Introduction

It is with great pleasure that I present to you INSPIRED BY REGGIO EMILIA: Designing the Outdoor Classroom.

In the last decade, numerous high-profile publications have been written about creating outdoor classroom spaces. There is call for human beings to disengage from the plastics and screen technology, reconnecting to the natural world. Yet, in a crowded landscape of materials and curriculum for children, the research in engaging the outdoor classroom can often get lost.

There is a dynamic world awaiting you and your students, just beyond the classroom door. The playground, often limited to climbing and hardscapes, awaits your creative invention.

We hope this course will inspire you to think of the playground as an opportunity to teach. We invite you to look upon the playground space with new intention, to observe and reflect upon it’s potential as a learning environment.

Mary Ann Biermeier, M.Ed.

Course outline is also provided in a pdf format.  Please see download dashboard.

A overall look at multiple outdoor learning spaces.  We will be investigating in depth each of these spaces created to engage children in positive ways, creative ways, and in imaginary play.

Making the Connection Between High Illiteracy Rates and Learning Environments

In this lecture, we take moment to look what we know about human development and deep learning. We have known for centuries that deep learning is connected to long term memory. What kinds of learning environments lend themselves to long term memory?

Also, in this lecture we discuss the disgraceful state and national fourth grade reading scores. Nearly every state report shows over half of third graders, entering fourth grade, cannot read at grade level. When we consider that the heart and soul of the curriculum K-3 is literacy, that children attend school five days a week for six hours or more – how is this possible? We ask where is the outrage? Moreover, why is the education business unresponsive to the outcomes of the testing and assessment driven curriculum?

How might moving typical classroom activities outdoors transform the learning process? When we consider the outdoor classroom, we must be intent in shedding teaching strategies which have failed our children. We have long understood that learning is about doing. It is hands on, inquisitive, and often messy. Deep learning takes time, a dedicated teacher and a desire to know more.

As an educator, you have the power to change this outcome for over half of your students. You can make learning real, meaningful and fun. You can create high sensory, emergent and enjoyable learning experiences with just a little imagination.

The Reggio Emilia Inspired Framework is based upon the writings of Loris Malaguzzi and many of the core educators in Reggio Emilia schools. We have their own words about how they developed a school system for all children in the city of Reggio Emilia.

In your download dashboard, please find this overview entitled, The Reggio Emilia Inspired Framework. Each one of these objectives could be a course unto themselves. As such, one paragraph description does not cover it. My hope is you will find in our courses, and in your readings, the understanding that all of these objectives are interrelated.

For example, you cannot have emergent curriculum without understanding how to document children’s learning. You cannot transform the teacher’s role as an active researcher, without creating a collaborative work environment. All of the objectives presented here are interrelated, complimenting the development of the whole.

Like all things alive, the Reggio Emilia approach integrates all of the objectives, each informing the other. It is an educational system that is never stagnate, always responsive to the children in the room, the desires of their families and their teachers are held high regard. It is a pedagogy of listening, it is a relationship driven education.

Article review of Studying Nature-Based Outdoor Classrooms, published by Exchange Magazine reveals five elements of design.

The five elements of design are: (1) More Play Choices; (2) Child-Sized Spaces; (3) Pathways and Borders; (4) Flexibility of Materials; and (5) Engagement of the Whole Community.   Schools which implement these design elements are likely to create a successful outdoor classroom environment.

Most of us have vivid memories of our favorite childhood play environment. This was the place where we began to discover the wonder of playful exploration. It was the place where we first interacted with the natural world. This place was our introduction to the environment, our community, and the cycles of life.

The places that adults remember playing in as children are so often natural places — places with a stream, clumps of spongy moss, thick layers of slippery mud, fallen logs, or even a mound of dirt piled high in a vacant lot in the city. There is just something about connecting with the natural world that is so important for all people —particularly children. These are the kinds of experiences that nourish our souls.

Rusty Keeler

Soundscapes are important for creating and playing with music.  Music and percussion instruments provide a multi-sensory experience.  Be careful to select softer sounds - such as wind chimes - for area where play is more of a quiet endeavor.  Attached here are two research articles connecting music with literacy development.

Through research we know that children grow emotionally, socially, and cognitively through spontaneous music, movement, and drama.  As we support children's innate desire to create, express, and perform, we build on their natural curiosities, spark their imaginations, and provide opportunities for verbal and physical expression.

Follow the transformation of a Head Start playground as they install garden spaces and an outdoor music center.

Beautiful Stuff from Nature illustrates unique stories from teachers across North America who were challenged to explore their outdoor spaces with children to see where their interests lead. In these pages, you’ll encounter ordinary experiences made extraordinary through the teacher’s documentation and discover ideas for using natural materials to enrich your classroom, engage your students, and build on initial explorations.

Included in this course is a copy of the chapter, Outside Just Beyond the Classroom Door: Developing a Sense of Place.  In this chapter, Biermeier writes, "Our natural environment in the Sonoran Desert is not typically viewed as hospitable for young children. For years as a teaching community, we failed to see the opportunities just beyond the playground gate."

Biermeier, M. A. (2019). Outside and just beyond the classroom door. In Beautiful stuff from nature: More learning with found materials (pp. 78-83). Worcester, MA: Davis.

A Chapter Review: Outside Just Beyond the Classroom Door

In this video we review the implementation of the outdoor classroom.

A quick look at the creation of Petal People from flowers.  Note that the teachers do not add glue to this activity.  When we remove the glue from our tables, children are able to create and re-create with the flower parts.   If a child wants to "keep" their petal creation, a photograph is taken.  Flowers are bagged and refrigerated to be used over the next several days.

Teachers are concerned that their "two-year-old turning three" classroom knows very little about the natural world.  Sheltered from being outside, spending most of their days indoors, the teachers offer an opportunity for parents to take their child on a nature scavenger hunt.  The teachers expand this experience, by taking the children on a nature walk.  They offer each child a chance to photograph something that captures their imaginations.   The children are so engaged that nature walks become a part of their every day class experience.

In this video, three-year-old children are asked to take a nature walk with their teacher.  While on the walk the children photograph something that capture their attention.  The next day, the children are presented with a printed image of their photograph and asked to draw what they remember.

Follow the Eric Carle project which led to the creation of an outdoor library.

Follow a class of five-year-olds as they create story together with a wordless book.

A quick reminder to download articles.

The Mudd Kitchen is a wonderful example of how environments shape outcomes.  Here the teachers have set up the space as a southwest cookout.   Dirt, sand, water, bits of plants, and cooking utensils comprise a timeless play kitchen. The stimulating fun can be experienced again and again, up through the early childhood years and beyond.

What Are They Learning?

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Mudd kitchen works incredibly well because it encourages role play, sharing and turn taking. It’s not uncommon to see children taking on the role of a chef in a restaurant kitchen, or mom or dad cooking at home. By taking on these roles, children are developing their social skills and heightening emotional understanding.

Communication and Language Development

Mudd kitchens encourage children to talk about what they’re doing, and often the excitement of being outside and involved in messy play. Children are more confident about speaking and sharing their thoughts. The kitchen set-up creates a rich language environment that provides opportunities for children to use specific vocabulary related to kitchen utensils and cooking.

Physical Development

Physically, children need to be able to grip hold of utensils such as spoons and spatulas, as well as lift heavy bowls. This helps to develop the muscles in the hands, which is mainly cartilage at this age, and in turn supports fine motor skill development. Mixing and stirring also boosts hand-eye coordination.

Mathematics

In terms of the mathematical aspects, teachers can encourage activities which involve weighting items, measuring water and mixing water in set quantities to see the different outcomes.

Understanding the World

Children are able to explore the outdoor environment as they dig in the mud and encounter plants and maybe even creepy crawlies. Mudd kitchens also involve some science based learning as children can get hands dirty and experience the different textures and consistency of mud, seeing how this changes as they add more water. Teachers can prompt learners to explore by asking questions like: ‘How does this feel?’ and ‘What happens when you…?’

Imaginary Play and Expressive Arts

Mudd kitchens are amazing spaces for sparking children’s imagination. It takes a good deal of creative thinking to transform muddy creations into culinary delights. With a bit of creativity, sloppy mud can become a smooth cake batter.

A Fairy Village

A fairy village on the playground sparks the interest of the children.  Teachers wanted to see if they could make this interest grow into something more than fairy tales.  The discovery of books describing how to build fairy homes out of natural and recycled materials moved the learning. 

Children were asked what kind of houses do fairies live in?

What kinds of things do fairies need in their houses?

On nature walks the children collected rocks, pebbles, sticks and flowers - bringing the outdoors inside.  The children were encouraged to make fairy houses over many weeks, adding more to the houses as they imagined.  Clay, wire, and glue were made available to the children.

Scientific inquiry, engineering and storytelling all emerged through this hands-on provocation.

One of the tenets of social learning theory is the importance of imaginary play in helping children stretch their abilities. It is through imaginary play that children develop flexibility of mindset and grit as they seek to stay in the play with others. To understand the fluidity and often abrupt transitions that characterize children’s imaginary settings of super heroes, ice cream stores, and spaceships. We share this understanding described by Loris Malaguzzi, echoing Vygotsky, that in imaginary play children often surprise us. Malaguzzi writes, “In this way [imaginary play] they reassure us they possess talents not generally judged to belong to children” (Cagliari, et al., 2016, p. 396).

Be sure to download the PDF content from your dashboard.

The Legend of Notty Elf

There is a small woodland elf exploring the grounds at Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool. Although the children have never seen the little guy, they are certain he exists. For on tiny sheets of stationary, tucked into small envelopes, the elf writes to the children. They call him “Notty”, which he writes short for Nottingham. Every morning, the children are eager to find Notty’s camper, noticing any changes. They excitedly discuss where he might be and what he might be doing. Mail from Notty is often read during small group time, and the children are encouraged to write back to him. In the writing center, the children are drawing pictures, asking him questions, and signing their letters to Notty.

“Hidden in this incredibly fun activity are all the things we preschool teachers love to see”, explains Shauna Winburn, educator. “Students are perfecting their grip, beginning to sight-read familiar words, and asking for help in how to spell various new words. Most importantly, they are feeling a meaningful connection to the written word and the power words can convey.”

Be sure to download the Resource Guide for this lecture.

The children want to make things for Notty.  Using open-ended materials, the children design and create furniture for the little guy's camper.... but there are too many things and the camper is small.  The class considers making Notty a house.  How might we do that?  What materials and tools might we need?  What kind of things do you find in a house?

All of these questions and opportunities to teach across the curriculum are presented in this emergent topic.  Emergent curriculum follows the interests of the children, asking children to act like researchers.  Providing materials and experiences in which children and teachers learn together.

A review of the importance of developing imaginary play spaces on your playground.

I referred to Gandini (1998) who described provocation as something arriving by surprise. According to Fraser (2000) provocation is a means for provoking further action.   It really is not the stuff in space, but rather the creativity of the teacher as a provocation - as a way to create experiences that draw children together.

Be sure to download the resource guide. 

Digital Microscopes are perhaps one of the most exiting developments in education.  The microscopes only cost around $30 USD and are available through Amazon.

Children are collecting their own specimens (leaves, flowers, bugs, sticks, pinecones, etc) and viewing them up close.  Small worlds not seen by the human eye become visible.  Patterns and colors, layers of life create endless possibilities for investigation.  In this video teachers will demonstrate how even the youngest learners are competent and capable of using this scientific tool.

See your Resources tab for information on the microscope.

A chance encounter on the playground sparks the interest of the children in spider webs.  What magic does this tiny creature have to create such elaborate designs in silk?

Follow the Project Approach as children are encouraged to investigate life on the playground.

Be sure to download from your Resources tab the NAEYC Young Children article about this project.

The school establishes a pumpkin patch to raise funds for the playground.  The event extends to the classroom - teaching across the curriculum.  In this video, teachers share their own experiences as children share the circle of life from seed, to garden, to harvest to table.

Be sure to download the Pumpkin Patch Book List.

Save yourself some time!  Download the Pumpkin Patch Book List.

Rocks on the playground spark the interest of the children.  Follow the development of learning about pebbles, rocks and stones as children naturally follow their curiosity.

Perhaps human beings are most happy when they are creating something.  For many teachers, workbenches are a foreign environment.  They are not comfortable with the use of tools and naturally, have safety concerns.  In this video, we learn along side the children as they create using wood, cardboard, hammers, screwdrivers, hand saws, and even power tools.

If makerspaces are ideal for anything it’s fostering play and open-ended learning. Kids naturally tinker; they build things and take things apart.  Your students will also be able to practice critical thinking skills, challenge their imaginations, and come up with solutions to real-world problems. Makerspaces are really helpful for STE(A)M-related activities that teach across the curriculum.

Be sure to download the Mini Maker Space article from Scholastic.

Observational skill are foundational to scientific inquiry.  In this two part film, children are examining trees and learning about life supported by trees.  In the second section, children are learning about watercolors and observing nature just beyond the playground gate.

Children spend time in one of the school gardens, looking at and observing the cactus.   They have been looking at pictures of cactus and now their teachers asks them to look, observe and draw what they see.  A few days later, the children are presented with their initial drawings and a photograph of their chosen subject.  Their teacher suggests they look at the photo, adding more details to their drawing and using watercolors to add depth and color.

If we want children to connect to the real world, then we must put the real world in their hands.  Bug viewing containers, magnifiers, netting and even fish tanks become staples in our classrooms.

In this video, follow classrooms as they engage with the playground gardens bringing the outdoor life inside, and the classroom learning outside. 

Be sure to download our suggestion list for highly effective classroom engagements.  

In this video we look at ways children are constructing on the playground: In the sandbox with the water feature, large block and recycled cardboard.

In construction play, children will ask themselves the question 'what if?' - a indication they are challenging themselves. For example, they may stack blocks as high as they can until they fall down or put a particular amount of water into a bucket when using scales to see how full it should be before it becomes unbalanced. These simple things are constantly stimulating a child's brain, hence, aiding their education. Playing with a variety of building and creative products helps children build self-confidence and encourages their independent learning too.

Resources for this lecture include information on the sandbox hand pump and large blocks

The learning environments we create for children should reflect our values. All children have the right to learn in safe and beautiful spaces.

Be sure to download your Udemy professional development certificate.

Course catalog for INSPIRED BY REGGIO EMILIA professional development series.  Links and coupon.