Durham Catholic District School Board
The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) and Foggy River Farm have been working together to co-create outdoor learning environments with students at several schools. Working from an experiential outdoor education approach, the team at Foggy River plays, designs and builds with students, all the while peaking curiosity so that students become the stewards of their own schoolyards.
Education Intentions
To distil student connection to the landscape through direct experience, hands-on projects, observation and exploration
To help students understand their role in their local ecosystem, which includes their classroom, their entire school, the schoolyard and the larger landscape
To foster a deep sense of stewardship through helping students design and build outdoor environments where they can explore their curiosity
To encourage self-awareness through the sharing of this curiosity and land-based action with others
Project Features
Small food forest/perennial gardens
Annual vegetable gardens
Cultural/spiritual gardens specific to each school
Student-led design processes, reflected through storytelling and maps, graphics and anecdotes
Constructed areas completed with mainly raw and local materials, where possible
FRF Role
Custom creation and development of student workshops
Creation of content for curriculum-based learning
Project Management (tracking budgets, material sourcing and sharing this process with the students)
Direct facilitation of workshops with the students
Responsible for the physical safety of the students during the construction phases
Lead the creation of safe and functional designs