About Our Outdoor Classrooms

The proceeds from the 2012 Home and Garden Tour will benefit PTA programs such as teacher grants and technology, as well as enhancements to the Outdoor Classrooms at both Mount Daniel and Thomas Jefferson Elementary schools.

Our Outdoor Classrooms link school learning to the environment and the natural world. Educators have long known that kids learn best using multiple senses and hands-on, inquiry-based experiences. Young people learn most readily about things that are tangible and directly accessible to their senses -- visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic. An educational schoolyard provides all of these opportunities and supports all curriculum areas.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has certified almost 1,500 schoolyard wildlife habitats -- including the Outdoor Classrooms at both Mount Daniel and Thomas Jefferson Elementary.

For more information about our Outdoor Classrooms, including lesson plans and photos, please visit: outdoorclassroom.fallschurchenvironment.org