Samuel H. Sage of the Atlantic States Legal Foundation presents the potential for implementing outdoor education programs at schools located near creeks and natural areas in Syracuse, NY. Such programs have been successfully implemented in other areas and provide hands-on, cross-curricular learning while reconnecting children with nature. The Atlantic States Legal Foundation could help schools develop outdoor classrooms, secure funding, and collaborate with other local organizations.

1. The Potential for Schoolyard
Outdoor Education
Presented by: Samuel
H. Sage, Atlantic States
Legal Foundation

2. About Atlantic States Legal
Foundation
 Onondaga Creek
Revitalization Project
 Education Initiatives
with the Dunbar
Association
 Environmental Health
Projects including lead
education

3. Onondaga Creek Revitalization
Program
 ASLF, OEI, SUNY-ESF, community
members and other organizations are
developing a creek revitalization plan
 The results of this plan can incorporate
outdoor education initiatives
 Fowler High and Clary Middle are perfectly
located to utilize neighboring creeks

4. What other School Districts are doing
 Forest Kindergartens in Europe, since the 1950s
 Berkeley school system, Edible Schoolyards Project
 Finger Lakes National Forest and Hillside Children’s
Center
 Boston Schoolyard Initiative, www.schoolyards.org
 Missoula, Montana, schoolyard habitats
 Springfield, Ohio, curricular gardens
 Many thousands more!

5. Why do this here?
 Syracuse City schools are becoming
‘greener’
 A connection with nature is essential to a
child’s mental and physical well being
 Addresses growing concern about our
children’s ‘nature deficit disorder’
 Engage students more with the community
and the natural world
 Hands-on learning experiences

6. Syracuse is the 17th Greenest City in
the U.S. – National Geographic’s Green Guide
 Great Green things are
happening here
 Immense potential for
increased learning
 Schools, community
and environment can
be linked through
education

7. Building the Outdoor Classroom
 Involve students in
planning and design of
a schoolyard habitat
 Grow native plant
gardens
 Take advantage of
existing natural areas
(i.e. Harbor Brook and
Onondaga Creek)
 Build butterfly gardens

8. Cross- curricular learning
 Involve all studies
 Map soil, survey existing plants and animals
 Design and build gardens, pathways, etc.
 Create outside curriculum for each grade level

9. What Schoolyard Education Looks Like

11. How Children will Benefit
 Reconnect children with the natural world
 Correct the “nature deficit disorder” as
described by Richard Louv
 Take advantage of great educational
opportunities presented by school grounds
 Extend and expand ‘green’ efforts already
being done in Syracuse schools

12. Potential for Outside Funding
 More than 100 schools
will receive grants from
Lowe’s Charitable and
Education Foundation
 www.lowes.com/community
 National Forum on
Children and Nature
 Many others

13. How ASLF can help
 Create outdoor education programs
 Provide program assistance
 Work with school officials to secure outside funding
 Help build collaboration with other local
organizations
 Integrate the schoolyard classroom program with
greening the schools and the safe route to school
initiative

14. Additional resources
 www.cnaturenet.org
 www.schoolyards.org
 www.lowes.com/community
 www.cefpi.org
 www.king.berkeleypta.org
 www.sfgreenschools.org