Wildlife Tag
Outdoor Classroom Program: Keys to Success
1 Collect Info | 2 Organize Committee | 3 Enroll | 4 Evaluate Campus | 5 Develop Master Plan | 6 Obtain Funding | 7 Construct OC | 8 Integrate Curriculum | 9 Establish Maintenance Plan | 10 Certify
Keys to Success after Certification
If you have followed this guide, you will have done a great deal of work to create an outdoor classroom that will be used as an effective teaching tool for many years to come. As students, parents, teachers and administrators come and go each year, your school will change and so will your outdoor classroom. However, as your outdoor classroom transforms, it can also become a staple of your school’s campus and an indispensable education tool for teachers and students alike. Below are “keys to success” to help your current outdoor classroom planning committee and those to come.
Tips for Long-Term Success
> Outdoor Classroom Usage Log: Create an outdoor classroom log for teachers to note which activity stations and activity kits they used.
> Student Data: Keep track of student data (anecdotal and actual statistics) that show a correlation between improved academic performances and the use of the outdoor classroom.
> Educator Workshops: Continue to attend conservation education workshops and events to give you new activity and learning station ideas.
> PTA/PTO Budget: Ask the PTA/PTO to include a $500 to $1,000 allocation in their annual budget for activity supplies, bird food, and long-term maintenance.
> Annual Improvements: Assess your outdoor classroom once a year for any needed repairs or improvements, and integrate the improvements into the long-term plans. Be sure to check on the
following:
Questions? Contact April Waltz, Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program Coordinator, at 256.882.9183 or aprilwaltz@alabamawildlife.org. Keys to Success after Certification If you have followed this guide, you will have done a great deal of work to create an outdoor classroom that will be used as an effective teaching tool for many years to come. As students, parents, teachers and administrators come and go each year, your school will change and so will your outdoor classroom. However, as your outdoor classroom transforms, it can also become a staple of your school’s campus and an indispensable education tool for teachers and students alike. Below are “keys to success” to help your current outdoor classroom planning committee and those to come.
Tips for Long-Term Success
> Planning Committee Records: Keep records of your volunteers, sponsors, project plans, master plan, activity ideas, grant proposals, event fliers and photos.
> Outdoor Classroom Webpage: Update your school’s outdoor classroom (OC) webpage photos and information including your planning committee’s email addresses so that everyone will receive the OC E-newsletter which includes activity ideas, grant tips and workshop opportunities. To review and update your school’s OC webpage, visit the Alabama Outdoor Classroom Schools Map on AWF’s website.
> Wildlife Habitat Assessment: Assess the wildlife habitat resources (food, water, shelter & places to raise young) available in your outdoor classroom using the tips on the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat section of AWF’s website, and then add any resources such as native plants to improve the habitat.
> Outdoor Classroom Site Map: Review your school’s outdoor classroom site map(s), and work with your local OC Consultant to update the site map if needed.
> Maintenance Plan: Review your Maintenance Plan from the previous school year and summer, and discuss what worked and what did not. Teachers who help maintain the outdoor classroom with their students are more likely to use the outdoor classroom as an educational tool.
> Faculty & Parent Update: Provide an update about the outdoor classroom to the faculty at the beginning of each semester and throughout the year on an as-needed basis, and give a presentation to the PTA/PTO at least once a year. Keeping key people like the principal, faculty, and parents informed and involved are vital to the success and sustainability of your outdoor classroom.
> Faculty Survey: Contact your local OC Consultant to set up a free online faculty survey at the beginning of each school year to gather feedback about which learning stations the teachers use the most, what resources they need to use the outdoor classroom as an educational tool, and who would like to serve on the planning committee.
> Suggestion Box: Put out a “Suggestion Box” so that you can continue to assess the needs and thoughts of all outdoor classroom users, and make changes accordingly.
> Outdoor Classroom Webpage: Update your school’s outdoor classroom (OC) webpage photos and information including your planning committee’s email addresses so that everyone will receive the OC E-newsletter which includes activity ideas, grant tips and workshop opportunities. To review and update your school’s OC webpage, visit the Alabama Outdoor Classroom Schools Map on AWF’s website.
> Wildlife Habitat Assessment: Assess the wildlife habitat resources (food, water, shelter & places to raise young) available in your outdoor classroom using the tips on the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat section of AWF’s website, and then add any resources such as native plants to improve the habitat.
> Outdoor Classroom Site Map: Review your school’s outdoor classroom site map(s), and work with your local OC Consultant to update the site map if needed.
> Maintenance Plan: Review your Maintenance Plan from the previous school year and summer, and discuss what worked and what did not. Teachers who help maintain the outdoor classroom with their students are more likely to use the outdoor classroom as an educational tool.
> Faculty & Parent Update: Provide an update about the outdoor classroom to the faculty at the beginning of each semester and throughout the year on an as-needed basis, and give a presentation to the PTA/PTO at least once a year. Keeping key people like the principal, faculty, and parents informed and involved are vital to the success and sustainability of your outdoor classroom.
> Faculty Survey: Contact your local OC Consultant to set up a free online faculty survey at the beginning of each school year to gather feedback about which learning stations the teachers use the most, what resources they need to use the outdoor classroom as an educational tool, and who would like to serve on the planning committee.
> Suggestion Box: Put out a “Suggestion Box” so that you can continue to assess the needs and thoughts of all outdoor classroom users, and make changes accordingly.
> Outdoor Classroom Usage Log: Create an outdoor classroom log for teachers to note which activity stations and activity kits they used.
> Student Data: Keep track of student data (anecdotal and actual statistics) that show a correlation between improved academic performances and the use of the outdoor classroom.
> Educator Workshops: Continue to attend conservation education workshops and events to give you new activity and learning station ideas.
> PTA/PTO Budget: Ask the PTA/PTO to include a $500 to $1,000 allocation in their annual budget for activity supplies, bird food, and long-term maintenance.
> Annual Improvements: Assess your outdoor classroom once a year for any needed repairs or improvements, and integrate the improvements into the long-term plans. Be sure to check on the
following:
- Signs of erosion or flooding
- Health of plantings
- Conditions of structures
- Definition of paths
- Litter or vandalism issues
- Nearby safety hazards
- General accessibility
Always be open to the possibility that future teachers may want to add to or change the outdoor classroom as this will help generate future support and instill a feeling of ownership in potential new planning committee members. Remain flexible, don’t be afraid to change your plans, and have fun!
.