At Covenant Christian School we recognize that it is important for children to have the opportunity to explore the outdoors. As Covenant students explore the outdoors their educational opportunities are broadened and enriched.
Each of the elements of our school’s Outdoor Classroom ties directly to our school’s learning goals. For example, each fall our sixth-grade students visit Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri as a part of their fall trip. While at Baker Creek our students choose seeds for their portion of our school “farm.” Because our sixth-grade students study World War II they chose seeds from plants that would have been used for a World War II Victory Garden. They plant their Victory Garden each spring.
The whole of our curriculum is enhanced through student interaction with God’s natural world.
In an age of instant gratification, we are glad to have the opportunity to share the joys of anticipation with our students. Covenant students can and will observe seeds developing into radishes (and other fruits and vegetables) over a period of weeks and watch as trees and our prairie grow and develop over a period of years.
The outdoor classroom provides opportunities for us to discuss how small things can impact the environment. In particular, they see plant and animal life enhanced and, as a result, see our own lives enriched.
The Outdoor Classroom promotes student understanding of the need to steward God’s creation. In addition, the Outdoor Classroom provides opportunities for our students to work together to accomplish their goals, building social as well as technical skills. Our students have been given opportunities to help construct and maintain our outdoor classroom. This has helped to build their woodworking and gardening skills as well as helping to build community.
The ability to stand before an audience in any number of situations and speak confidently is one of our goals for each of our students. Our speakers circle/performance area is one more venue for our students to share their words and gifts. The area consists of benches, a fire pit and a small stage.
The windmill pumps water from rain collection barrels at the Edwards House across the Outdoor Classroom to water storage next to the Berry Patch. Students use the stored water to hydrate schoolyard plants. The windmill also provides an opportunity for our students to learn about the circulatory s...
Okay, so it’s not a “farm,” but we still like to call it that! Miss Annie’s Farm is our raised bed garden. Each class has their own bed. The third-grade class studies ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece so their farm bed is dedicated to plants that would have grown in those areas of the world during the historical period they study. The fourth-grade class studies Shakespeare so their bed is dedicated to plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s works. The fifth-grade studies Williamsburg and the early years of our nation so their bed is a Williamsburg/Jeffersonian garden. Finally, sixth-grade (1850 to the present) studies World War II so their bed is a World War II Victory Garden.
The Outdoor Learning Lab is a single-classroom building with covered outdoor space in the midst of the Outdoor Classroom. Covenant has modified its curriculum to be more purposefully experiential across all grade levels and well-balanced across the curriculum as well as in the areas of the life, earth, and space, and physical sciences. An Outdoor Classroom Coordinator supports experiential education as well as works to help make the school’s Outdoor Classroom integral to the curriculum.
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