by Heather Melville
An area of focus for our Grade 4 students this year has been exploration of outdoor spaces, from Clem's Garden, to our local Community Garden and the area around Camp Sweet. Recently, as part of a bigger conversation on outdoor learning related to Take Me Outside Day, we had the opportunity to brainstorm what type of classwork could be accomplished in a space like the forest at Camp Sweet. Students' immediate impressions were that all subject areas would be inevitably enhanced by a immersion in a natural setting, mentioning the peace, the diversity and the perspective to be found in such settings.
Our conversation then turned to the outdoor spaces that exist at Connect and what might change if we were able to "dream big" when thinking of what an ideal outdoor learning space might look like. I was also careful to encourage a focus on the safety of our spaces and of what was well utilized and what may need to be removed or relocated. Instead of sitting in the classroom for this conversation, we ventured outside as a class to do a thorough walk around the school, noting ideas, proposals for change and safety issues. Here is an overview of the dreams, changes and considerations identified by grade 4 students:
An area of focus for our Grade 4 students this year has been exploration of outdoor spaces, from Clem's Garden, to our local Community Garden and the area around Camp Sweet. Recently, as part of a bigger conversation on outdoor learning related to Take Me Outside Day, we had the opportunity to brainstorm what type of classwork could be accomplished in a space like the forest at Camp Sweet. Students' immediate impressions were that all subject areas would be inevitably enhanced by a immersion in a natural setting, mentioning the peace, the diversity and the perspective to be found in such settings.
Our conversation then turned to the outdoor spaces that exist at Connect and what might change if we were able to "dream big" when thinking of what an ideal outdoor learning space might look like. I was also careful to encourage a focus on the safety of our spaces and of what was well utilized and what may need to be removed or relocated. Instead of sitting in the classroom for this conversation, we ventured outside as a class to do a thorough walk around the school, noting ideas, proposals for change and safety issues. Here is an overview of the dreams, changes and considerations identified by grade 4 students:
tARMAC BY THE PARKING LOT
This is where students envisioned that a "Sweet" Garden could exist. They suggested trees, fallen logs, tree stumps, vegetation, a grade 4 flower garden plot, grass, moss, a circle of trees, natural sitting places.... ultimately somewhere that they would be able to find outdoor "Magic Spots" (peaceful spaces for individual reflection). Students also proposed putting window boxes outside the classrooms that face out into this space as well as painting the school walls (maybe natural graffiti?) to blend in with the natural space. They suggested that a pathway be built through the natural space to provide access between the front of the school and the parking lot doors and that a permanent ramp be constructed from the parking lot to sidewalk for handicap and any type of rolling cart. As part of their re-envisioning of the space, students recognized that the storage sheds currently parked here would needed to be relocated. They thought the sheds could move to the corner of the field by the alley and staff parking lot. (See opposite). They also recognized the importance of the four square and hopscotch areas and suggested that these be moved to an updated tarmac by the playground. |
Soccer fields
The students recognized that the soccer fields are an important open space for different physical activities as part of PE, DPA and outdoor recess. The first thing that they identified as needing to be addressed however was the massive red path through the field that cuts directly across the second soccer pitch. They identified the numerous hills and dips across both fields that make running games more dangerous and collect puddles that quickly turn to ice during the shoulder season. They also echoed the survey results by identifying that they would really like nets on the goals so that they don't have to constantly run down into the community space to retrieve their balls. |
clem's garden
Grade 4 students love Clem's Garden! They pointed out that they are drawn to it because it has nooks and crannies that beg to be explored and would love to expand the space (although this is exactly what they had proposed with their "Sweet" Garden. They also identified that because the space is so over used that the vegetation has struggled to survive. Lots of spaces including the pathway through are muddy. Is there something that could be done to address this? Rock pathways perhaps? They also mentioned that though the trees in Clem's are wonderful, the primary workspace is still very open and is too distracting for really thoughtful, reflective work. |
pLAYGROUND AND picnic table AREA
We also love our playground! This was an area that most students indicated used most heavily in our surveys last year and the Grade 4 students agree that this space is a favourite, particularly at recess. The really like the range of activities that the space allows for and the ground surface is awesome! They did mention however, that there is a big dip in the ground just at the edge of the playground surface where water/ice collects. They also suggested that we consider relocating the bike racks which are currently right in the middle of valuable play space.
The picnic table area immediately adjacent to the playground is also a great workspace but even more distracting than Clem's garden as there are always students playing on the park. They also questioned how we might be able to better develop/maintain the garden in this area and suggested that we consider moving the garbage cans to somewhere less central to the play space as they attract wasps.
The picnic table area immediately adjacent to the playground is also a great workspace but even more distracting than Clem's garden as there are always students playing on the park. They also questioned how we might be able to better develop/maintain the garden in this area and suggested that we consider moving the garbage cans to somewhere less central to the play space as they attract wasps.
basketball court
The students pointed out that the power box right by basketball court gets in the way and that balls often get stuck. They also identified that there are a lot of cracks and stray pieces of metal sticking out of the fencing around the basketball courts and that the metal poles supporting the fence and the basketball nets are hazardous with the way they stick out of the ground. The basketball court is not a space in which the students feel safe because of how much of the space includes sharp protrusions and cracks in the asphalt. |
tarmac by the playground and towards the front of the school
The tarmac at the front of the school and extending around via a fairly worn pathway to the front of the school is a place that from a safety perspective, really needs updating. Once we started looking, the students couldn't believe how many bumps, cracks and uneven surfaces covered this space. In particular, the students would like to see this space resurfaced with the inclusion of some sidewalk team games like 4-square and hopscotch. They'd like to see a fence along the retaining wall (bottom left) so it's not somewhere students fly or fall off of and they'd like to see a better pathway system that could even possibly be used for jogging, long boarding and/or cycling skill development. |
The Grade 4 students are very excited to be included with these conversations and potentially the planning, design and implementation of this project. When given the opportunity to dream big they freed themselves of perimeters and expressed their honest feedback. These are the students who will see the results of their efforts and enthusiastic to have a voice in the process. Below are natural areas of Camp Sweet which the Grade 4's loved so much.