Sowing the Seeds for an Outdoor Classroom

The seeds for what would become Farmwell Station Middle School’s outdoor classroom were figuratively planted when life science teacher, Cynthia Walsh attended a box turtle monitoring training, sponsored by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

As a Master Naturist and the adviser to the Naturalist Club at her school, Ms. Walsh felt a schoolyard habitat project would provide her club members with a meaningful community experience and serve the entire student body with a space to use as an outdoor classroom. And don’t forget the benefits of the outdoor classroom to wildlife as well.

Her overall goal was for students to learn that everyone can do something to help conserve wildlife, even in urban Loudoun County, Virginia. With assistance from the school’s shop class and the Virginia Bluebird Society, the 25 member Naturalist Club installed a bluebird trail on school grounds, as well as phase one of their landscaping project adjacent to the 7th grade wing.

Plans are underway to complete a monarch butterfly count and collect additional field data that complements the scientific investigation strand of the standards of learning. Phase two of the project is expected to include an ever increasing number of students, the development of a rain garden to filter runoff from the school roof and parking lot, and additional plantings and other elements for the outdoor classroom.

Additional Resources
Schoolyard Habitat Guide - Fish and Wildlife Service
Schoolyard Habitat Lesson - Bay Backpack