Sustainably designed schools provide young people with better, healthier learning environments.
They also serve as the perfect stage for teaching “environmental literacy”—the ability for students to make environmentally sound decisions and take appropriate action.
Outdoor learning spaces are a cornerstone of environmental literacy.
These spaces allow for hands-on, experiential learning tied into schools’ STEM curricula. Rather than learn from a textbook or computer screen, students can become environmentally literate by getting outdoors and interacting with the built environment.
When we speak to educators, the topic of environmental literacy is never far from their minds. “Our students are really excited to be able to stand up for something,” says Sarah Collmer, K-4 Principal at The Lincoln School, a net-zero school designed by SMMA. (Click on Sarah’s image to hear more about environmental literacy in Lincoln.)
Sarah Collmer, K-4 Principal, The Lincoln School
The Benefits of Outdoor Learning
|Outdoor learning spaces give students and teachers a direct connection to nature. The educational benefits are obvious: students get to soak up the environment first-hand as part of their STEM curriculum. Outdoor learning models have been proven successful in countries with exceptional learning outcomes, such as Finland.
Just as important are the health and wellness benefits. According to research by the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, only 13% of children in the U.S. walk to school, down from 48% four decades prior. The good news for this generation of car- and bus-riders is that outdoor learning spaces reduce risks to children’s physical and mental health by providing access to nature. What is more, many schools use outdoor spaces to host universal learning and special education programs catered to children with sensory needs.
Green roofs offer both aesthetic and educational benefits.
A green roof (or “living roof”) is a roof or terrace either partially or fully covered with vegetation, planted over a waterproof membrane. Students learn how green roofs reduce heat-island effect, support biodiversity, and improve the building’s thermal performance. Green roofs are especially valuable for students attending urban or inner-city schools, where lack of outdoor space is a perennial problem.
Outdoor classrooms suit rural or suburban schools that sit on more spacious sites.
Like green roofs, outdoor classrooms typically feature planting beds and permeable paving, as well as spaces for outdoor instruction. Most outdoor classrooms are located right next to the school building. Some act as an extension of the indoor classroom, much like a home’s backyard patio.
Trails and pathways give students the chance to explore surrounding nature.
At the rural Lincoln School, a network of paths weave through the site, providing easy access to wetlands and forests. The paths are made from porous pavement and are flanked by specially designed bioretention gardens.
