Outdoor learning can benefit both students and the environment. School grounds can serve as living laboratories that encourage active learning while students connect to nature and form a sense of environmental stewardship. Living Schoolyards contain features or elements that support education, diversify play opportunities, and enhance the ecological benefits of school grounds. These elements can increase local biodiversity, benefit natural habitats, and integrate natural systems into the built environment. Become inspired by the stories of the 2022-2023 Living Schoolyard grant recipients or read more about implementing green schoolyard elements below.
Both the exterior of school buildings and outdoor hallways should be designed, renovated, or maintained in environmentally friendly ways. Replace grass or strips with a native plant garden or drought-tolerant landscaping.
Participate in green cleaning practices to reduce the use of harmful chemicals. Schools can transition all exterior cleaning to products with minimal environmental/human health risks. Consider ways to reduce the overall need of these chemicals through school building design.
Access to fresh air and natural settings can have a significant positive impact on a student's ability to focus and learn content.
Use the outdoors as a laboratory for learning about scientific and social phenomena.
Schools can create informal outdoor classrooms by repurposing quads, courtyards, lawns, amphitheaters, blacktops, etc. Depending on the amount of time and the instructional activity an outdoor classroom can require very few materials. Use existing materials such as outdoor picnic tables, shade trees and clipboards to bring students outdoors.
For more formal outdoor classrooms, schools can invest in seating, instructional materials, ground cover, shade cover, and landscaping to make high quality outdoor learning environments. Schools can plan for this as a major renovation/construction project or partner with community-based organizations to develop outdoor classrooms.
Outdoor seating provides a space for the school community to gather. In addition to class time, outdoor seating can be used for meal breaks, small group sessions, or one-on-one instructional/counseling services. Outdoor seating can also be incorporated into play areas, and inspire students to spend time outside. It is best to use natural materials such as stone or wood.
Build or purchase inexpensive and lightweight outdoor seating options. Wooden or recycled plastic benches/tables are available from many different vendors. Tree stump seats can often be acquired from a local tree trimming business and straw bales can be sourced locally.
Incorporate outdoor seating into the long-term design of the school grounds using durable and student friendly materials. Outdoor seating can be creatively integrated into landscaping and other a range of options for different sizes of groups.
Pathways or trails on campus provide opportunities for play and exploration of the natural landscape. Trails should be ADA compliant whenever possible. Trails differ from outdoor hallways because they are constructed using porous materials that enable water drainage.
Schools can make trails using wood mulch over lawn or dirt or existing blacktops can be painted to evoke a “trail." Help students and the community learn about the natural landscape by using signs and labels.
Install ADA compliant trails that align with best practices made of decomposed granite (DG) or mulch. When building across sloped terrain or challenging conditions it is recommended to seek out professional assistance.
Gardens and Landscaping
Native plant gardens provide essential habitat for local wildlife, increase biodiversity, prevent erosion, and provide areas for play.
They can be integrated into the curriculum for studying local science phenomena, biology, resource conservation, and much more.
Schools can create small scale native plant gardens by transforming landscaped or raised beds. Schools can select perennial plants for easy maintenance.
Schools can repurpose unused fields or hillsides by planting native habitat. These areas, once established, would provide ecological benefits and become a resource for curriculum and instruction. Areas with native habitat would require annual maintenance such as pruning, mulching, weed management, etc.
Garden spaces that grow food combine many elements of sustainability and enhance a schools ability to address food systems, health, biodiversity, and water topics. Edible gardens can be integrated into life science, earth science, language arts, and math curriculum by providing a living laboratory on campus.
Gardens that grow edible plants require more regular maintenance than other types of gardens. This is because edible plants often have shorter life spans, attract pests, and require more consistent watering. Schools can start small by selecting easier to grow edible plants like herbs.
Schools can have successful edible garden programs by investing in perennial plants like fruit trees and necessary infrastructure. Edible gardens can flourish with the optional additions of greenhouses and compost bins. Schools can find support for maintaining gardens by partnering with community-based organizations.
Raising livestock on a school campus provides an exciting teaching tool on life cycles and food systems. Schools can keep different types of animals including honey bees, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and goats.
Keeping domesticated animals on campus is a commitment that requires careful planning. Schools must be clear on who is responsible for care and that they can provide adequate living conditions. Schools can care for domesticated animals by building or purchasing sturdy pens or coops and may be able to partner with community members or organizations for support.
Planting trees on a campus will increase shade, provide habitat for local wildlife, and decrease the impacts of the urban heat island effect. Trees can be fruiting varieties or native to the school's campus ecosystem.
Choosing the correct tree type for the location and keeping up with maintenance is imperative to the survival of the tree and the safety of students on campus. It is recommended that trees be frequently surveyed by professional arborists for safety.
For easier upkeep, install trees in existing landscaped areas with irrigation and choose tree species that are already thriving at the schoolyard or in the local neighborhood.
Tree canopy should be considered and planned for during major renovation/construction projects. Landscape companies should select trees that will provide shade, ecological benefits, and benefit students.
Replacing lawn or other water-intensive plants with drought tolerant landscaping will conserve resources, save money, and provide learning opportunities for students. Drought tolerant landscaping is especially useful in areas of campus without irrigation.
Stormwater management is increasingly necessary on school campuses and can be used as a learning opportunity for students. These systems can have many design goals including replenishing groundwater, improving habitats, preventing flooding, and reducing pollution in waterways. Schools can install rain gardens, rain barrels, bioswales, cisterns, and living roofs as methods of stormwater abatement.
Small-scale projects such as rain gardens and rain barrels can be installed with a few months planning.
Large scale stormwater management projects require architecture designs and permitting. Schools can prioritize funding these projects during major renovation/construction projects.
Including examples of closed loop cycles on school grounds emphasizes the importance of resource conservation and sustainable materials use. These strategies also encourage curriculum integration on natural cycles such as food chains and decomposition. Examples include three bin compost systems, reclaimed lumber for garden beds, vermicomposting, and upcycled materials.
Demonstration composting systems can be incorporated into existing school gardens or be managed by classrooms.
Customized Assistance
SMCOE's Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative (ELSI) has helped a number of districts and schools to repurpose outdoor spaces in a cost-effective way. This shift provides fresh air, hands-on learning opportunities, and many co-benefits related to health, academics, and behavior. Email ELSI@smcoe.org for help.
Living schoolyard and garden programs are most successful when they are supported by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community members. Use the resources below to get started or connect with community partners.
Climate Corps Education Outside: Supports schools to place an emerging educator on their campus for one year that will work with students, manage the garden space, and engage a school community.
Living Classrooms: Living Classrooms partners with schools to provide on-site science and environmental education lessons to TK- 5th graders.
Food Corps: Places paid service members in schools for one year to lead hands-on lessons in existing school gardens. Schools apply annually to receive funding for a service member to be dedicated to their school site.
Canopy: Canopy is an environmental nonprofit that plants and cares for trees where people need them the most. They offer standards aligned K-12 education programs and provide hands-on, outdoor activities.
Each Green Corner (EGC): Collaborates with schools to design garden-centered outdoor educational settings and assist with installation, maintenance, and harvesting of produce grown within the gardens for donation to EGC’s food distribution partners.
Grassroots Ecology: They restore native plants to open spaces and neighborhoods, steward creeks and watersheds, and provide hands-on nature education.
San Bruno Mountain Watch: San Bruno Mountain Watch leads educational experiences that connect people to the cultural and natural history of San Bruno Mountain and provides service-learning opportunities through community-based habitat restoration projects.
Flows to Bay: They can share key information regarding the local watershed, rainwater collection, rain landscaping, and pollution prevention.
UC Master Gardeners: The San Mateo County UC Master Gardeners can conduct site assessments, teacher professional development, and school garden coordinator workshops.
Xerces Society: The Xerces Society offer California Monarch and Pollinator Habitat Kits.
Julie Hilborn
Coordinator, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability
Access to fresh air and natural settings can have a significant positive impact on a student's ability to focus and learn content. 
Outdoor seating provides a space for the school community to gather. In addition to class time, outdoor seating can be used for meal breaks, small group sessions, or one-on-one instructional/counseling services. Outdoor seating can also be incorporated into play areas, and inspire students to spend time outside. It is best to use natural materials such as stone or wood.
Native plant gardens provide essential habitat for local wildlife, increase biodiversity, prevent erosion, and provide areas for play. 
Garden spaces that grow food combine many elements of sustainability and enhance a schools ability to address food systems, health, biodiversity, and water topics. Edible gardens can be integrated into life science, earth science, language arts, and math curriculum by providing a living laboratory on campus. 
Raising livestock on a school campus provides an exciting teaching tool on life cycles and food systems. Schools can keep different types of animals including honey bees, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and goats.
Stormwater management is increasingly necessary on school campuses and can be used as a learning opportunity for students. These systems can have many design goals including replenishing groundwater, improving habitats, preventing flooding, and reducing pollution in waterways. Schools can install rain gardens, rain barrels, bioswales, cisterns, and living roofs as methods of stormwater abatement. 
Including examples of closed loop cycles on school grounds emphasizes the importance of resource conservation and sustainable materials use. These strategies also encourage curriculum integration on natural cycles such as food chains and decomposition. Examples include three bin compost systems, reclaimed lumber for garden beds, vermicomposting, and upcycled materials.