Learning Ground

Through a community design and development process that involved parents, teachers, and children, a master plan was created to develop the educational uses of the natural and man-made outdoor spaces of this 14.6 acre schoolyard.  The goal was to have the plan serve as a guide to develop the campus educational and recreational opportunities and to enhance the school’s physical appearance.  Through a research program of interviews, questionnaires, behavior mapping, and cognitive mapping of student ideas using kid’s drawings, a school-wide enthusiasm for the project was enhanced while developing themes and specific elements for the outdoor school environment.

The final plan organized the outdoor environment into activity centers addressing the educational, environmental, visual, and play components of the “Learning Ground” through an interconnecting pathway system.  Physical gateways and visual cues help delineate and spotlight the main entrances, group gathering sites, work stations, outdoor classrooms, active and passive play and recreation spaces, and educational opportunity sites.  Water is one of the main themes of the plan.  The existing stream and drainage areas were developed to encourage interaction, promote water resource and understanding, and correct drainage problems through water conservation and land use protection techniques.

Participation by the whole school community in the implementation of the master plan resulted in the installation of a story circle, an outdoor faculty eating area, a K-2 playground, and safety features for the existing playground.

Dr Layne was the project manager developing the whole design concept and creating the master plan drawings and final rendering.  This four year long design project reflects Layne’s research interests and outreach efforts to help design and develop school yards that support both environmental education and play opportunities.