The Habitat for Homecroft project was really a first of its kind for Pheasants Forever, regarding its partnership with a local school and local businesses in order to create a dedicated outdoor classroom.  This local Duluth pilot program helped steer Pheasants Forever, nationally, toward habitat education in a hands on, place-based approach. As of 2013, Pheasants Forever now has a national habitat education specialist who helps implement these programs across all Pheasants Forever chapters nationwide.

As young students face the challenges of becoming teenagers and young adults, they need certain skills to prepare them for future situations. The outdoor classroom is filled with opportunities that can help young people gain skills and knowledge in citizenship, ethical decision-making, leadership, teamwork, responsibility, achieving goals, building relationships, communication and self-esteem. Knowledge and skills in these areas may be attained through hands-on projects, learning by doing, making positive contributions to society and by participating or leading organized outdoor activities in the outdoor classroom.

Habitat for Homecroft’s innovative approach garnered much local and national attention, and was awarded Pheasants Forever’s Chapter Hero Award in 2012.

Cross Curriculum Integration Helps Schools Meet New Core Competency Educational Requirements

Art: Students could make pencil sketches of natural landscapes or animals, design markers and signs, and use leaves, flowers or bark as textural features or for decorations along with other natural findings.

English: The outdoor facility can provide a great opportunity for students to keep a journal on the developmental progress of the outdoor classroom. Students may also want to sit in the natural area and write poems or essays about their surroundings.

History: The outdoor classroom can be used to study methods of how early settlers and Native Americans used natural resources to make artifacts, grow food, make clothes and live off the land.

Family and Consumer Sciences: Students could learn how to grow a vegetable or flower garden and the economic benefits of doing so. Outdoor cookery or food preservation could be practiced, as well as the study of edible natural plants.

Health/Safety: Students could practice first aid by simulating outdoor scenarios. Students may also want to search the outdoor classroom for potentially unsafe areas and describe what should be done to correct the problem. Natural remedies might also be planted and discussed.

Mathematics: The outdoor classroom is a prime area to study mathematics, especially in the developmental stages. Math students may assist in calculating featured plots, determining the size of the developed area or measuring slope and elevation. Students could also measure tree heights and diameters, weigh large outdoor objects and tabulate volumes.

Music: Music students could study how different cultures use nature as a part of their music. Students may consider making instruments from items they find in the outdoor classroom.

Physical Education: Outdoor classrooms provide prime opportunities for PE students. Activities such as hiking, running cross country, exercising and playing outdoor games can be included in the class curriculum.

Science: Students could study aquatics, soils, animals, air, weather and plants and how living organisms interact with each other, as well as biology, chemistry, ecology or geology. Natural communities and ecosystems found in the outdoor facility can also be observed.

Technology: Students can take digital cameras into the outdoor classroom and capture images of insects, flowers, snakes, animals and other natural scenes. The images can be used to design Web pages or presentations about the outdoor classroom.

Vocational Agriculture: Students can study pond management, forestry management or participate in land judging. Other areas to consider include designing trails; participating in building shelters, bird feeders and picnic tables; or growing the flowers and plants needed for the facility.