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More about our Nature Classroom
The outdoor nature classroom will be completed in three stages (check out the plans by downloading them from the link to the left!). At completion, it will be a space that gives children the opportunity to learn outside of their typical indoor classroom setting.
Take a walk through the garden
As the children enter the gate to the nature classroom, they will be greeted by a "Jesus Loves the Little Children" garden statue (a gift from our 2021 8th graders!). There will be a perennial flower garden surrounding this statue, and will run along a path where teachers and their students will have the opportunity to visit stations displaying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. There will also be many hands-on opportunities to engage children both mentally and physically.
These opportunities will include:- Music station
- Earth loom for weaving natural materials
- Soil observation and magnifying glass stations
- Balancing beams
- Quiet reading area
- A water trough system
- Stepping stumps
- Raised, wheelchair accessible vegetable beds
- Bird Feeders and bird bath
- An oversized abacus
- Insect hotel
- Worm composting towers
- Sensory wall
- Composting bin
- Tables and benches for children of all ages to work and learn
Picture a "Secret Garden" for children, focused on plants that are native to our area.
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Conservation and Lasting Impacts
The garden flora will be made up primarily of plants that are native to the Great Plains region. This focus on local plants is being done to support our local insect and wildlife community. Our garden will also be used to teach conservation lessons. A group has already been formed focused on developing a recycling and composting program within our school that will go hand in hand with our Learning Garden project! Hopefully our children's experiences in the learning garden will have a lasting impact on them. We hope that they will grow an appreciation and love of learning for the natural world around them.
Costs and Installation
Thanks to a talented STM parent, we have a beautiful plan already created for our garden (check it out in the links to the left if you have not already, its amazing!).
Since this project is above and beyond current curriculum needs, it is not included in our school's exisiting budget and will be funded by grants and donations. You can give a gift to make this project for our students a reality below. If you would like to sponsor a specific item within the garden, or would like more information, please contact Tamyra Hower, STM Pawprints Preschool Director at [email protected]
In addition to funds, we need people power! If you have a green thumb or would be interested in helping construct or install part of the garden, please reach out to Tamyra Hower, STM Pawprints Preschool Director ([email protected]) for needs and schedules.
We hope you are as excited about this project as we are! Thank you for considering a gift to make this amazing garden a reality for all of our students!!!
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