Schoolyards Program
The Schoolyards Program of Common Ground supports the creation and effective use of school gardens, schoolyard habitats, and outdoor classrooms in schools. We believe that by using our knowledge and resources to provide professional and technical support, we can help schools realize the full potential of teaching outside in deepening the academic and emotional learning of their students.
We work with schools, school districts and non-profit organizations statewide and are founding members of the CT School Garden Alliance. From a one-time class to a year-long outdoor learning package, our support can help increase outdoor learning at your school.
What we offer:
- Learning activities and lessons: Our Environmental Educators can bring outdoor learning to your school through a seasonal series of outdoor lessons, school-wide Outdoor Day events, Family Engagement events, or via an Outdoor Learning Specialist position that supports outdoor learning at your school one day each week for the whole school year.
- Professional development: Let our educators share their expertise with your teachers with workshops at your school or at Common Ground. We can help educators integrate use of use your school’s outdoor spaces into curricular and learning goals.
- Design, installation, and maintenance: Vegetable gardens, outdoor play kitchens, makerspaces with loose parts, pollinator gardens, places to dig, seating areas, shade, and more are all parts of a great outdoor learning space. We can offer ideas, provide a design, and install or expand an outdoor learning area! We can also provide seasonal or ongoing maintenance of your outdoor leaning spaces.
Get in touch to learn more about how Schoolyards can help you meet your outdoor learning goals!
Check out our Instagram to get a sense of all that we do!