Schoolyard Habitat

Reprinted from The Wild Times Teacher Connection v2n3, Spring 1997.

by Kate Spector

The Henry H. Houston Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is currently in the initial planning stages of developing an extensive outdoor classroom as part of their environmental education curriculum. Beginning next year, the Elementary School will be divided into learning communities ("houses"), comprising one class from each K-6 grade level. An "Upper-House" will consist of 6th - 8th graders, who will have some cooperative learning interaction with younger students. Within this framework, houses will adopt ongoing projects, one of which will be the outdoor classroom. The development of this backyard habitat, conducive to wildlife observation, study, and appreciation, is one part of the school's Greenhouse curriculum (Goals to Revitalize Environmental Education Now).

Henry H. Houston Elementary has enlisted the assistance of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society in developing the backyard wildlife habitat. Eventually, plans include the establishment of a pond, a compost heap, and a vegetable and flower garden. The school is also coordinating a group of community volunteers to assist in the project. These volunteers will help tend trees, and care for the habitat during the summer months. The first stage of the habitat project has focused on birds. Efforts to attract local birds with feeders have enabled students to observe various species including mockingbirds, starlings, and tufted titmouse. Students kept track of the numbers and species of birds visiting a window feeder until the project was somewhat interrupted by an aggressive, and unexpected squirrel that knocked the feeder to the ground! Students also constructed and hung their own pinecone birdfeeders, made with peanut butter and seeds. The feeders were apparently a big hit with the local bird (and squirrel) population, as they were completely consumed when students returned several days later.

Kate is a student at Yale University and an intern for The Wild Ones.

Resources

Internet

Cooperative Extension:

Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Backyard Wildlife: Making It Come Alive" http://ianrwww.unl.edu/ianr/pubs/extnpubs/wildlife/g672.htm

NWF Schoolyard Habitats http://www.nwf.org/nwf/prog/habitats/sy_welcm.html

Windstar Wildlife Institute

for on-property wildlife habitats http://www.windstar.org/wildlife/

Books

Jurenka, Nancy Allen and Rosanne J. Blass. Beyond the Bean Seed: Gardening Activities for Grades K-6.

Mohrhardt, David and Richard E. Schinkel. Suburban Nature Guide: How to Discover and Identify the Wildlife in Your Backyard.

Needham, Bobbe. Beastly Abodes: Homes for Birds, Bats, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife.

Raham, Gary. Explorations in Backyard Biology: Drawing on Nature in the Classroom, Grades 4-6.

Schneck, Marcus. Your Backyard Wildlife Garden: How to Attract and Identify Wildlife in Your Yard.

Your Backyard Wildlife Garden: How to Attract Birds, Butterflies, and Other Animals Every Month of the Year.

Seidenberg, Charlotte. The Wildlife Garden: Planting Backyard Habitats.

Tufts, Craig, Peter Loewer, NWF. The National Wildlife Federation's Guide to Gardening for Wildlife: How to Create a Beautiful Backyard Habitat for Birds, Butterflies, and Other Wildlife.

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