasizing the cultivation of plantsas a window intoliterature, nutrition,history and math.

Ecological LiteracyIn part, the schoolyard movementflows from a concern that has echoedthrough environmental educationliterature: the belief that the nextgeneration absolutely must possess afundamental ecological literacy if it isto have a chance of dealing with suchdaunting challenges as global warmingand the loss of biodiversity and othernatural resources.

How many adults today can definewhat soil is, for example? And yet theloss of topsoil is a worldwide problem,growing quietly towards crisis status.The typical urban or suburbanschoolyard cannot convey thegrandeur of the caribou migration orthe richness and complexity of therainforest, but most likely it will holdsome kind of soil, perhaps of dubiousquality, but which nonetheless hostscountless tiny organisms interacting intandem, ready to decompose anythingthat nature has ever discarded.

The schoolyard also presents anopportunity to counteract a verydangerous myth, that nature issomething that exists in farawayplaces, unconnected to our lives andmanaged by experts. Our treessequester carbon and host life just likethose in the rainforest. The simpleknowledge that birds migrate throughour neighborhoods on their way tothose very rainforests can add a realsense of connectedness. Wildlifehabitats such as butterfly gardens canprovide intimate experiences withsuch fundamental but elusive conceptsas food webs, energy flows andsymbiosis. A vegetable garden canprovide a personal lesson on just how

much

“Involving students in theplanning is one of themost

important principles.”(Karen McCall, parent and naturalist)


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energy it takes to produce the foodthat sustains us, linking us once againto the soil.

Rivkin points out that a hundredyears ago most children walkedthrough woods and fields to reachschool; teaching about the naturalenvironment was in many ways moot.Today, however, urbanization and itsside effects have dramatically alteredthe life-space of most North Americanchildren and put them in what maybe deeply “unnatural” environmentsfor the human animal.

Habitat For ChildrenThe second major source of themovement is the realization that theschoolyard is a critical habitat—forchildren. By the time they finish sixthgrade, most children have spent closeto 2000 hours of their lives inschoolyards. It was the barrenness ofso many of these environments thatinspired the creation of the Britishprogram Learning ThroughLandscapes (LTL), which in turninspired the transformation of 10,000schoolyards into imaginative learninggardens. The program started after a1985 survey found that the vastmajority of British schoolyards failedmiserably to provide creative spacesfor either formal or informal learning.

Summarizing research commissionedby LTL, director Bill Lucas says thatthe schoolyard forms part of a hiddencurriculum, through which childrenlearn how much or how little adults

value their environment. “When theysee tarmac they think of pain and theterritorial advantage that attaches itselfto so many of the games played on it.When they see flowers, they feel good.All around them they see indicators ofcare or lack of care by those whodesigned their outdoor spaces.”

The importance of play environmentshas been well studied, and inspiringmodels of natural and enriching playenvironments exist. What theschoolyard movement adds is thepossibility of blending play andteaching. There’s no reason learningshouldn’t be fun. For the best results,students have to be involved from thebeginning, defining and creating theirown environment and recreating itevery day, as humans are destined to do.

Educational RewardsThe importance of connecting withnature and of respecting children’shuman nature provide strongjustification for the schoolyardmovement, but its third source is whatensures its future: For starters, itfacilitates most of what we call theeducational reform agenda. If the callfor hands-on learning begs thequestion, “hands on what?”, theanswer is right outside the door. Forinquiry-based science, questionsabound in the schoolyard: What liveshere? Where did the weeds comefrom? What makes the clouds? Forsocial studies, What used to be herebefore it was a school? What do ourstreet names mean? “

After we began our garden, all kindsof connections to the curriculumpresented themselves,” says LindaWilliams of the Arlington ScienceFocus School. An ongoing outdoorproject such as a garden provides acontext that the class can return toagain and again, providing continuity.Interdisciplinary teaching comesnaturally, as do team projects.

Reese explains that the casualapproach to Expedition Days helpsteachers “relax into the mode of beingone of a community of learners.Instead of the adult having to have allthe answers, they instead model howto be a learner.”

When the schoolyard truly becomesan extension of the classroom,teachers move easily among indoorand outdoor activities, bringing insamples to study under themicroscope, generating ideas forlibrary research, reading stories thatilluminate our relationship withnature, or collecting data to share onthe Internet.


The schoolyard alsopresents an opportunityto counteract a verydangerousmyth, that

nature is something thatexists in faraway places,unconnected to our livesandmanaged by experts.



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Beyond theCurriculumEqually important toteachers are the meta-curricular benefits ofschoolyard projects. “Iknew the mathconnections would be there,” saysLinda Williams, “but I delighted inthe thinking skills as studentsplanned, compared, sorted, predictedand analyzed. Best of all, though, wasthe character lesson in patience andperseverance, which paid off when mystudents came back in September tofind the ‘totally awesome’ 8-footsunflowers they had started from seedsin April.”

“We’ve found that kids who are‘hyper’ or otherwise difficult to dealwith in the classroom often flourish inthe outdoor setting,” says Mary RitaPrah, resource teacher at OakridgeElementary. Put more generally, theschoolyard provides opportunities forchildren with a wide range of learningskills. In Tuckahoe’s Expedition Days,one emotionally troubled child gaineda reputation as an artist and a birdexpert. Both physically and mentallyhandicapped children benefit fromopportunities to manipulate the

natural environment andespecially to nurture.

Arlington has seen atremendous influx ofimmigrant families, andteachers at schools such as

Glencarlyn Elementary have foundschoolyard projects to be a way toengage non-English speaking students.

Common Ground“We chose environmental science aspart of our instructional initiative,”says Glencarlyn Principal ChrisSutton, “because it lends itself tohands-on learning. We didn’tanticipate that schoolyard projectswould become a stimulus forcommunity building.” Sutton explainsthat each grade level has responsibilityfor a particular garden or other part ofthe courtyard. A pond and gardenclub meets on early release days toclean and maintain the student-builtpond. Kindergartners raisecrickets to feed the frogs. TheVietnamese custodian brings aquaticplants and expertise. With schoolyardgardens, Glencarlyn has found a wayto attract otherwise reticentimmigrant parents. Indeed, gardeningis a wonderful platform for

multicultural education, as the crops,herbs and flowers display both ourcultural differences and our universalagrarian heritage.

Perhaps the schoolyard movementbespeaks a deep desire to restore forour children something we know ismissing in their lives. As their worldbecomes more and more dominatedby asphalt and electrons andconstrained by adult fears, theschoolyard may emerge as thecommunity’s shrine to the importanceof nature in their lives, an oasis in theurbanized environment where bothchildren and adults can developstewardship skills, nurture each otherand touch ancestral home.

The schoolyardsupports

teaching anddeepens learning.

An ongoing outdoor projectsuch as a garden provides acontext that the class canreturn to again and again,

providing continuity.


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THE SCHOOLYARD HABITAT MOVEMENT

What It Is and Why Children Need It

This article was written by Mary Rivkin, Department Editor, originally published inEarly Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1997.

IntroductionDo young children need experiences in natural environments? From anevolutionary standpoint, the answer is probably yes. Our development as aspecies occurred in natural environments—a wide variety, to be sure—and now,our mostly indoor existence in primarily urban environments is clearly a radicaldeparture from the previous norm.

The departure is so recent that most adults in our country still rememberoutdoor play as a significant and treasured part of their childhoods, even as theyrecognize that today’s children do not have the same access to the outdoors that

they did. Concern about this phenomenon hasled some education and conservation groups tospearhead efforts to have schoolyards providenature-based environments for children. Whyschoolyards should provide such habitats andwhat is being done to create them are the focusof this article.

How Children Have Lost NaturalHabitatThe environmental movement’s focus onendangered species has made us aware that lossof habitat is a primary cause of speciesextinction. In other words, if there isn’t a placeto live, life doesn’t flourish or even occur. Theadaptability of humans is such that somechildren do survive in habitats of enormousrange, including abject hunger, squalor, andstress. It is clear too that children can grow up

and raise their own children in highly urbanized and crowded conditions. Hence,I will not speak here of what the species is capable of but rather will focus onwhat appears to be optimal development for children. I suggest that intenseurbanization and industrialization and their follow-ons have deprived children ofoutdoor, in particular nature-based, experiences.

Urbanization and industrialization have taken nature-based habitats away fromchildren in several ways. A major factor is automobiles. Cars and other vehiclesdominate the outdoors in urban and suburban areas—children are simply nomatch for their high speeds and wide roads. Children’s range is thus limited.Furthermore, while many children used to walk to school, interacting withneighborhood yards or vacant lots, now many, if not most, children are driven toschool.

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Roads and buildings take up land thatformerly held plants and animals andusually some form of water; a growingpopulation, concentrated in cities,means less land for play. Furthermore,some of the least expensive housingwhich is available to families withyoung children is in densely populatedareas, with little open space. Inparticular, highrise apartmentsprohibit easy access to outdoor play.Additionally, deteriorated socialconditions such as homelessness,crime, substance abuse, and theproliferation of guns make beingoutside riskier than previously. Vacantlots which used to have some varietiesof plants and animals in them nowalso have the detritus of our times,such as broken glass, old tires, andendless plastic and cardboardpackagings.

Finally, because we have not been ableto manage the side effects oftechnology, natural areas such asrivers, streams, and lakes sufferwidespread pollution. Low-incomefamilies especially feel this effect:wastes such as lead and heavy metalscontaminate the soils in manyplaces—three out of five African-Americans and Hispanic-Americanslive in communities with toxic wastesites (United Church of Christ, 1987).

Even where children have access toclean, natural sites, the air can bepolluted with harmful particles, gasesand ultraviolet rays. The “bad” and“good” ozone problems seemparticularly intractable.1 When vehicleexhaust and other chemicals make the“bad” ozone level in the air high ourlungs are damaged. According to theAmerican Lung Association (1996),children “are at particular risk because

their lungs are still developing, theybreathe more air relative to the size oftheir lungs than adults, and theyspend more time outdoors engagingin vigorous exercise.” When theamount of “good” ozone in the upperatmosphere is low, more ultravioletrays reach us, with implications forskin cancer, cataracts, and immunesuppression. Australian youngstersroutinely apply sunscreen beforeventuring out; children here may soondo the same, a further complicationfor outdoor play.

Children Have Lost Access toTheir Former HabitatsThe idea of universal public schoolingabsorbing perhaps a third of a child’swaking hours is historically very new,basically an idea of the twentiethcentury. While it can be argued thatchildren have never had much time tocall their own, given the demands ofagrarian and subsistence economies,children’s spending so much time

away from home is new. Theinstitutionalizing of children,beginning with school, and now childcare, has been extended to includeteam sports, lessons, and camps. Thehours spent transporting childrenamong institutions also reducechildren’s time for outdoorexploration and play.

Accompanying the institutionalizationof children has been thefragmentation of neighborhood playsupervision. Parents who used to keeptheir eyes on children outdoors arevery frequently today not at home butworking elsewhere. Children’s accessto their own neighborhoods iscurtailed for lack of adequatesupervision.

The penetration of television intovirtually every home in the UnitedStates also works to keep children fromoutdoor play, due to television’sattractiveness to children, and parents’use of it for “child-minding.” Relatedtechnologies such as videos, electronic

1The reader may find useful the following explanation of ozone. “Ozone (03) is a bluish gas made up of three oxygen atoms bonded together.Because the bond is not very strong, ozone is an oxidant; that is, one of the oxygen [atoms] can easily break off and combine with otherchemical compounds. These reactions can damage materials, vegetation, and human health. Ozone is beneficial when found high above theearth’s surface in the stratosphere, because it helps to filter solar rays that can harm humans, animals, and plants. Closer to the earth’s surface inthe troposphere, ozone is considered a pollutant because of its harmful effects on people, materials, and ecosystems.” (American LungAssociation, Breathless: Air Pollution and Hospital Admission/Emergency Room Visits in 13 Cities.Washington, DC: American Lung Association,1996, pp. 3—4.)


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games, and computers contribute tothe indoor nature of childhood, asdoes air-conditioning for many.

Why We Should RestoreNatural Habitats to Children

The Bio-Psychological ReasonsA corollary of the evolutionaryargument stated above is the“biophilia hypothesis,” which asserts“a human need, fired in the crucibleof evolutionary devel-opment, fordeep and intimate association with thenatural environment, particularly itsliving biota” (Kellert, 1993, p. 21).According to this hypothesis, we are“hard-wired” to affiliate with naturalenvironments, needing such affiliationin the same way we need contact withother people.

Studies of adults reviewed by Kaplanand Kaplan (1989) on “nearbynature”2—the sort that children haveaccess to as opposed to distantnational parks or seashores—led themto conclude:

The immediate outcomes of contactswith nearby nature include enjoyment,relaxation, and lowered stress levels. Inaddition, the research results indicatedthat physical well being is affected by

such contacts. People withaccess to nearby naturalsettings have beenfound to be healthierthan other individuals.The longer-termindirect impacts alsoincluded increased levels ofsatisfaction with one’shome, one’s job, andwith life in general.Surely this is aremarkable rangeof benefits. (p.173)

Although theKaplans reviewed studies of adults, itseems logical to infer that studies ofchildren would reveal comparablebenefits.

Furthermore, a substantial body ofautobiographical and biographicalliterature attests to the poignancy andstrength of memories of childhoodexperiences in natural settings, asevidenced by reviews by Cobb (1977)and Chawla (1994). An account ofcontemporary children in naturalsettings by Nabhan and Trimble(1994) indicates that childrencontinue to affiliate with such settingsin productive and pleasurable ways.

The EnvironmentalismReasonWhen children do not playin natural habitats, theytend not to know aboutthe plants and animalsthat live there (Nabhan &

St. Antoine, 1993). Doesnot knowing lead to not

caring? Research has yet toshow just how childhoodexperience developsenvironmental values,but such values “must be

partly rooted in childhoodenvironmental experiences” (Moore,

1986, p. 232). Chawla’s study ofenvironmental activists in bothKentucky and Norway indicated thatchildhood experiences were significantprecursors for their adult activism.

The Developmental ReasonChildren are multisensory, physicalbeings. The younger the child themore the child learns through sensoryand physical activity. The variety andrichness of natural settings—the wind,the sky, the changing clouds, themoving animals, the cycling plants,the hardness of rocks, the flowingnessof water, the varieties of colors andsounds, the wide range of permittedbehaviors (shouting and running andclimbing)—all contribute to physical,cognitive, and emotional developmentmore than manufactured indoorenvironments typically can or do.Even old-fashioned outdoor playspaces that offer mainly large motoropportunities also provide wind, sky,sun, rain, and some vistas of interest.

Natural areas offer children benefitsbeyond the cognitive. Research at aprimary schoolyard in Berkeley, CA,that changed part of its asphalt into ameadow with woods, streams, ponds,and flowers showed that children havemore positive social relationships insuch areas and more creative play

2“Nearby nature” is a broad term that can range from a view of trees or plants to walking-distance parks or home gardens. Key characteristicsinclude perceived accessibility and opportunity to interact, including observing (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989).





(Moore & Wong, 1997). Socialemotional development is wellserved by natural areas.

The Schoolyard HabitatsMovement

Early ChildhoodEducation Outdoor PlayEndangeredMany preschools have excellentoutdoor play spaces becauseearly childhood teachers have along and sturdy tradition ofhaving plants and animals accessibleto children and of incorporatingoutdoor play into their daily activities.However, when early childhoodteachers find themselves in publicschool settings, the bleakness ofasphalt and close-mown grass inoutdoor areas pre-sents a majorchallenge to outdoor natureexperiences. That many preschoolsand childcare facilities are housed ininstitutions such as churches and,increasingly, office buildings, wherethe primary mission is not the broadeducation of young children, alsohinders the providing of rich outdoorexperiences. For these reasons, theburgeoning schoolyard habitatmovement in this country and abroadhas much to contribute to earlychildhood education.

Recent History of theSchoolyard Habitat MovementSince the environmental movement ofthe 1970s, some schools have hadgrounds improvement projects. Long-lasting national environmentaleducation programs such as ProjectLearning Tree and Project Wild havehelped foster such improvements. Inthe last decade, a highly successfulnational program in Great Britain,Learning through Landscapes, whichhas improved at least one-third ofBritain’s 30,000 schoolyards, hasinspired a national program inCanada, Learning Grounds,sponsored by the Evergreen

Foundation, and also a major Swedishprogram, Skolans Uterum. Learningthrough Landscapes has also givenfresh impetus to the schoolyardimprovement efforts in the UnitedStates, some of which are describedbelow.

The United States—ManyEfforts Loosely LinkedA recent survey (U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, 1996) revealed morethan 40 organizations either solelydevoted to schoolgroundsenhancement or sponsoring programsto that end. Many of theseorganizations have a traditionalwildlife conservation mission and viewschoolyards as places to directlyinform children about their naturalheritage and engage them in itspreservation. The U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, state fish and gamedepartments, and the NationalWildlife Federation (NWF) are theleaders in this regard. Someorganizations originated inenvironmental education and haveforged a variety of links among scienceand education departments ofuniversities, state school systems,natural science museums, arboreta,and conservation organizations.

The daunting task of helping the108,000 schools in the United States“green their grounds” has created adesire for sharing information andjoining efforts among many like-minded groups. Conferences

sponsored by the AmericanHorticultural Society, theNorth American Associationfor Environmental Education,the Society for EcologicalResearch, and both theBrooklyn and ClevelandBotanical Gardens havehelped bring people and ideastogether. The SchoolyardHabitats program sponsors alistserv for organizationsworking on schoolyardimprovement; web pages for

NWF, the Evergreen Foundation, andProject Wild provide bothinformation and links to otherprojects (see Appendix). Most projectsare local or state in scope, whichindicates that there are undoubtedlymany projects not captured by therecent survey but teachers could locatethem by calling local and stateconservation and education groupsand agencies. Soil ConservationDistricts are good sources ofinformation.

(My state exemplifies the range oforganizations: The U.S. Fish andWildlife Service is very active inschoolyard restoration, along with thestate department of natural resources.Some school systems have projects,and there is a large urban reforestationproject.)


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16 | THE SCHOOLYARD HABITAT MOVEMENT

Typical “Greening” EffortsSchools usually start with smallprojects, although some schools domajor work, especially in newconstruction. Typical small projectsare butterfly gardens, bird feeders andbaths, tree planting, sundials, weatherstations, native plant gardens, NativeAmerican gardens, and compost piles.Larger projects are ponds/wetlands,nature trails, meadows/prairie, streamrestoration, shelters for small animals,such as brush piles, and big veg-etablegardens. There is a trend to chooseecologically valuable projects oversimple beautification ones, e.g., turfconverted to meadow contributesmore to the local ecology than azaleasplanted around the school’sfoundation.

Optimally, students are involved in theplanning, implementing, andmaintenance of projects. Importantcurriculum aims can be served as wellas a sense of ownership andstewardship encouraged. While olderchildren may find digging, clearing,and planting a refreshing alternative toclassroom exercises, young childrengenerally find such work tedious andare not expected to do very much.Young children do contribute ideas,however, and often find creative waysto use the environment even while it isbeing transformed. Making a hole for

a new piece of equipment can inspireplayful digging as well as make aplayworthy dirt pile (Chenfeld, 1996).

Green, But Also Appropriatefor Young ChildrenHarmonizing the needs of children ofdifferent ages is important in planningschoolyard greening. Excellentfacilities for observing nature can beappropriate for older children but toolimiting for young children. A “gardenteacher” at an elementary school withextensive gardens had to abandon herlesson plan for the kindergartnerswhen they discovered mud after arainshower. Before she knew it, shoes

had flown off, and feet were joyouslysquishing.

Early childhood teachers need toassert their children’s rights to thiskind of full experiencing of thenatural world, however. Dirt and sandmust be for digging as well asplanting; clay can often be found formaking things. Some plants must befor picking. Delights such aspinecones, berries, nuts, and abundantflowers should be made available forchildren’s pleasure and investigation.Seeing such things is only part oflearning about them.

Touching, tasting, smelling, andpulling apart are also vital(Moore,1993). Shrubs and trees forclimbing are the real thing thatmanufactured climbers imitate.

Early childhood teachers also need toaffirm young children’s need forprivate spaces “to get away from theirenemies and their friends”(Humphries, 1996). Such spaces canbe bushes or tall grass or a cluster ofrocks. A circle of 6-foot pines is “aforest” to young children (LorainCounty Community College, 1995).If the perimeter of a schoolyard issecure, small shelters for smallchildren should be possible withinthem—barren open spaces where one




recess aide can watch 200 children at atime may seem necessary but limitchildren too much.

Finally, teachers of young childrenshould promote the enduring value ofwaterplay. Access to hoses and faucets,ponds shaped with gently slopingsides or elevated with an edge forseating, wetlands, and pump-operatedor natural streams are all items topress for when planning changes inthe schoolyard. Water-scarce areas canhave water tables with tubing andgutters, strategically placed so thatoverflow ends up on grass or gardens.

Good Schools Have GoodGroundsThe schoolyards habitat movement isliterally gaining ground. Naturalaffiliates of the movement, early-childhood educators can help assurethat the habitats being established tofoster diverse plant and animal speciesalso serve the play and developmentalneeds of young children.

ReferencesAmerican Lung Association (1996).Breathless. Air pollution and hospitaladmissions/emergency room visits in 13cities. American LungAssociation,Washington, DC.

Chawla, L. (1994). In the first countryof places: Nature, poetry, and childhoodmemory. SUNY Press, Albany, NY.

Chawla, L. (1997). Life Paths intoEnvironmental Action.

Chenfeld, M. B. (1996). The wholetruth about hole language— Whoops!I mean the hole truth about wholelanguage—Can you dig it? EarlyChildhood Education Journal, 23, 3.

Cobb, E. (1977). The ecology ofimagination in childhood. ColumbiaUniversity Press, New York.

Humphries, S. In conversation,August 1996.

Kaplan, R. & Kaplan, S. (1989). Theexperience of nature: A psychologicalperspective. New York: CambridgeUniversity Press. Kellert, S. (1993).Introduction. In S. R. Kellert & E. 0.Wilson (Eds.) The BiophiliaHypothesis. Island Press/Shearwater,Washington, DC.

Lorain County Community College(1995). Video. ECE Outdoor PlayArea. Lorain, OH.

Moore, R. C. (1986). Childhood’sDomain. Croon Helm, London,(Reprint, MIG Communications,Berkeley, CA, 1990).

Moore, R. C. (1993). Plants for play:A plant selection guide for children’soutdoor environments. Berkeley, CA:MIG Communications.

Moore, R. C., & Wong, H. (1997). Anatural way of learning: The experienceof theWashington environmental yard.MIG Communications, Berkeley, CA.

Nabban, G. P., & St. Antoine, 5.(1993). The loss of floral and faunalstory: The Extinction of Experience.In S. R. Kellert & E.O. Wilson (Eds.),The Biophilia Hypothesis. IslandPress/Shearwater, Washington, DC.

Nabban, G. P., & Trimble, 5. (1994).The geography of childhood:Whychildren need wild places. Beacon Press,Boston.

United Church of Christ Commissionfor Racial Justice (1987). Toxic wastesand race in the United States: Anational report on the racial and socio-economic characteristics of communitieswith hazardous waste sites.Commission for Racial Justice, NewYork.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1996).Directory of Schoolyard HabitatsPrograms. U. S. Fish and WildlifeService, Annapolis, MD.

Acknowledgements

This article was prepared with the support ofthe National Wildlife Federation SchoolyardHabitats Program. Thanks to Britt Slattery,

Rich Mason, Maureen Heffernan, Sara Griffen-Hoofnagle, and Adella Anchota for their ideas

and insights.

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