OSSE has compiled resources to support the establishment or enhancement of outdoor learning on school grounds for schools.

Below is a list of resources currently available. Additional resources are in development and will be posted soon.

Planning and Designing Outdoor Spaces

• Outdoor Learning Frequently Asked Questions
• Designing Spaces
  • Design Guidelines for Outdoor Classrooms and School Gardens
  • Green Schoolyards America Tools
    • Creating Outdoor Spaces for Learning and Play
    • Potential outdoor classroom configurations
    • Augmented reality visualizer
• Outdoor Weather and Allergies
  • General considerations
  • Hot weather
  • Cold weather
  • Allergies
• Examples of Materials
  • Photos from District schools of various elements of outdoor learning spaces, such as outdoor classroom structures, meeting areas, seating, and more.
  • Canopy (protection from weather elements)
  • Seating 
  • Teaching Supplies and Storage
• Procurement and Funding
  • Materials Checklist for Outdoor Learning
  • Procurement Tool for Outdoor Learning
  • District School Garden Funding Guidance
• Alternative Locations
  • Using Public Spaces as Outdoor Classrooms

Resources for Teachers and Educators

• Tip Sheet for Outdoor Learning
• Outdoor Learning Training Series
  • Outdoor Learning 101
  • Group Management Outdoors
  • Teaching and Learning Strategies
  • Creating Buy in for Using Outdoor Learning Spaces
  • Planning and Creating Outdoor Learning Spaces
• Outdoor Learning Community of Practice
• Webinars
  • Building Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Outdoor Classrooms
  • Bringing Social Emotional Learning & Mindfulness education into Your Work
  • Designing Garden Education to Support English Language Learners
  • Teaching Lessons Outdoors
  • Outdoor Group Management
• Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education’s 5-Part Training Series: Using the Outdoors as a Classroom
  • Best Practices
  • Taking Learning Outside
  • Evaluating School Grounds
  • Integrating MWEEs and Planning for Learning Outdoors
  • Planning and Implementation
• Walking Field Trips
• Distance Learning Resources for Environmental Literacy
• Division of Early Learning Nature-Based Trainings

  • Any DC early childhood education teacher can register for OSSE's Professional Development Information System (PDIS), which provides numerous PD courses and reference materials designed for educators working with the District’s youngest learners (ages 0 to 8). Register here for an account. View upcoming PD sessions in the catalog here.

Resources for Meal Service Providers

• Outdoor Meals at School
• Serving Meals Inside (and Outside!) of Schools
• Summer Series Models of Meal Service
• Tip Sheet for Outdoor Learning: Recommendations for Outdoor Meal Service
• Guidance for School Food Authorities (SFAs) to serve meals.
• No Kid Hungry Equipment List

Case Studies

• Anne Beers ES case study
• Briya PCS case study
• Garrison ES case study
• Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS case study
• Patterson ES featured in OSSE’s Sprout It Out monthly newsletter
• Video and case study of Whittier ES
• Field reports from the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s Community of Practice for Schools and District’s Moving Learning Outside. Scroll the page to find the following DC presentations:
  • Briya PCS (Meeting #33)
  • OSSE (Meeting #30)
  • DC Coalition for Equitable and Outdoor Education (Meeting #18)
• Webinar hosted by the DC State Board of Education’s Well-Rounded Education Committee with speakers from Cardozo EC, Friendship PCS, Horace Mann ES, and FreshFarm FoodPrints
• Teaching and Learning Outdoors webinar hosted by Out Teach (direct link to OSSE’s presentation)

Additional Information

• Join the Sprout it Out online forum to ask a question or learn from others in the school garden and farm-to-school community here.
• Register here to receive "Sprout it Out": A monthly e-newsletter for District school garden, farm to child nutrition programs, and environmental literacy efforts
• OSSE’s School Gardens, Environmental Literacy, and Farm to School programs
• DOEE’s RiverSmart Schools Program
• RiverTools Field Manual and Growing Strong: A Comprehensive Guide to Support All School Garden Programs in the District
• DC Coalition for Equitable Outdoor Education website
• Chesapeake Bay Program’s School Grounds for Learning resources on Bay Backpack
• Green Schoolyards America’s National Outdoor Learning Initiative Resource Library
• Urban Adventure Squad's Guide to Outdoor Learning