SCHOOLYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat
a project of the Indiana Wildlife Federation

SCHOOLYARD HABITATS are exciting open-air learning centers. More than just outdoor labs, they are alive with activity and sounds, and as such they inspire creative learning.

IMAGINE:

Kindergartners keeping an eye on tadpoles growing legs.

Third grade students writing prose or poetry about their appreciation of nature.

Fourth grade math students calculating the migratory routes of butterflies and birds.

Sixth grade students tracking rainfall and waterflow and how it relates to their topography.

Seventh grade art students studying nature's color and form in trees, flowers, and butterflies.

High school students developing, not only a sense of ecological awareness, but also a sense of global understanding.

Schoolyard Habitats respond to the need in this generation of students to connect more closely with the natural world. In order to understand and successfully deal with our current environmental challenges, such as biodiversity loss, global warming, and reduction of natural resources, students must first have the opportunity to study birds and trees, and flowers and bees in their own environment. Creating suitable habitat for wildlife by providing food, water, cover, and nesting sites, benefits not only the wildlife, but also the students, teachers, and community.

The Indiana Wildlife Federation is eager to help your school implement a Schoolyard Habitat.

What is a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat?
A Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is like an outdoor classroom that offers a beneficial environment for birds, butterflies, and other small wildlife. These friendly surroundings also give students special opportunities for learning. The program is an education outreach of the Indiana Wildlife Federation, an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, through which schools can qualify for certification as part of a national registry of Schoolyard Habitats.

How long does it take to establish a Schoolyard Habitat?
It depends. Your school may already have an outstanding outdoor lab that may only need minor adjustments to become certified. Some schools are able to put it all together in a semester, while others have found it best to develop their habitat in phases. It is important to remember that the project offers a variety of teaching opportunities every step of the way.

What will the project cost?
Costs vary and depend on your plans, but with community support, your project need not be expensive. With a little creativity and some resourcefulness, even a small courtyard can become a wildlife haven and educational resource. Mini-grants are available from the Indiana Wildlife Federation.

Who does the work?
Parents, teachers, and students make up the bulk of the work force, but community involvement is encouraged with assistance from Master Gardeners, service groups, scouts, and other volunteer organizations.

How can we begin?
Contact the Indiana Wildlife Federation for our Schoolyard Habitat Planning Guide. We will be happy to help you present the project to your school, form your Habitat planning team, and do a site analysis so you can begin the certification process.

It's important that we fill our children's outdoor activity not only with swings, and slides and schoolyard ball fields, but also with the sounds and movements of our natural world. Contact us for more ideas about establishing a Schoolyard Habitat.

National Wildlife Week  - IWF, in cooperation with the National Wildlife Federation and the Huff Animal Protection Trust, sponsors an annual Poster Contest for grades K-6