About Me Education: Rollins College, Winter Park, FL BA in - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Designing for Children's Outdoor Play and Learning August 2013 Environments, by Ilisa Goldman, RLA About Me Education: • Rollins College, Winter Park, FL BA in Environmental Studies, 1998 • North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC Master of Landscape Architecture, 2002, Minor in Designing for Children’s Outdoor Play Horticulture and Learning Environments Professional Practice since 2002: •Ilisa Goldman Landscape Architecture and Consulting How programming informs design •New School of Architecture and Design Planning a Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Specializations: August 2013 •Children’s Outdoor Play and Learning Environments •Sustainable Design By Ilisa Goldman, RLA •Educational Landscapes San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative Ilisa Goldman Landscape Architecture and Consulting SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Steps in the Design Process 1. Program Development • Gathering Input • Define Program Elements 2. Site Assessment • Local and Site Assessment 3. Design Elements • Basics of Schoolyard Habitat Design 4. The Design • Design Considerations • Developing a Final Plan “It is the spirit of the child that can determine the course of human progress and lead it perhaps 5. Implementation even to a higher form of civilization.” • Timeline, Budget, Funding –Maria Montessori 6. Maintenance Rosa Parks Elementary 7. Planting Design Tips Berkeley, CA SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Presented at Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Sponsored by SD Children and Nature Collaborative, Master Gardeners, Calif. Native Plant Society, and SDG&E 1

Designing for Children's Outdoor Play and Learning August 2013 Environments, by Ilisa Goldman, RLA 1. Program Development Forming a Team The long term success of a project is dependent upon • Forming a Team creating a team that will help provide support, resources and an overall stronger end product . • Survey • Parents  Teachers, parents, community • Teachers members, maintenance team, student, staff, landscape • Non-teaching staff professionals, local businesses, etc.. • Students • Student Workshop  Initiate the project • Other Ideas for Involvement  Build momentum • Develop Visions, Goals and Poe Montessori School Objectives Raleigh, NC  Connection to teachers and parents • Defining Program Elements Poe Montessori School Raleigh, NC  Consistency and follow through SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 User Surveys Tips for a Successful Team Gathering Information:  Allow for varying levels of participation • Students  Assign roles to help ensure that no one person is over burdened  Work within any existing formal committee structure (PTA, • Parents Garden Committee, etc.)  Identify achievable short-team goals (consider a simple • Teachers short term project to build momentum)  Allow people to join as they become interested • Staff  Share updates with the school and parents (newsletters, emails, etc.) • Community Members SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Presented at Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Sponsored by SD Children and Nature Collaborative, Master Gardeners, Calif. Native Plant Society, and SDG&E 2

Designing for Children's Outdoor Play and Learning August 2013 Environments, by Ilisa Goldman, RLA Survey to Students Survey to Parents, Teachers and Non- Teaching Staff • What do you like about the outdoors of your school? • Which areas of the existing outdoors do you use with your children and what do you do there? • What do you DISLIKE about the outdoors of your school? • What problems do you see with the existing outdoors? • What would you like to see in the new outdoors of your school? • In the new outdoor environment, what ideal recreational/educational spaces would you like to see created? • What would you like to do in the New Outdoors of your school? • What general characteristics do you think the new outdoors should have? SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Student Workshop Engaging the Students Find ways to get the students involved early on. Make them feel empowered. They usually know the school yard • Split into Groups better than anyone! • Site Safari • Brainstorming • Designing • Presentations Poe Montessori School Raleigh, NC SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Presented at Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Sponsored by SD Children and Nature Collaborative, Master Gardeners, Calif. Native Plant Society, and SDG&E 3

Designing for Children's Outdoor Play and Learning August 2013 Environments, by Ilisa Goldman, RLA Site Safari Site Survey • Locate and Draw • Physical Students walk the site in Characteristics groups and record: • Topography • Wind • What they smell • Sun vs. Shade • Structures and Fields • What they see • Plants • What they touch • Wildlife Inventory • Other Observations • Any other Poe Montessori School thoughts/observations Raleigh, NC USFWS Guidebook page 29 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Designing Brainstorming Students Design their Students list on paper: Schoolyard: • What activities they want • Split in Groups to do. • Students draw ALL their • What they need to do ideas on paper them. Poe Montessori School • Materials: markers, glue, Raleigh, NC • Where they can be done. paper, plan of school Poe Montessori School Raleigh, NC (optional) SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Presented at Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Sponsored by SD Children and Nature Collaborative, Master Gardeners, Calif. Native Plant Society, and SDG&E 4

Designing for Children's Outdoor Play and Learning August 2013 Environments, by Ilisa Goldman, RLA Building Momentum Student Presentations School Event / Parent Night Team Presentations •Establishing a Presence • Have students name the school yard •Sparking Interest • Students present their •Meeting Parents design to the other workshop participants. •Disseminating Information Poe Montessori School • Materials: easel, camera, Raleigh, NC pointer SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Case Study Findings: Case Studies Blanchie Carter Discovery Park, Southern Pines Primary School • Location: Southern Pines, NC • Designer : Robin Moore • Date: 1995 to present • Size: 4 acres • School Information: • Public School • 600 K-3 Students Photo by the NLI Main Goals: • Environmental Education • Outdoor learning across the curriculum • Universal Accessibility • Community Heritage • To create a dynamic play and learning environment Photo by the NLI SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Presented at Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Sponsored by SD Children and Nature Collaborative, Master Gardeners, Calif. Native Plant Society, and SDG&E 5

Designing for Children's Outdoor Play and Learning August 2013 Environments, by Ilisa Goldman, RLA Additional Case Study Case Study Findings: Pre - School / Child Development Centers Blanchie Carter Discovery Park, Southern Pines Primary School Lessons Learned • Implementation strategies • Raised $180,000 • Children’s accessibility • Local heritage • Opening up to the community Bright Horizon’s Child Development Centers Photos by the NLI • Decrease in Vandalism • Location: Raleigh, NC • Increase in Community Involvement • Designer: The Natural Learning Initiative • Settings: Sensory garden, Sand/Water Play connected to Bog Garden • Restoration as education • Findings : Children were more active when equipment and nature were • Prescribed Burn integrated or “mixed”. Photos by the NLI SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Additional Case Study Additional Case Study Monterey Heights Elementary School Murdock Elementary School • Location : La Mesa • Settings: Bio-regions of South California • Goals / Objectives: • Morning Garden Club • After School Gardening Classes • School Wide Composting • Murdock Children’s Farm Stand • Location: Lemon Grove • Plant a Row for the Hungry • Settings: Shade Oak With Outdoor Classroom • Garden to Cafeteria Program • 2 nd and 4 th Grade Project: Design to Construction SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 SD Children and Nature Collaborative August 2013 Presented at Schoolyard Habitat Workshop Sponsored by SD Children and Nature Collaborative, Master Gardeners, Calif. Native Plant Society, and SDG&E 6