Websites
The Audubon Schoolyard Habitat Resource Guide
Schoolyard habitat resource guide. (2024).Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Retrieved July 19, 2024, from https://asri.org/learn/schools/schoolyard-habitats.html
While this site focuses on Rhode Island, much of the information is easily transferable to Schoolyard Habitats everywhere, such as pathways to take to create and sustain different types of habitats, stories from both urban and suburban schools who have created habitats, as well as activities and helpful tips for teachers who already have habitats in place.
Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide
Kolstad, C., Volherbst, K., & Mullin, K.K. (2011). Schoolyard habitat project guide, 2. U.S Fish and Wildlife..https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/FWS-Schoolyard-Habitat-Guide_0.pdf
This Guide walks aducators through the process of creating a Schoolyard Habitat step by step, from creating the team, funding the project, and assessing the site to implementation, maintance, community involvement, and more. Including students once the project is complete is fine, but the Guide emphasizes student involvement from beginning to end, and provides comprehensive charts for ascertaining how to make the garden for your school bring the most benefit to the particular ecosystem.
The National Wildlife Schoolyard Habitat Planning Guide
At school. (n.d). National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat Planning Guide.Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Create/Schoolyards
This planning guide outlines the benefits of schoolyard habitats, as well as how to create habitats and how to use those habitats for education. The dowloadable guide also provides information on how to apply to have your schoolyard habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation, and a brief history about how Schoolyard Habitats got their start.
Earth at Home
Backyard and schoolyard wildlife habitats. (2023). Earth @ Home. Retrieved July 13, 2024 from https://evolution.earthathome.org/grasses/teaching/backyard-wildlife-habitats/
How do we make our yards more wildlife friendly? Simple slogans such as No Mow May can have a powerful impact. Transitioning from lawns, which contain little benefit for wildlife, to native plants, which support both pollinators and other wildlife, has a positive impact on both students and wildlife.
Books
Teaching in Natures Classroom
Larson, N.K., Hiller, B., Wells, A. (2020). Teaching in nature’s classroom. Cultivate Health Books (2nd ed.). https://www.teachinginnaturesclassroom.org/
In this book, the authors and illustrators introduce and expand on ideas about ways educators can bring the outdoors into the classroom. Core principles and best practices are discussed, and evidence based practice and experience recounted. Teachable moments that arise between educator and student(s) are given as examples of the benefit of teaching in nature, and the hands-on aspect of learning outdoors by doing is also discussed. The benefits of outdoor learning are imparted throughout the book, and the authors make a point to include how to scaffold gardening skills, how to connect gardening to community building, and how to enhance children’s natural wonder at the world.