Welcome to the Learning Tree Project!


This is a space for all who share a passion for children, learning, and outdoor education to connect as I move through the creation process of an outdoor classroom at the elementary school I teach at.


Having spent my master's year leading an environmental education program at a New England elementary school, I was able to see the true benefits of outdoor education. By using the natural environment as a place for curriculum-based, interdisciplinary lessons, I saw students become deeply connected to their learning as well as passionate about their local environment. For example, students learned how to identify trees by their leaves and bark but then took those leaves as an inspiration for learning poetic couplets. The students then "adopted" the trees and watched it move through the seasons.


Now, I have my own classroom and love when I am able to take my students outside to learn. I am fortunate to be teaching at a school surrounded by high grass meadows, woods, and even a pond; however, there is no direct access to these natural learning environments. When I take my students out to learn, we are restricted in the areas we can be in, often characterized by nicely cut lawns looking out to these habitats. They are limited in their ability to delve into the outdoor world to discover not only academic concepts but also the world that surrounds them.


Thus leading me to this: the creation of an outdoor classroom. Join me as my colleagues, administration, community, and I unlock learning for all of our students. Follow the process we undergo as well as interesting articles, books, and information on outdoor education!