What Is The Rationale And A Design For An Outdoor Classroom For Grades Five Through Eight?

The research question addressed in this capstone was, what was the rationale and a design for an outdoor classroom at my school for grades five through eight? It documents the author\u27s personal and professional experiences and their influences on the capstone topic, the benefits for students and educators when they learn and spend time outside, and design considerations and funding sources for an outdoor classroom. The author’s time spent outside on family farms and college coursework have influenced the choice of this capstone topic. The benefits to students and educators are holistic; social, emotional, physical, and cognitive. A complete business proposal and presentation to gain support and approval for the construction of an outdoor classroom is also included. A list of state and local grants is provided in the business proposal to help project coordinators secure the funding required to build an outdoor classroom. This paper also discusses the author’s reflection on the project process, limitations, implications, and future research projects. The author found that there was limited research literature on the benefits of an outdoor classroom for students in middle and high school. This would be an area that would be aided from future research projects