Barger Academy of Fine Arts unveiled its new outdoor classroom – comprised of a pond, outdoor classroom area and garden – to mark Earth Day on Thursday.
Students and teachers will be able to use the area for outside classes and learn about plant and aquatic life.
Development of the classroom originated in fall 2019, when fifth-grade students at Barger started designing an outdoor learning area. Susan Dorsa, fifth-grade teacher, had students redesign the pond to fit with state standards for science and engineering practices.
“We already had a pond, needed some tender loving care there on that corner of our campus, and so they researched and learned and collaborated with each other – we have three fifth-grade homerooms – and they designed landscaping, they designed what they wanted the patio area to look like, all the way down to tiny details, like they wanted a specific type of turtle fountain spitter to help aerate the water in the pond,” said Allison Bishop, parent involvement coordinator at the school.
Following the pond renovations came the outdoor classroom phase of the project, which included elements like an awning and whiteboard that rolls in and out for classes to take place.