Educational Grants
Every school has an area suitable for an outdoor classroom or Land Lab, but it may not be readily apparent. A front lawn, parking lot or playground offers countless possibilities.
An outdoor land lab can help students appreciate many components of the world they live in as they discover and investigate their environment. This is hands-on learning as close as their backyard and not untouchable like the rainforest. Caring and stewardship for the things they can see will later extend naturally to the far away places as well. Students have more respect for the things they developed themselves. Butler SWCD offers one grant per school year for outdoor classrooms in Butler County, Ohio.
Talawanda Middle School's rain garden
Links to Other Land Lab Information
- ODNR; Wild School Sites This site has info on grants, workshops, certification and much more.
- Habitats for Learning: A planning guide for using and developing school land labs (large file. 89 page pdf document)
- Exploring nature with children by Dr. Ruth Wilson
- Developing an Outdoor Classroom:
- Outdoor Classroom
- Chester Elementary
- General Byng Outdoor Classroom
- The Outdoor Classroom - learning, creating, exploring