California Educator

April 2016

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L earning doesn't happen only inside the four walls of a classroom. Some- times the best lessons occur when the doors swing wide open, students step outside, and they think, learn and play outside the box. When educators make the Great Outdoors an extension of their classrooms, students become inspired by real-life examples of science, math and art. Benefits include fresh air, physical activity, vitamin D and happiness. As students become more connected to nature, they are more likely to care about the future of their planet, be good stewards of their environment, and understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Outdoor classrooms such as school gardens and nature trails are growing in popularity from preschool to college, notes the Outdoor Classroom Project, which is good because children need a broad variety of learning experiences to master motor development, social-emotional learning, language and self-expression. According to e Nature Conservancy, the majority of today's kids use a com- puter, watch TV or play video games on a daily basis, but only about 10 percent say they spend time outdoors. Some CTA members are helping nature-deprived students get outside — and increase their knowledge of flora, fauna, math, sci- ence, art, and more. Students walk down the hill from Lipman Middle School's outdoor classroom. The classroom also serves as a starting point for nature hikes. Bring the classroom outdoors for healthy learning By SHERRY POSNICK- GOODWIN Photos by SCOTT BUSCHMAN B R I S B A N E ' S O U T D O O R C L AS S R O O M Just south of San Francisco, the city of Brisbane borders San Bruno Mountain. For much of Lipman Middle School's exis- tence, the surrounding hillside was off-limits to students. But that changed when volunteers built an outdoor classroom in 2013. Just 50 feet up a steep trail from the school yard, it's adjacent to beckoning parkland and seems like the entrance to another world. "Our outdoor classroom feels like it's off-campus, but it's not," says Holly Rios, a Brisbane Teachers Association mem- ber and sixth-grade math and science teacher who uses it for lessons — as well as a starting point for nature hikes on the mountain. "Sometimes it's a nice change of scene, which is something we all need." The outdoor classroom in the midst of pine trees has benches and stump seats made from cut logs. Students came up with the idea for the seating while doing habitat restoration as a service project with the local environmental 18 cta.org

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