Outdoor Classrooms + School Gardens

Step 1: Does an outdoor classroom or garden make sense for your school?

Do you have access to an outdoor space?

Are students, teachers and guardians interested in using, building or maintaining an outdoor learning area?

Outdoor Classroom User Guide >

Gardens on School Grounds >

Step 2: Create a Garden Committee.

Form a team of students, teachers and caregivers to form a Garden Committee.

Build a Team >

Step 3: Collect ideas and techniques.

Collect ideas and techniques for creating native plant and vegetable gardens and an outdoor classroom and learn how to incorporate physical play, inquiry and art.

Evergreen - Planning and Designing Green School Grounds >

Step 4: Apply for grants to enhance

Use this resource to find funding opportunities across Canada:

Outdoor Education Grants in Canada >

Enable your school to create stronger funding applications to support garden and outdoor learning initiatives:

A Guide for Successful Fundraising >

Step 5: Build your outdoor classroom and garden.

TYPES OF GARDENS

Natural Ecosystems

Add biodiversity and learn about ecosystems and native plant species. This native plant species database can be used to search plant species by region, hardiness zone, moisture level, light conditions and soil conditions: Plants for Natural Ecosystems >

Pollinator Gardens

Native Plants for Pollinators > Learn how pollinators sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce. Grow pollinator plants to attract butterflies, moths, birds and bees.

Pollinator Posters:

Pollinator.org | LEAF Bird Garden | LEAF Bee Garden | LEAF Butterfly Garden

Indigenous Gardens

An Indigenous garden will provide a space for teachers and Indigenous community members to share plant knowledge and deepen our understanding and respect for plants, knowledge and culture. With appropriate guidance from Indigenous educators, plant an ethnobotanical garden featuring plants traditionally used as food, materials and medicines.

Indigenous Perspectives in Environmental Inquiry >

Food Gardens

Growing food on school grounds is an excellent way for students to learn where their food comes from and how it is grown, prepared and consumed.

Food Gardens >

Loose Parts Play

Loose Parts are materials – such as wood, pine cones, stones and sticks – that can be moved, carried and redesigned to encourage children to interact and experiment with their physical and creative abilities.

Loose Parts >

Step 6: Maintain the Garden.

Set up a maintenance schedule with the Garden Committee volunteers. Maintenance efforts may include tasks like: watering schedules in the summer, harvesting schedules, equipment/materials inventory and replacement.

Maintenance Chart >

Step 7: Measure and Celebrate Your Success!

Connect at least quarterly with your School Garden Committee and teacher representatives. Keep track of the use of the garden by students and community members in order to understand how to maintain or build upon your garden. Encourage school engagement by creating special events or workshops in your school garden and sharing garden lessons, activities, and materials.