Highlights from Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning

1. Highlights from Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning Preparing for gardeing

2. Use Outdoor Time for Doing, Not Telling • Arrange work groups WHILE IN THE CLASSROOM • Set schedule and transition rules with students and co-teacher • Define vocabulary and provide background information – name parts of plants, go ahead and show a plant and demonstrate parts of the plant in the classroom. You could possibly pass one around • Provide an overview of what will done outside • Review your rules for working outdoors • Sort equipment and materials – please feel free to arrive early to fill watering can, locate your bed, etc

3. What will you take outside? • Lapboards or clipboards • Pencils/crayons • Hand wipes or paper towels • Small magnifiers • Trash bags – to sit on, collect garbage (always great to do!)

4. Also important! • Pretrip bathroom breaks • Remember you’ll need to wash hands as you return – so possibly stagger having students return to class!

5. tips • Sorting materials for individual activities in clear, plastic gallon or pint bags can make it easy to check if everything is there • The bags save space, display the contents, and keep your materials dry and well organized

6. When you are outside • How far is too far? What are rules about staying with/around teacher? • The power of the circle • Circulate constantly • Encourage respect for nature and property • View the unexpected as a bonus • Moving materials – backpacks are great! • Do you needs a space to sit and write?

7. To gather or not to gather? • If a plant can be studied where it is, don’t disturb it • National Wildlife Federation promotes the “1-in-20 rule” • Collecting a plant only if more than 20 of the same species are growing in the immediate area. If 20 plants are growing, only collect one. This applies to parts of plants as well; remove only one leaf off a shrub with 20 leaves.

8. Inside the Building Again • Using what you found or did outdoors • Post it- Show it