Fifth-graders Plan Outdoor Classroom

Science teacher Kate LaBare recently challenged fifth-graders to imagine their ideal outdoor classroom. Students are developing a plan to redesign the outdoor area near the first- and second-grade classrooms. The unit is an interdisciplinary lesson with Project Math, which is taught by Laura OGrady. Fifth-graders are using their knowledge of plants to create a space that supports pollinators and deters mosquitos, as well as consider how groundwater will be affected. “Fifth-graders practiced their measuring and calculating skills and drew scale models and budgets for their chosen materials,” said LaBare. “Students then consulted their first-grade buddies for feedback. They also presented their plans to first- and second-graders, the experts on the space they were redesigning!”