Outdoor Classroom Steps 5-8

If you are enrolled and are ready for a visit from an AWF Outdoor Classroom Consultant…follow the steps below and click on the links for more resources and details.
 Step 5: EVALUATE YOUR CAMPUS
After your outdoor classroom planning committee is formed and organized, your next step is to evaluate your campus. The question is not whether the land on your campus has value for education and wildlife, but how your committee chooses to use the campus as an educational tool and wildlife habitat.
*Site Evaluation Checklist (PDF | Word Doc)  |   OC Site Approval Form (PDF)
*Note:  When you are ready to choose your OC site, contact the AWF to set up a consultation with an AWF Outdoor Classroom Consultant.

 Step 6: ACCESS YOUR WILDLIFE HABITAT
As you evaluate your campus for potential outdoor classroom sites, you should also assess what wildlife habitat resources are already present and what resources could be easily added to enhance the wildlife habitat in and around your school grounds.
Habitat Assessment Checklist (PDF | Word Doc)  |   Wildlife Habitat Assessment Activity (PDF)

 Step 7: EXPLORE LEARNING STATION & ACTIVITY IDEAS
In your initial planning stages, you have had lots of wonderful opportunities to involve your students in the design and development of your outdoor classroom. Now that you have evaluated your campus and its potential as an outdoor classroom site, you need to explore the specific learning station ideas that you would like to incorporate. Remember that planning for the use of your outdoor classroom is just as important, if not more important, than the actual design of the outdoor classroom itself.
Outdoor Learning Stations List (PDF)  |   Learning Station Project Plans   |   Free Hands-on Activities   |   Activity Resource Inventory Checklist (PDF | Word Doc)

 Step 8: DEVELOP A MASTER PLAN & LAYOUT
Now that you have a clear understanding of where you would like to create your outdoor classroom site, you can now develop your master plan that includes the committee’s goals and prioritized projects. In addition, you can begin to design your outdoor classroom and choose where to locate the various learning stations.
*Master Plan Checklist (PDF | Word Doc)  |   Example OC Site Maps
*Note:  An AWF Outdoor Classroom Consultant can assist you and your planning committee with the development of your outdoor classroom schematic, and the list of materials and estimated budget for each of your outdoor learning stations.

To move on to Step 9, CLICK HERE!

Questions?  Contact April Waltz, Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program Coordinator, at 256.882.9183 or aprilwaltz@alabamawildlife.org.  .