PEGS Designs An
Interactive Outdoor Classroom
Currently, Remington has an "outdoor classroom." It consists of benches arranged facing one bench, presumably where the teacher would sit.
I asked the PEGS students what do you notice about this set up:
* It is in the middle of our playground, with no shade.
* The benches are uncomfortable to use when you have to write.
* All students face the teacher.
* The only activities we can do out here are the kind where you face the center - when someone is speaking, a play, or skit, or reading to the group.
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Remington also has a courtyard in the middle of the school. The space has been made into a outdoor learning/reading area. But time has moved on and this space is is need of a renovation. I asked the PEGS students to make observations about the courtyard. This is what they noticed:
* The tree in the center is dead.
* Ivy is growing up the brick walls and that is not good for the mortar.
* The seating does not allow for a class size of 24 and the teacher.
* The overgrowth is not inviting to come out and use the space for learning or reading.
* The bridge looks broken and, why is there a bridge out there?
* Some of the benches are rusty.
* We don't know what is under the leaves and ivy that is on the ground, and it is kind of scary to look at.
(The pictures below were taken in late April.)
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I asked the PEGS students what could be done about this situation. They brainstormed ideas and came up with the plan, a list of things to do:
1. Find out what is wanted in an outdoor classroom by asking teachers and students.
2. Identify items we can fix, paint, move and/or remove.
3. Find items that we can buy, make or build for the outdoor classroom.
4. Consider price and remember our school does not have a lot of money.
5. Make designs of the outdoor classroom.
6. Present our ideas to adults who would be able to help transform the courtyard into an outdoor classroom.
The Process
Students brainstormed what they would want in an interactive outdoor classroom. Sandboxes, LEGO walls, and chalkboards to work on ideas and share them. Tables and benches to sit at so it is comfortable to read and write. Countertops to work on for projects such as planting. They wanted a sink for water availability IF there is a water source in the courtyard. Students wanted places to read comfortably. They wanted the outdoor classroom inviting.
As a class, we made a survey for the teachers to complete so that everyone had input. The results helped the students decide what to put in the interactive outdoor classroom.
Student Designs
These are the ideas the students designed. They made every effort to include interactive learning spaces for multiple groups so that a class could use the resources in small groups, and not have to wait turns taking up valuable learning time.
Students reviewed each others' ideas throughout the design process providing ideas, asking clarifying questions, and asking the designer to explain uncertain aspects of their designs.
Once the designs were placed on their poster board, students wrote a description about their design. Students then practiced presenting their outdoor classroom design. They presented them to the class. These presentations were video taped.
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Now it was time to present the ideas to the PTO.
A couple of the students came to the PTO meeting on a Tuesday night. The students presented all of the designs to the PTO members. The adults really liked the ideas. They explained that they would take some ideas from a few of the designs to help design a courtyard with parent help.* The students were happy to know their ideas were appreciated and valued,
* Since this meeting, this project has been put on hold for various reasons. My hope is that we will see an interactive outdoor classroom in our future.
Learning Standards Met
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