HISTORY
The background and history of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative from 2020 and 2021.

— Origin Story
— Collaboration to Respond to the Crisis: Interdisciplinary Working Groups
— Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteer Program

WHY TAKE LEARNING OUTSIDE?
— Equity Statement
— Vision statement, May 2020
— Case Statement: Rationale for Moving Education Outside (PDF)

THE CASE FOR OUTDOOR LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND
— Outdoor Spaces as Essential Assets for School Districts’ COVID-19 Response (Opening Webinar, June 2020
— Supporting Student Resilience by Using Outdoor Spaces for Learning and Play:
Webinar series hosted by the California Department of Education
— Part 1 — Using Outdoor Spaces to Improve Students’ Health and Wellbeing, April 15, 2021
— Part 2 — Using Outdoor Spaces for Teaching and Learning, April 28, 2021
— Field Report: A Year of Learning Outside, Bookend Webinar, June 2021

NATIONAL INITIATIVE PARTNERS
To produce this substantial collection of free resources, our four founding partners organizations were joined by 20 collaborating partner organizations and hundreds of volunteers.

— National Initiative Partners

Working Group Participants: Authors
— Working Group #1: Equity
— Working Group #2: Outdoor Infrastructure
— Working Group #3: Outdoor Learning Offsite
— Working Groups #4-#5: Teaching and Learning
— Working Group #6: School Programs
— Working Group #7: Community Engagement
— Working Group #8: Health Guidance
— Working Groups #9-#10: Policy Guidance and Funding
— Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers: Participant List

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE FOR SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS
Interactive meetings where we share timely information and resources, feature engaging presentations from colleagues around the country, and offer opportunities for networking and building relationships across jurisdictions and the outdoor learning and schoolyard greening fields.

— More information and links to recordings of past presentations from the 2020-2022 Community of Practice
— Please join us for our 2023 program, now called the Community of Practice for Schoolyard Forests.
— Click here to register for free for the monthly forums, held via Zoom.

OUTDOOR LEARNING IN THE NEWS
The work of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative has been featured in hundreds of print, broadcast and online media pieces that report on the health and learning benefits of being outside during the pandemic and beyond.

— Media Coverage of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and Outdoor Learning

VISION FOR LIVING SCHOOLYARDS
— What are Living Schoolyards?
— Green Schoolyards America’s Vision for Living Schoolyards
— Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation
— Getting from Here to There (Excerpt, Asphalt to Ecosystems)

WHY CREATE LIVING SCHOOLYARDS?
— School-scale Benefits: The Green Schoolyard Movement
— City-scale Benefits: The Power and Potential of Green Schoolyards
— Asphalt Jungle: Living Schoolyards (Podship Earth, Episode 13; podcast)
— Address Systemic Inequities in School Infrastructure
— From Green Schoolyards to Green Communities (Nature Kids Radio; podcast)

SETTING THE STAGE
Exploring universal design, cultural inclusion, and disparities in school facility investment and maintenance

— Address School Infrastructure Inequity
— Inclusive Design for Outdoor Spaces
— Infrastructure Considerations for Culturally Inclusive Outdoor Learning (Coming soon!)

ECOLOGICAL DESIGN AND CLIMATE RESILIENT SCHOOLYARDS
— A Vision for Climate-Resilient Green Schoolyards Across California (article)
— Living Schoolyards for California: Introduction to Green Schoolyards (video)
— Teach, Learn, Grow: The Value of Green Infrastructure in Schoolyards (video with US EPA)
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on energy and climate, pages 171-183)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on energy and climate, pages 135-141)

WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP
— Introduction to the Stormwater Schoolyard Video Series
— Living Schoolyards for Stormwater Management (recorded seminar presentation at California State Water Resources Control Board)
— Living Schoolyards as Stormwater Infrastructure: Inspiring School Grounds of Berlin (Two-part training workshop with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and SFUSD; Video: Part 1 and Video: Part 2)
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on watershed stewardship, pages 157-169)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on watershed stewardship, pages 125-133)

WILDLIFE HABITAT
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on wildlife and habitat, pages 123-155)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on wildlife and habitat, pages 107-123)

THOUGHTFUL USE OF MATERIALS / SCHOOLYARD SUSTAINABILITY
— Ecologically Sensitive Materials for Schoolyard Landscapes (Excerpt, Asphalt to Ecosystems)
— Managing Food Waste Outside
— Living Willow Structures Enhance Children’s Play Environments
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on thoughtful use of materials, pages 185-193)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on thoughtful use of materials, pages 143-157)

LIVING SCHOOLYARD POLICY EXAMPLES
— Policy Exemplars that Advance Living Schoolyards, Environmental Literacy, and Sustainability (list)
— Government Programs and Funding for Outdoor Learning and Schoolyard Greening (list)
— Progress: Schoolyard Policy in California (article)

LIVING SCHOOLYARD CASE STUDIES
— It Takes a Village: Participatory Design and Stewardship
— Turning Nature into Classrooms (video)
— Courtyard Oases: Ecology at the Heart of the School
— Stewardship Begins at School: An Ecological Schoolyard Example from England
— Voices from the International School Grounds Movement (video)

HEALTH BENEFITS OF NATURE AND BEING OUTDOORS
Outdoor learning and time in nature addresses the urgent need for therapeutic mental health practices during the pandemic, and also yields long-term health benefits for children. Research overwhelmingly supports that being in and interacting with nature improves health and well-being.

— Introduction to the resources below (Scroll to the health benefits section to see the introductory text.)
— Social-emotional Benefits
— Cognitive and Learning Benefits
— Physiological Benefits
— Being Outdoors Improves Vision and Sleep
— Mental Health Benefits
— Design with Mental Health in Mind (Recorded webinar by author/expert)

HEALTH GUIDANCE FOR OUTDOOR LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC
Information in this chapter specifically addresses how to reduce virus transmission using outdoor environments for learning and play, with specific attention to promoting health and educational equity. 

Linked resources published by the CDC
— Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19
— CDC Toolkits
— CDC Guidance for Schools and Childcare Facilities
— Click here to find your local health department, for more information.

Materials from our Initiative
— Promoting Healthy Environments — The Basics for Outdoor Learning
— Demythologizing COVID-19 (Recorded webinar with medical experts)
— Tactics and Resources
— A Brief Guide to Local Health Rules
— Know Your Goals
— Handwashing Options
— Planning School Transportation

TAKING SCHOOL MEALS OUTDOORS (Cross-linked to Section 5: Food Systems)
Since masks are off when students have their meals, eating outside during the pandemic makes sense.

— Outdoor Meals at School
— Planning Outdoor Meals — Getting Started
— Implementing Outdoor Meal Programs
— Managing Waste at Mealtimes
— Snacks and Cooking Outdoors with Children
— Case Study Virginia — Arlington Public Schools
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on schoolyard agriculture and food, pages 83-97)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on schoolyard agriculture and food, pages 75-87)

The resources provided in this section are intended as a starting point to help your community make informed decisions that are right for your own school and district context. Bringing your programming outdoors can help all members of the community stay healthy and engaged.

— Introduction to Teaching and Learning Outdoors

MANAGEMENT AND MINDSET
When learning moves outside, teachers need a foundation in outdoor classroom management as well as curriculum that is adapted to the space.

— Outdoor Classroom Management
— Tips for Creating a Positive Outdoor Experience for Students
— Taking Curriculum Outside
— An Approach to Walking Field Trips

SCIENCE MATERIALS
Educators need materials and tools suited to the learning contexts and the nature of learning opportunities they provide outdoors for students. In this section, we outline three different categories of science instructional materials that can be used across contexts.

— Short Stand-Alone Science Activities
— Extended Science Activity Sequences
— Enhancing Adopted Science Curricula for the Outdoors

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
The three programs described here represent high-quality professional learning that is available to schools and districts looking for support in taking instruction outdoors. In each highlight, we outline each program’s approach and particular area of expertise.

— Professional Learning for Teachers
—The BEETLES Project — Outdoor Science
— Life Lab — Garden-based Education
— Out Teach — Early Science Experiences

ENRICHMENT CLASSES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES
Music, art, and library are important parts of a holistic education and can be moved outside.

Articles on Other School Day Programming
— Taking Library Programs Outside
— Bringing Outdoor Learning Home! — Explore Art in Your Backyard or Neighborhood
— Explore the Art of Archimboldo in Your Schoolyard
— Doing Math Outdoors Using Nature Materials
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on art, pages 23-41)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on art, pages 15-33)

Digital Books with Hundreds of Outdoor Activities for School Grounds
— Celebrate Your School Grounds! (introduction, about the books)
— Experiential Outdoor Learning in the Schoolyard: Featuring Curricula by Susan Humphries (PDF)
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide: United States Edition (PDF)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide: International Edition (PDF - English)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide: International Edition (PDF - Spanish; excerpt)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide: International Edition (PDF - Chinese; excerpt)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide: International Edition (PDF - Czech)

OUTDOOR LEARNING RESOURCES
Need more information, ideas, and strategies for teaching outside? The outdoor and environmental education, green schoolyard, and school garden fields have decades of experience to share.

— Outdoor Learning Resource List
— District Pathway
— Start-up Toolkit for Schools

PANDEMIC PLANNING STRATEGIES

STAFFING AND SCHEDULING
When schools are in-person, the ability to physically distance and provide fresh air is critical. In order to break classes into smaller groups and reduce the teacher/student ratio, creative staffing and scheduling models are needed.

— Staffing, Scheduling, and Instruction for Education Outdoors (Chapter introduction)
— Planning for Staffing and Scheduling
— Staffing Using Community-based Partners
— Guiding Questions for Securing Community-based Partner Staffing Support
— Sample Community-based Partner MOU (PDF)
— Staffing Vignettes
— Scheduling Considerations for Outdoor Instruction
— Changing the Schedule at Your School
— Outdoor Spaces Scheduling Template (Google Doc)
— Small In-person Cohorts for Elementary Schools (PDF)
— Small In-person Cohorts for Grade 3 (PDF)
— Hybrid 2-day Schedule for Emerging Multilingual Learners (PDF)
— Hybrid 2-day Concurrent Instruction for Elementary Schools (PDF)
— Hybrid AM/PM Concurrent Instruction for Secondary School Special Day Classes (PDF)

INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS

— Small Cohort Instructional Plans
— Hybrid Instructional Plans
— Full In-person Instructional Plans

SCHOOL GARDENS
School gardens can be a vibrant component of a larger living schoolyard. Gardening at school offers many benefits including joyful experiential learning, community engagement, healthy eating, and food security.

— Introduction to School Gardens: Getting Started
— Introduction to School Gardens: Design and Teaching
— Storage and Supplies for Outdoor Teaching
— Making Paved Spaces Comfortable
— Using Raised Beds
— Regenerative Gardening Practices
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on schoolyard agriculture and food, pages 83-97)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on schoolyard agriculture and food, pages 75-87)

STRATEGIES AND PROJECT IDEAS TO ENRICH OUTDOOR PLAY
Ideas and strategies for developing outdoor spaces and activities that promote unstructured and structured play.

— Nature Play Spaces
— Living Willow Structures Enhance Children’s Play Environments
— Nature Play in Your Neighborhood
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide (See chapter on play, pages 43-51)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on play, pages 35-49)

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY AND ADVENTURE IN CHILDREN’S LIVES
Resources explaining the value and benefits of play to support child development

— Nature Kids Radio: Episode 10: From Green Schoolyards to Green Communities with Sharon Danks (podcast)
— Uneven Play: WHYY Explores the Need for More Playground at Schools in Philadelphia
— International School Grounds Alliance’s Statement on Risk in Play and Learning (declaration; sign on)

CONTEXT AND PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Exploring universal design, cultural inclusion, and disparities in school facility investment and maintenance

— Address School Infrastructure Inequity
— Inclusive Design for Outdoor Spaces
— Infrastructure Considerations for Culturally Inclusive Outdoor Learning (Coming soon!)

WHY CREATE LIVING SCHOOL GROUNDS
Rationale for living school grounds both during the pandemic and as a long term investment

— Part 1: The Green Schoolyard Movement
— Part 2: The Power and Potential of Green Schoolyards
— Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation

SELECTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS
A framework for thinking about the furnishings that will be most useful for your school’s classroom and program needs, as well as climate context.

— Outdoor Seating and Work Surfaces
— Shade and Shelter
— Outdoor Teaching Supplies and Storage
— Making Paved Spaces Comfortable
— Using Raised Beds in Paved Schoolyards

STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING WEATHER
Outdoor learning can happen in all climates, across a very wide range of temperatures and conditions. Find tips and strategies for keeping teachers and students comfortable in different types of weather.

— Outdoor Learning in All Types of Weather
— Strategies for Managing Hot Weather
— Strategies for Managing Cold Temperatures
— Winter Schoolyard Explorations (activities)

MANAGING CHALLENGES RELATED TO BEING OUTSIDE
The unique challenges presented by outdoor learning may seem daunting, but we’ve gathered thoughtful strategies from experts to help you plan for success.

— Addressing Noise and Sound Outdoors
— Outdoor Classroom Management
— Tips for Managing Pests
— Reducing Outdoor Allergens
— Hand Washing Options
— Outdoor Learning Resource List

RESOURCES
Resources, books, and tools to get your school community started with outdoor learning.

— Start-up Toolkit for Schools
— District Pathway
— Books and Resources for Creating and Managing Outdoor Spaces for Children

REGIONAL PLANT LISTS FOR CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTS
Living infrastructure to support learning and play on school grounds

— Regional Plant Lists for Children’s Environments (Chapter introduction)
— Plants for the Northeastern United States
— Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States
— Plants for the Midwestern United States
— Plants for Texas Blackland Prairies
— Plants for Northern California
— Plants for the Pacific Northwest Region of the United States

MOVING LEARNING OFFSITE TO PARKS AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES
When outdoor learning can’t happen in the schoolyard, moving school classes and programs offsite to outdoor spaces in the community is a great option but it requires planning to implement efficiently.

— Using Public Spaces as Outdoor Classrooms (Chapter introduction)
— Planning Strategies for Using Parks and Open Spaces for Outdoor Learning
— Identifying Outdoor Learning Opportunities Offsite
— Assessing Suitability of Potential Outdoor Learning Spaces Offsite
— Emergency Preparedness for Teaching in Parks and Other Offsite Locations
— Planning School Transportation
— Creating a Written Agreement Between a Property Owner and a School District
— Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Template for District-Park Partnerships (MS Word or Google Doc)

Planning Examples and Mapping Tools for Offsite Learning
— Texas — Austin Independent School District
— Colorado — Lake County School District
— California — San Francisco Map of Schools and Open Spaces Citywide
— Maryland — Maryland Park Equity Mapper, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
— Texas — Austin Independent School District’s Map of Off-Campus Green Spaces for Outdoor Learning

PANDEMIC PLANNING STRATEGIES

GETTING STARTED: PLANNING STRATEGIES AND DOWNLOADABLE TOOLS
Articles that frame planning strategies and logistics, along with tools to assess your campus and to estimate costs

— Outdoor Infrastructure Planning Strategies
— Campus Assessment Tool (PDF or MS Word file)
— Outdoor Classroom Configuration Options
— SPACINGS Augmented Reality Visualizer
— Outdoor Infrastructure Cost Estimate Tool (MS Excel file)

Planning Case Studies
— Elementary School in Southern California
— Elementary School in the San Francisco Bay Area, California
— Elementary School in Northern Virginia
— Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteer Program Example Diagrams

POLICY GUIDANCE AND FUNDING EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
— Policy Guidance and Funding Examples from Around the Country (Section introduction)

POLICIES THAT PROMOTE LONG-TERM SCHOOLYARD GREENING AND OUTDOOR LEARNING EFFORTS
As we move beyond the pandemic, guidance for long term schoolyard greening continues to be developed.
— Policy Exemplars that Advance Living Schoolyards, Environmental Literacy, and Sustainability
— Government Programs and Funding for Outdoor Learning and Schoolyard Greening

POLICIES FOR REOPENING SCHOOLS DURING COVID-19
During the pandemic government agencies, public healthy authorities, and educational institutions published guidance on how to reopen schools.
— Policy Guidance for School Reopening
— Federal Funding to Provide COVID-19 Relief
— Understanding Federal Funds for COVID Relief: Opportunities to Invest in Outdoor Learning and School Facilities — Recorded presentation, March 30, 2021

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
— Community Engagement Strategies
— Living Schoolyard Activity Guide US Edition (See chapter on community engagement, pages 195-203)
— International School Grounds Month Activity Guide (See chapter on community engagement, pages 159-169)

INSPIRING REPORTS FROM THE FIELD
This section documents the work of schools, school districts, and other PK-12 educational institutions around the country that have been using outdoor spaces to reduce virus transmission during the pandemic and provide nurturing, healthy environments for students, teachers, and staff.

— Outdoor Learning is Thriving Across the Country (Section introduction)
— Interactive Map of Outdoor Learning

How Can You Get Involved?
— Community of Practice for Schools and Districts Moving Learning Outside
— Add Your Local School or District to the Map
— Visit Our YouTube Playlists to See Outdoor Classes and Programs in Action

STATE AND COUNTY CASE STUDIES
— State and County Case Studies (Chapter Introduction)
— California — Outdoor Education in Santa Cruz County
— California — San Mateo County Office of Education
— District of Columbia — DC Coalition for Equitable Outdoor Education (recorded presentation)
— District of Columbia — Friends of Oxon Run Park
— District of Columbia — Office of the State Superintendent of Education (recorded presentation)
— Washington — Outdoor Learning in Whatcom County
— Wisconsin — Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

SCHOOL DISTRICT CASE STUDIES
— School District Case Studies (Chapter Introduction)
— Arkansas — Fayetteville Public Schools (recorded presentation)
— California — Berkeley Unified School District (recorded presentation)
— California — Los Angeles Unified School District (recorded presentation)
— California — Oak Park Unified School District (recorded presentation)
— Colorado — Boulder Valley School District
— Colorado — Lake County School District
— Illinois — Community Consolidated School District 46
— Maine — Falmouth Public Schools
— Maine — Portland Public Schools
— Massachusetts — Falmouth Public Schools
— North Carolina — Durham Public Schools
— Texas — Austin Independent School District
— Virginia — Arlington Public Schools

PK-12 SCHOOL CASE STUDIES
PK-12 School Case Studies
— California — Golestan Education
— California — Golestan Education (recorded presentation)
— California — Kingsley Elementary School (recorded presentation)
— California — La Verne Parent Participation Preschool
— California — Park Day School
— District of Columbia — Briya Public Charter School (written case study and recorded presentation)
— Illinois — Waldorf School of DuPage
— Tennessee — Linden Waldorf School
— Washington State — The Gardner Schools of Arts and Sciences