Outdoor Classroom
Bring our natural world to life for students of any age with an outdoor classroom. Schoolyard classr
ooms serve as a “down to earth” way to learn about our natural surroundings. They develop sanctuaries for birds, butterflies, insects, reptiles, small mammals and other wildlife.
The Little Blue NRD offers schools, FFA and 4-H groups the opportunity to develop an outdoor classroom with a $200 grant made available for materials. The District may also make available free seedlings from Halsey forest, grass drill, grass seed and other materials.
All it takes is a contact with the NRD, site visit, possible class visit, layout and design and fill out an application.
Things to remember when designing an outdoor classroom
- Use an area that naturally fits the space available near your school
- Native Nebraska plants are already adapted to their local climate, which makes them the best choice.
- Go Beyond Biology: Outdoor areas are excellent for hands-on teaching of natural sciences.
- The best curriculum ideas don’t stop there. math teachers can use habitat areas to teach basic geometric shapes to 1st graders, for example.
- Plants are fine, but your gardens will be far more interesting if you attract birds, small and large mammals, reptiles and other wildlife