Media Coverage Related to Outdoor Learning

We are pleased to report that the national news media featured outdoor learning in many publications over the last year. The articles, videos, and podcasts linked below highlight the work of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and our partners, and report on the health and learning benefits of being outdoors during the pandemic and beyond.

National COVID-19 Outdoor learning Initiative, In the News

“U.S. Green Building Council and Green Schools National Network Announce 2021 Best of Green Schools Awards”
The Center for Green Schools, June 29, 2021

“8 to 3: Outdoor Classrooms are Rare Despite COVID-19. That Could Soon Change.”
Los Angeles Times, June 28, 2021

“Workplace Design: Creating Useful, Outdoor Spaces”
Facility Executive, June 23, 2021

“Opinion: After Bracing for the Worst During Pandemic Schooling, We Found Hope and Value in Outdoor Learning”
Hechinger Report, June 21, 2021

“Expanding Global Learning Opportunities During the Coronavirus Pandemic”
Stroud Water Research Center, June 16, 2021

“The Power of Networking: A Harris Connection Story”
Harris Public Policy, The University of Chicago, June 8, 2021

“Outdoor Learning Could Help Safely Return Students to Campuses”
California School Boards Association’s Blog, June 4, 2021

“Initiative Gives Barcroft Students Cleaner, Drier Alternative for Out-of-Doors Education”
Inside NOVA, May 27, 2021

“Schools Turn to Design Professionals as the Pandemic Mandates Collaboration with Long-term Impacts”
Archinect, May 21, 2021

“Learning Blooms in Outdoor Classrooms”
Edutopia, May 20, 2021

“Strategies and Activities to Prevent Summer Slide”
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Blog, May 17, 2021

“Summer 2021 Opportunities and the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative”
California Collaboration for Educational Excellence, May 14, 2021

“COVID-19 Transformed the World of Outdoor Education. Here’s What Local Leaders Say has Changed.”
Mountain View Voice, May 12, 2021

“Outdoor Schools are Thriving”
Outside Magazine, May 11, 2021

“Taking Learning Outside During Pandemic Times”
NoVA Outside, May 4, 2021

“Outdoor Learning Started as a COVID Safety Measure. Schools Say It’s Here to Stay.”
KCRW, April 29, 2021 (podcast)
This podcast from KCRW features our collaborating partners at Kingsley Elementary School and Oak Park School District, reflecting on their experiences with outdoor learning during the pandemic. Our colleague, Dr. Marci Raney, Professor at Occidental College, shares her research and perspective.

“Let’s Keep Teaching Outdoors: Disease Prevention is Just One of Many Reasons to Educate Kids Outdoors”
The Progressive Magazine, April 29, 2021
Our colleague, Claire Latané, Asst. Prof. of Landscape Architecture at CalPoly Pomona, and the founder of the NCOLI’s Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers program, published an OpEd advocating for outdoor learning as a key to supporting health, equity, and student success during and beyond the pandemic.

“Overcoming ‘Green Fears’: Strategies for Safe and Joyful Learning in Outdoor Classrooms”
Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly, April 29, 2021
Green Schoolyards America's Director of East Coast Programs, Nancy Striniste, wrote a beautiful and comprehensive article about outdoor learning during the pandemic that was published in the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly.

“Creative Solutions for School Reopenings”
International City/County Management Association (ICMA), April 22, 2021

“Outdoor Learning Improves Engagement and Mental Health”
Multibriefs, March 30, 2021

“Meet Sharon Danks, Green Schoolyards America”
PopHealth Week, March 26, 2021 (podcast)
Fred Goldstein, President and Founder of Accountable Health, LLC interviewed Sharon Danks in this PopHealth Podcast which focuses on how this National Initiative was founded and what it seeks to accomplish. Danks also discusses Green Schoolyards America’s vision for how health, climate resilience, and education come together when schools create living schoolyards. Goldstein was also an advisor in the Health Working Group for the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative.

“Schools without walls: Lessons in outdoor education”
CBS NEWS, March 14, 2021 (6:04 video)
This television news story by CBS Sunday Morning features Sharon Danks of Green Schoolyards America and Brooke Teller from Portland Public Schools in Maine, among others. There’s both an emphasis on forest schools, as well the story of green schoolyard transformation and amazing images of students learning in the snow in Portland, Maine. The images included, of a transformed schoolyard in Berkeley are of Golestan Education (5:20 minutes), our long time partner. There is a lot more information in our expanding National Outdoor Learning Library--a resource for schools and districts across the country that would like to take learning outside during the pandemic and in the years to come. All the partners who have helped to make the National Outdoor Learning Library, and the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative possible: Ten Strands, Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley, San Mateo County Office of Education, and many more! Note: This link goes to the YouTube video only, while the other takes you to the video and transcript, as well as more photos and text.

“The Case for Outdoor Schooling: When the pandemic hit, I enrolled my daughter in an outdoor learning-focused school. Now I never want to go back.”
Vox, February 11, 2021
This engaging article by journalist Adrienne Day makes the case for moving school outdoors as a way to improve children’s health and happiness during the pandemic--and an environmentally sound model for education in the years to come. She explores how things have been going for schools in New York, and shares her family’s experience this year at a new school that is using outdoor spaces as an asset. The article features Sharon Danks’ green schoolyard work over the last 10 years, and references the how-to resources available to the public in the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s new National Outdoor Learning Library.
This article is also available in Spanish.

“4 Big Ideas on Fixing American Schools: Experts Agree that the System Needs to Think Bigger than Test Scores and Statistics.”
Popular Science, February 6, 2021
This article shares four experts’ perspectives about how to change education for the better. We are honored that Green Schoolyards America’s work was mentioned by David Sobel, professor emeritus of education at Antioch University New England, who said, “City schools can break down walls with natural and cultural environments and take advantage of the social, emotional, and health-related benefits of learning from rooftops, parks, cemeteries, and museums. Recent research finds that children who experience fresh air and sunshine during or between formal lessons tend to perform better academically. In the pandemic, this may be even more true. Green Schoolyards America and Europe’s forest kindergartens are lighthouses that others should follow.”

“Creating Outdoor Play Spaces for Kids”
Chesapeake Family Life, February 2, 2021 (video interview)
In this video interview, journalist Janet Jefferson interviews author and designer Nancy Striniste about her book, Nature Play at Home (Timber Press, 2019), her work designing outdoor play spaces for children with EarlySpace, and her collaboration with the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative as the co-leader of the outdoor infrastructure working group that produced materials for the Creating Outdoor Spaces portion of the National Outdoor Learning Library.

“LAPS Elementary Schools Open Doors For Small Group In-Person Instruction”
Los Alamos Reporter, January 22, 2021
This straightforward reporting from Maire O’Neill uses the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative to explain how the schools in Los Alamos, New Mexico are returning to in-person learning, with positive results. “Students and staff were happy to see each other while maintaining a safe distance and wearing masks. One third grade student said: ‘this is fun, it feels like a family reunion.’” The district plans to increase the use of outdoor learning once the weather warms.

“Schools Turned to Outdoor Learning for Safe, Equitable Instruction in 2020. They Don‘t Have to Go Back”
EdSurge, January 4, 2021
In this op-ed, Karen Cowe and Sharon Danks, two of the leaders of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative, explain how the Initiative took shape in the early months of the pandemic, and how the work can effect lasting, foundational change within education for the future. Their vision is clear: “When schools choose to focus on creating ecologically resilient outdoor learning spaces — many of which amount to long-term investments and district-wide commitments to outdoor education — they are able to offer more equitable access to rich learning experiences for children, both during the pandemic and long after.”

“Our Favorite Fix Stories of 2020: Fix Staffers Share Their Favorite Stories from a Year No One will Soon Forget”
Grist, December 29, 2020
Grist asked their staff to select their favorite news stories from past year in 2020. We are honored that journalist Adrienne Day selected the story she wrote about “COVID, climate, and equitable spaces,” profiling Green Schoolyards America and the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative!

“2020 in Review: Professional Practice Networks Highlights”
The Field, December 22, 2020
The Field, the ASLA Professional Practice Networks’ Blog, announced the top ten most-read articles from the list of 103 they published in 2020. The article written by Lauren Iversen, entitled “Green Schoolyards: An Interview with Sharon Danks,” was their 6th most-read article of the year!

“As Winter Looms, Outdoor Schools Face Tough Decisions”
New York Times, November 20, 2020
Melinda Wenner Moyer, of the New York Times reports on both the real and perceived challenges of outdoor learning in winter. Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America reminds us that Schools “have very different, culturally determined, geographically based ideas of what’s cold.” And JJ Morrow, from Boulder, Colorado shows us what is possible, despite the snow, when he says “We’ve been in person for almost 11 weeks. And we’ve been mostly indoors for five total days. We have, I would say, developed a culture where kids are more comfortable being outside.”

“Three Schools Re-Imagining What a School Building Can Be”
One Day Magazine, November 17, 2020
In this article, in Teach for America’s alumni magazine, Joel Serin-Christ explores how community-led, biophilic design creates schools that allow students and the environment to thrive. The article emphasizes that “virtually every school can bring some learning outside” and it mentions Green Schoolyards America and our partners, Golestan Education and Inclusion Outdoors.

“Convention Centers, Museums Become Classrooms Amid Pandemic”
Associated Press, November 8, 2020
Journalist Heather Hollingsworth explores the creative ways that schools are repurposing indoor and outdoor spaces in the midst of the pandemic, and highlights school districts in Kansas, New York City, and New Orleans. Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America, comments that dozens of school systems have shifted instruction outdoors or are making plans to do so. 1,100 New York City schools are spending part of their day outdoors!

“How to Make a School Safe? Let’s Take It Outside”
The Shield, November 7, 2020
Elly Schottman, the photo editor for this excellent high school publication, offers a close up look at what returning to school -outdoors- looks like at McCallum High School in Austin, Texas. The article highlights how Families in Nature, a non-profit, outdoor education group has helped train teachers in outdoor learning. Heather Kuhlken, the group's founder, says “People are healthier and happier and do better in school when they spend time in nature. … With so many students at home or in classrooms, we often forget what it feels like to learn and exist in nature.” The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s group for “Early Adopters” is also mentioned.

“The Great Outdoors: COVID-19-Compatible Learning Experiences for All”
CU Boulder Today, November 3, 2020
In this article, CU Boulder Today (A publication of the University of Colorado, Boulder) describes how Growing Up Boulder and Boulder Valley School District are partnering to make outdoor learning both accessible and equitable. Both have been very active in our National Covid-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative. We're grateful for all they share, regularly, in the Early Adopters Zoom meetings twice a month.

“Greening for Academic Achievement: Prioritizing What to Plant and Where”
Landscape and Urban Planning, November 3, 2020 
Researchers Ming Kuo, Samantha E Klein, Matthew HEM Browning and Jaime Zaplatosch examined the “greenness-academic achievement relationship in 450 public schools in Washington State” in this academic study. Their work found that: “Greener schools have higher test scores, even after taking income into account. Middle school students may get a boost from school greening. Planting trees within 250m [of a school] may boost scores most.” Ms. Zaplatosch is a partner of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and we’re pleased to share this excellent research.

“School in Season”
Landscape Architecture Magazine, November 2020 issue
Timothy Schuler describes how Claire Latané, an nationally recognized expert in schoolyard design, stepped up to lead. She “recognized that schools would need help siting and designing these new outdoor classrooms” and helped organize the Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers, which now number over 250, from 31 states. Portland, Maine gets the spotlight for their great work. Importantly, the founding partners of the COVID-19 National Outdoor Learning Initiative are not credited. For the record, Ten Strands, The San Mateo County Office of Education and the Lawrence Hall of Science have all played critical roles in creating the change highlighted in this well written article.

“10 Tips for Teaching Outside”
San Francisco Children & Nature, October 28, 2020
This practical article includes a mention of the resources available on the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative section of the Green Schoolyards America website. There are many contributors, all of whom worked with children, outdoors in San Francisco, during the pandemic summer of 2020. Its upbeat approach highlights many of the tricks and “pro-tips” for teaching children outdoors.

“Classrooms Without Walls, and Hopefully Covid”
New York Times, October 27, 2020
Journalist Amelia Nierenberg explores four different outdoor learning environments around the country to see how schools are moving classes outside to combat the coronavirus, and how these temporary measures might entice teachers to stay outside after the crisis has passed. The article mentions the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and profiles Falmouth Public Schools in Massachusetts, Essex Street Academy in New York City, Lakeside School District in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Prairie Hill Waldorf School in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

“Montclair Parents, Frustrated with All-Virtual Learning, Push for Outdoor Classrooms”
Northjersey.com, October 20, 2020
Journalist Julia Martin describes efforts by parents in Montclair, New Jersey to advocate for outdoor classrooms as a means to reduce transmission when schools reopen. Parents have submitted a detailed plan with budgets and maps to try to persuade their school district to pivot to outdoor learning.

“COVID, Climate, and Equitable Spaces: Why Outdoor Learning is More Essential than Ever”
Grist, Fix, October 15, 2020
Journalist Adrienne Day interviewed Green Schoolyards America’s CEO Sharon Danks about “why remote learning hurts the most vulnerable kids, how outdoor classrooms mitigate viral transmission, and why schoolyards are key to fighting climate change.” Day sets the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s work in the context of Green Schoolyards America’s long term vision to transform school grounds into green spaces that will enable all children to experience the natural world on a daily basis, while also strengthening the ecological systems in our neighborhoods and cities.

“Designing Outdoor Classrooms for a Cause”
Landscape Management, October 15, 2020
Sarah Webb reports on the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s probono design service called the Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers. See our Outdoor Infrastructure page if your school would like some assistance in creating diagrams to bring learning outdoors during COVID.

“Children’s Garden, Cornell Combine for Outdoor Learning in ICSD Schools”
The Ithaca Voice, October 7, 2020
“In an effort to encourage outdoor learning, the Ithaca Children’s Garden and the Cornell Masters of Public Health Program Support Outdoor Learning is collaborating with eight Ithaca City School District elementary schools to provide students with educational opportunities in nature.” The outdoor learning programs at these public schools in Ithaca, New York were developed using our National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s guidelines, according to the article. 

“What If Schools Viewed Outdoor Learning as ‘Plan A’?”
EdSurge, October 5, 2020
Writer Emily Tate begins her article by setting outdoor learning in its historical context as a pandemic response, citing schools around the world that took classes outside 100 years ago during the tuberculosis epidemic. Tate then explores the role the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative is playing to support schools around the country in taking learning outdoors in our current context, and interviews some of our leadership team members including Karen Cowe, CEO of Ten Strands, Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America, and Claire Latané, an assistant professor of landscape architecture at Cal Poly Pomona and coordinator of the National Initiative’s Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers. The piece concludes with an exploration of the popular new outdoor learning program in Portland Public Schools in Maine, where the district hopes “to hold at least 50 percent of in-person instruction outdoors for [their] 5,000 hybrid students.”  

“Songbirds Replace School Bells as Classrooms Move Outdoors for a Fortunate Few”
The Boston Globe, October 1, 2020
Globe Staff member, Zoe Greenberg, writes about the outdoor learning context in Massachusetts, where the state “issued guidance this summer allowing teachers to “hold classes outdoors when feasible’”. Some Massachusetts schools and districts are working on it, at a variety of scales. Our National Initiative’s work is referenced in this article, and Danks is quoted.  

“Preschools are Moving Outside During the Pandemic and May Stay There, Even in Winter”
Chicago Tribune, September 25, 2020
Morgan Greene reports on the efforts of schools and organizations all over the country as they push for outdoor education—including the work of Green Schoolyard America. Greene discusses the multitude of benefits of outdoor learning including cognitive development, cost-efficiency, safety, physical and mental health, and equity. 

“El Cerrito School Serves as a Model for Outdoor Learning Amid COVID-19”
ABC7 News, September 17, 2020  (video, news report)
News report link: Outdoor learning coverage begins at 7:15 in the video.
In this news segment, journalist Laura Anthony visits Golestan School in El Cerrito, California to see its outdoor classrooms in action, and hear about how the school is serving as an outdoor learning model for local school districts. Anthony explains, outdoor classrooms set up this year are intended for use during the pandemic, but she hopes they will become a permanent part of the future of education.

“A Win-Win-Win – Outdoor Education and the National Covid-19 Outdoor Learning” Initiative
KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, September 16, 2020  (audio podcast)
Host Len Beyea interviews Sharon Danks, Coordinator of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative, Heather Molloy, Director of the Santa Cruz County Outdoor Science School, and Amity Sandage, Environmental Literacy Coordinator for Santa Cruz County Office of Education, about outdoor education as a safer effective alternative to indoor classroom learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and about the broader benefits of outdoor education and the opportunities presented by the confluence of the pandemic, the start of the school year, and advances in integrating outdoor education into traditional schools.

“Tents fit for a wedding reception and artfully constructed wooden bandstands: Welcome to outdoor classrooms during a pandemic—and now for the bad news”
MarketWatch, September 9, 2020
As journalist Elisabeth Buchwald describes, Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks has advocated for the benefits of outdoor learning for two decades. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci advocates for outdoor learning for its added advantages in reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Buchwald shares a variety of ways schools have adapted their outdoor spaces for learning, and mentions some of the obstacles that some schools face.

“Back to School: In-Person, Outside”
Christian Science Monitor, September 8, 2020
Correspondent Gareth Henderson examines the ways that outdoor learning has been gaining traction across the country. He quotes Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks, who shares how outdoor classrooms not only mitigate the risks of COVID-19 spread, but also have the potential to heal trauma induced by the pandemic. Henderson also describes examples of schools and districts from New York and Vermont to Colorado and Utah that are pursuing outdoor learning as a COVID-19 response.

“Coast to Coast Episode 17: Leveraging Parks and Public Spaces for Schools During COVID-19”
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, September 8, 2020
In this episode of Coast to Coast, Lilly Weinberg interviews Green Schoolyards America’s CEO Sharon Danks to explore the potential of greening school grounds to enrich the ecology of our cities, increase public access to open space, and improve children’s wellbeing at the same time. They discuss the origins of Danks's work twenty years ago, and its increasing relevance in the context of the pandemic where outdoor learning can be used as a strategic tool to help schools reopen equitably and safely. The interview discusses the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and the resources that are available online to help education leaders safely reopen outside.

“Outdoor School During COVID-19”
Britannica for Parents, September 2020
In this article, Ann Gadzikowski shares many of the advantages of outdoor learning—both in the context of COVID-19 and beyond. As she discusses, learning outdoors not only allows for increased ventilation and space for social distancing, but also provides opportunities for children's social and emotional development through their engagement with nature. Gadzikowski offers resources and a link to the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative to help schools move their classrooms outdoors.

“As COVID-19 Lingers, Some Schools Take to the Great Outdoors”
The Detroit News, September 7, 2020
Jennifer Chambers offers glimpses into different ways schools have been adapting their grounds for outdoor learning and are reshaping learning for the future. The article mentions Green Schoolyards America’s role in encouraging and supporting schools to safely and equitably reopen outdoors through cost-effective strategies. 

“Why Outside Learning is a Great Option, Even Beyond COVID-19”
Natural Pod, September 1, 2020
In this blog, Bridgitte Alomes, CEO of Natural Pod, explores the value of outdoor learning during this pandemic and discusses its wide range of benefits. She references Green Schoolyards America for its leadership in supporting schools so they can reopen outdoors. 

“Could the Coronavirus Pandemic Change Education for the Better?”
San Francisco Chronicle, August 30, 2020
Journalist Anna Nordberg explores how the pandemic can be seen as an opportunity to reimagine education. She discusses how COVID-19 has exposed inequities in our education system, and asks how we can reimagine the classroom in order to prioritize student well-being and mental health—by turning to the outdoors. Here, Nordberg suggests that outdoor education can lead to a valuable transformation as a result of the pandemic. 

“Will the Outdoors Become the New Classroom of the COVID Era?”
Governing, August 28, 2020
Journalist Carl Smith describes how the pandemic has brought together a range of stakeholders—educators, architects, landscape designers, curriculum experts, and others—to develop the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative which has quickly gained traction nationwide.

“The Case for Outdoor School During and After COVID”
The Durable Human, August 27, 2020
In this article, Jenifer Joy Madden explains how outdoor school initiatives have become popular and are launching across the country now. She mentions our partners at Golestan School in El Cerrito, California as a successful example that has recently reopened outdoors, and references Green Schoolyards America as a free resource to help schools that are seeking to reopen using outdoor environments as an asset. 

“How Outdoor Classrooms Might—and Might Not—Be the Pandemic Solution Schools Need”
Yahoo!Life, August 26, 2020
Journalist Rachel Grumman Bender explores the benefits and challenges of holding class outdoors, and quotes Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks and Lawrence Hall of Science’s Craig Strang, among other leading professionals. The article also mentions the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and its Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers program, coordinated by Claire Latané of CalPoly Pomona.

“Giải pháp học tập mùa dịch ở Mỹ: Lớp học ngoài trời” (“Solution for Seasonal Learning in the U.S.: Outdoor Classrooms”)
Vietnam Journey, August 24, 2020 (Video in Vietnamese)
This video in Vietnamese, with footage filmed by Reuters, features interviews with Sharon Danks from Green Schoolyards America, and Yalda Modabber of Golestan Education, speaking about the potential for outdoor learning to make it possible for schools to reopen for in-person learning this fall. The interviews were filmed onsite at Golestan School and include views of their new outdoor classrooms in action.

“Welcome to Raccoon Gulch: Here’s how Colorado schools are tackling outdoor learning during the pandemic”
Chalkbeat Colorado, August 24, 2020
Journalist Ann Schimke shares some of the increasingly popular outdoor learning plans that Colorado schools are using as they prepare for in-person learning this fall. Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks explains that outdoor learning will look different at each school, and can vary widely to suit each school’s needs. The article also cites infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recommendation to use outdoor spaces at school.

“Švietimo rėmimo grupė Berklyje rado sprendimą mokykloms: perkelti pamokas į lauką” (“An Education Support Group in Berkeley has Found a Solution for Schools: Moving Lessons Outside”)
Reuters, August 20, 2020 (Video in Lithuanian)
This video in Lithuanian, with footage filmed by Reuters, features interviews with Sharon Danks from Green Schoolyards America, and Yalda Modabber of Golestan Education, speaking about the potential for outdoor learning to make it possible for schools to reopen for in-person learning this fall. The interviews were filmed onsite at Golestan School and include views of their new outdoor classrooms in action.

“Social Dilemma: Is Outdoor Learning Practical?”
ABC News 10, August 19, 2020
ABC NEWS 10 explains how schools are increasingly considering reopening by moving their classrooms outdoors. The article discusses the costs associated with outdoor learning, and notes that the infrastructure needed for outdoor learning during the pandemic is cheaper than indoor infrastructure. Yalda Modabber, Founding Director of Golestan Education, shares the added benefit of outdoor learning in helping children feel more well cared for and grounded.

“NYC Teachers Threaten Strike as Classes Near”
One News Page, August 19, 2020 
Journalist Jillian Kitchener reports on how NYC teachers threaten to strike unless the school district adopts safer and more rigorous COVID-19 plans. Kitchener points to Green Schoolyards America as an organization that is implementing alternative solutions to reopen schools.

“Outdoor Classes are Safer. How Can Teachers Make It Happen?”
CNN, August 18, 2020
As Journalist Jen Rose Smith shares, educators have been exploring outdoor learning for a long time, before this pandemic created a new sense of urgency. Smith outlines the benefits and challenges that educators are facing, and interviewed Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks about the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative.

“Schools Mull Outdoor Classes Amid Virus, Ventilation Worries”
AP News, August 13, 2020
This article by journalist Terry Spencer explores how some schools in New York, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania are utilizing outdoors as a safer alternative to poorly ventilated classrooms. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks in support of teaching classes outside. Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks shares that holding class outdoors has the added benefit of helping students feel less distracted and feel better emotionally.

“Outdoor Learning”
ICEP Europe, August 12, 2020
This article summarizes work around the world that connects nature to children’s wellbeing and education, and mentions organizations in different countries that are working toward similar goals. Our National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative is cited.

“A Call for Landscape Architects to Assist Schools in Creating Outdoor Classrooms”
The Field, ASLA Professional Practice Network Blog, August 11, 2020
The American Society of American Landscapes shares this call for volunteer landscape architects and designers to join the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s Emergency Schoolyard Design Volunteers, led by our partner Claire Latané. This landscape design assistance program matches schools that need help with outdoor learning site planning with pro bono designers offering their assistance. Educators, click here to request assistance. Designers, click here to offer assistance.

“‘Tent Camp’ Key Component of Cottonwood-Oak Creek Return to School Plan”
The Verde Independent and Camp Verde Bugle, August 11, 2020
Journalist Bill Helm shares Arizona’s Cottonwood-Oak Creek School’s plan to reopen in the fall with outdoor learning using military-grade tents, which will increase capacity and get kids outside while protecting from the elements. The National COVID-19 Learning Initiative is mentioned in this piece.

“Could We Really Teach Outdoors this Year?”
WeAre Teachers, August 11, 2020
In this article, Lindsay Barrett offers answers to common questions and additional resources regarding outdoor learning. She references the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative as a notable resource to support schools taking their classrooms outdoors. Barrett highlights that outdoor learning carries an additional equity benefit by counteracting the disproportionate impacts of quarantine on children of color. 

“Calls for Schools to Get ‘Creative’ with Reopening Have Largely Been Ignored. Why?”
Fortune, August 9, 2020
Journalist Aric Jenkins delves into the challenges school districts across the country are facing as they try to implement creative solutions to reopening. Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks is quoted in this article, advocating for the use of outdoor space as part of the solution. 

“Outdoor Elementary School in This Virus Time”
Pasadena Star, August 8, 2020
Sandra Chen Lau, parent, Trustees of Pasadena City College, and vice president of the Japanese American National Museum advocates for outdoor learning as an equitable, safe, and forward-thinking strategy to education during the pandemic. The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and architect Claire Latané’s pro bono work to match schools with architects and engineers are mentioned in this piece.

“Outdoor Desks Replace Indoor Classes as Way of Dealing with COVID-19 in Schools”
ABC-7 Eyewitness News, August 7, 2020
News anchor Jovana Lara explores the idea of using outdoor learning as a healthy approach schools can use when they reopen. Her news report profiles schools in Florida and California, and includes perspectives from two of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s co-founders, Sharon Danks (Green Schoolyards America) and Craig Strang (Lawrence Hall of Science).

“Los colegios y el covid-19: ¿por qué no damos las clases en el patio?”
“Schools and COVID-19: Why We Don’t Teach Classes in the Courtyard?”
El Confidencial, August 7, 2020
El Confidencial highlights the benefits and approaches to teaching class outdoors during the pandemic. Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks shares the work of the COVID-19 National Outdoor Learning Initiative. Click here to read in Spanish.

“Push for Outdoor Schooling”
Fox2-KTVU, August 6, 2020
News anchor Alex Savidge interviews one of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative’s co-founders, Craig Strang (Lawrence Hall of Science), about the idea of taking learning outdoors at school in the fall. Strang shares the Initiative’s overall rationale and explores some of the logistics for setting up and using outdoor classrooms.

“Schools Seeking Alternative to Remote Learning Try an Experiment: Outdoor Classrooms"
NBC News, August 5, 2020 (news video)
The idea of moving class outdoors is gaining momentum! Journalist Erin Einhorn shares examples from schools and districts across the country in different climates including Detroit, Austin, Seattle, and Camden, Maine. An accompanying video features the Detroit Waldorf School. Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks was interviewed for the article and the video.

"Parents Are Clamoring to Send Their Kids to Outdoor Schools That Could Be Safer Than Indoor Classrooms"
Business Insider, August 5, 2020
Elanor Gloldberg showcases Wildwood, an outdoor preschool and elementary school in Massachusetts that is increasing enrollment due to their ability to hold class outside. The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative is mentioned and Green Schoolyards America’s founder, Sharon Danks, was interviewed.

“Is Outdoor School a Viable Option This Fall? Three Experts Weigh In”
Slate, August 4, 2020
Three teachers share their perspectives and experiences in taking teaching in the outdoors and explore what it would take to move class outside this school year. National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative partner Andra Yeghoian from California's San Mateo County Office of Education weighs in on the benefits of teaching in the outdoors.

“The Case for Outdoor Learning” 
The New Haven Independent, August 4, 2020
Connecticut Outdoor and Environmental Association Board Member, Gustavo Requena Santos, argues that outdoor learning is an equitable and effective solution for opening schools. Our partner Craig Strang from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science is quoted in this piece.

“A California Collective Makes the Case for Outdoor Learning”
PBS Newshour Weekend, August 3, 2020
Journalist Christopher Booker interviews Craig Strang (Lawrence Hall of Science) and Sharon Danks (Green Schoolyards America) about the time-tested strategy of bringing class outside. The interview sheds light on the work of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative and the resources that are available to help education leaders safely reopen in-person class by utilizing the outdoors.

“Schools Consider Outdoor Learning as a Solution to Reopen During COVID-19”
NBC 26, July 31, 2020 (video, news)
Amanda Brandeis from NBC 26 reports on schools that are using outdoor learning as a solution to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The video includes a profile of The Child Educational Center in La Canada, California, and highlights the work of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative.

“The Learning Curve: The Case for Outdoor Schools in San Diego”
Voice of San Diego, July 30, 2020
Journalist Will Huntsburry makes the case for the San Diego Unified School District to utilize the outdoors as an “equitable and perfectly feasible solution” for the district’s most vulnerable students. Green Schoolyards America’s founder, Sharon Danks, was interviewed for this piece.

“Outdoor Classrooms Could Help Solve the School Reopening Dilemma” 
Wisconsin Examiner, July 30, 2020
Journals Ruth Conniff makes the case for Wisconsin schools to move classrooms outdoors. Our colleague Victoria Ryberg, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s environmental education consultant is mentioned in this piece.

“Why Can’t We Have Class Outside? It might be the answer to America’s school-reopening problem.”
The Atlantic, July 28, 2020
Journalist Olga Kazan explores the inequities that are occurring as families struggle with virtual learning. Kazan takes an in-depth look at what it would take to move class outside in the fall. Our team members, Vanessa Carter from San Francisco Unified School District and Green Schoolyards America’s Sharon Danks were interviewed for this piece.

“Inside the Quest to Reopen Schools–by Moving Classes Outside”
Fast Company, July 25, 2020  
This article focuses on the infrastructure side of reopening schools with outdoor learning. Our team members, landscape designer Nancy Striniste, CalPoly Pomona professor Claire Latané, Andra Yeghoian (San Mateo County Office of Education), and Green Schoolyards America’s founder Sharon Danks are quoted. 

“Outdoor Education in a Time of COVID-19” Facebook Live Interview with New Mexico in Focus
PBS New Mexico, July 24, 2020   
New Mexico in Focus’ host Gene Grant interviews Green Schoolyards America’s founder, Sharon Danks, Monica Lopez Magee from the Children & Nature Network, and New Mexico House of Representative member Angelica Rubio (D). This 40-minute conversation explores the potential of outdoor learning for safely returning students to school and equitably connecting more students to the benefits of nature.

“Leading with equity to support our most vulnerable students”
Multibriefs, July 20, 2020
Author Sheilamary Koch focuses on equity in her second article for Multbriefs about reopening schools. She interviewed our team members, Craig Strang from the Lawrence Hall of Science and Vanessa Carter from San Francisco Unified School District for their insights.

“Will COVID-19 Spell the End of Outdoor and Environmental Education?”
Smithsonian Magazine, July 13, 2020
Author Drew Higgins reviews the recent national policy brief by the Lawrence Hall of Science on the impact of COVID-19 on environmental and outdoor science education programs. He then interviews leaders from this community who are supporting the reopening of schools with their programs and expertise working with students outdoors.

“Why Outdoor Education May be the Key to Reopening Schools Safely”
Bioneers, July 10, 2020
Senior Director of Programs and Research at Bioneers Teo Grossman interviews Sharon Danks from Green Schoolyards America and Craig Strang from the Lawrence Hall of Science about the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative they’re leading with the San Mateo County Office of Education and Ten Strands.

“Outdoor Classrooms Could Improve Student Mental Health”
Multibriefs, July 9, 2020
Author Sheilamary Koch writes that repurposing outdoor areas as learning spaces is getting growing support from parents and others. In her article, she explores a number of emerging initiatives taking this approach, including this project.

“‘Fighting for Survival’: Outdoor Education Programs at Risk Because of COVID-19”
The Daily Californian, July 9, 2020
Journalist Naomi Birenbaum shares findings from The Lawrence Hall of Science’s policy brief about the impact of COVID-19 on outdoor education programs. The study found that 63% of program leaders feel “uncertain” about their ability to reopen.

“California Districts Attempt to Revive Outdoor Education Programs Slashed During the Pandemic”
EdSource, July 6, 2020
Reporter Sydney Johnson explores the potential of outdoor education programs to help California school districts safely return to school. In this article our team member, Vanessa Carter, shares ways in which San Francisco Unified School District is working with outdoor education programs to bring science lessons to students on campus.

“COVID-19 Could Close Three Fourths of California’s Outdoor Science Education Programs”
CapRadio, June 16, 2020
Environmental reporter Ezra David Romero reports on The Lawrence Hall of Science’s new policy brief about devastating job losses forecasted for environmental and science-based organizations nationwide, as a result of COVID-19. “By the end of 2020 more than 4 million students could miss out on over 9.5 million hours of science and environmental education in California” alone.

“Pandemic Could Decimate Environmental, Outdoor Science Education Programs”
Berkeley News, June 15, 2020
Science Reporter Robert Sanders highlights findings from the Lawrence Hall of Science’s May 2020 policy brief on the devastating impact of the pandemic on outdoor education programs. In a time when public health officials are promoting the value of the outdoors, it is highly likely that 37% of these organizations in California and 30% nationally will not reopen. This article points out that this loss will be felt disproportionately by historically marginalized groups, particularly students of color and students from low-income families, that are most likely to lose environmental education within their local school districts.

“Why Some Black and Latinx Families Lose Access to Nature During Pandemic”
KCRW Greater LA, June 10, 2020 (podcast)
In this podcast and accompanying article, journalist Steve Chiotakis interviews Los Angeles area parents, educators, and nonprofits about the dramatic decrease in children’s access to nature during the pandemic. Our team member, Craig Strang (Lawrence Hall of Science), shares data from a new survey by UC Berkeley about COVID-19’s impact on the viability of the nature and outdoor education sector.

“What Needs to Change Inside School Buildings Before They Reopen”
Education Week, June 10, 2020
This article explores the infrastructure changes that will be needed to safely return students to school, including the need for adding outdoor classrooms. The article links to this previous article in which Green Schoolyards America founder Sharon Danks was interviewed. Cost estimates are based on our “outdoor infrastructure estimate tool.” 

"Outdoor Classrooms in the Age of COVID-19: Pros and Cons"
Education Week, June 1, 2020
In this article, journalist Denisa Superville explores the pros and cons of outdoor learning as a response to COVID-19. She interviewed three members of our planning team about the potential benefits outdoor learning could bring to students, schools, and communities this fall.

"Radio Interview by Sara Hossaini"
KQED Radio News, May 24 2020

News Videos about
OUR National Initiative

For additional videos, please see the National Outdoor Learning Initiative’s YouTube Playlist.

National Initiative
Honored with TWO Awards!

“U.S. Green Building Council and Green Schools National Network Announce 2021 Best of Green Schools Awards,” The Center for Green Schools, June 29, 2021

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative was honored to be awarded the Best of Green Schools (BOGS) Michelle Curreri Collaborator Award our Initiative’s efforts to support schools and districts nationwide during the pandemic. We are also honored that Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America, received the Best of Green Schools Advocate Award for her work on this Initiative and her longterm work to build the green schoolyard movement.

Podcasts that feature
our National Initiative

“Outdoor Learning Started as a COVID Safety Measure. Schools Say It’s Here to Stay.”
KCRW, April 29, 2021 (podcast)

“Meet Sharon Danks, Green Schoolyards America”
PopHealth Week, March 26, 2021 (podcast)

“A Win-Win-Win – Outdoor Education and the National Covid-19 Outdoor Learning” Initiative
KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, September 16, 2020 (podcast)

“Why Some Black and Latinx Families Lose Access to Nature During Pandemic”
KCRW, June 10, 2020 (podcast)

Benefits of
Being Outside

Reduced Transmission of the Virus Outdoors

“A New C.D.C. Story”
New York Times, May 26, 2021
An article about “the latest chapter on the C.D.C.’s description of outdoor Covid risks.” Summary: We have known for the last year that being outside was much safer than indoors. Now research estimates that less than 0.1 percent of transmission has occurred outside. Our colleague Dr. Nooshin Razani is quoted: “Our main point: People should spend time outdoors to enjoy nature and be active. Being outdoors is essentially the best ventilation one could ever imagine, as particles have the space to infinitely dilute, disperse, and eventually essentially disappear.”

“Fauci: Schools Should be Outdoors As Much as Possible”
Associated Press, August 13, 2020 
Dr. Anthony Fauci recommends that schools get as much outdoors time as possible to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“How Safe Are Outdoor Gatherings?”
New York Times, July 3, 2020
This article discusses the medical field’s current understanding of the safety of gathering outside during the pandemic. It contrasts indoor and outdoor environments, and asks immunologists and epidemiologists to share their advice.

"Is Risk of Coronavirus Transmission Lower Outside? What to Know Before Going Outdoors"
San Francisco Chronicle, May 21, 2020
Q&A with health experts in the San Francisco Bay Area, explaining what they know about virus transmission outdoors. “Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the UCSF School of Medicine, said that in all circumstances the outdoors are safer than indoors. It is easier to maintain social distancing and the virus does not have as many opportunities to spread.”

"You’re Less Likely to Catch the Coronavirus Outdoors, But the Amount of Time You Spend Near Other People Matters Most”
Business Insider, May 17, 2020
This article includes perspectives from the medical community, including this quote: ”’The general principle should be: Outside is better than inside; open is better than closed; fewer is better than more people; and stay away from sick people,’ Dr. Erich Anderer, a neurosurgeon and founding member of the North Brooklyn Runners group, previously told Insider” 

"What We Know About Your Chances of Catching the Virus Outdoors"
New York Times, May 15, 2020
This article explores the risk of coronavirus transmission outdoors for different types of activities, and includes doctors’ and scientists’ advice. “‘I think outdoors is so much better than indoors in almost all cases,’ said Linsey Marr, an engineering professor and aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech. ‘There’s so much dilution that happens outdoors. As long as you’re staying at least six feet apart, I think the risk is very low.’”

Reflections on Outdoor Learning during a Pandemic

“Outdoor Learning Gains Ground During Pandemic”
The Carillion, June 16, 2021

“Whether Virtual or In-person, the Pandemic Remade Schooling. What Should Stay?”
VT Digger, June 10, 2021

“Fairfax County Public Schools Pilots Outdoor Classrooms”
ABC 7 News, May 13, 2021

“7 Tips for Moving Learning Outside”
Edutopia, March 5, 2021

“De Blasio Shares Outdoor Learning Plan for Start of School”
Associated Press, August 24, 2020

“NYC Schools to Use Streets, Parks Under New ‘Outdoor Learning’ Plan: Mayor de Blasio”
NY Daily News, August 24, 2020

“Can We have Class Outside Today? More and More Often, the Answer is Yes.”
New York Times, COVID Update Feed, August 16, 2020

“Schools Move Classrooms Outdoor to Deal with the Pandemic”
Video from MSNBC, August 10, 2020

“Can Outdoor Classrooms Solve School Reopening Problems?”
WCAX3, August 6, 2020

“Kashmir’s Open-air Classes Offer Stunning Solution to Lockdown”  
BBC News, August 2, 2020

“Schools Consider Outdoor Learning As a Solution to Reopen During COVID-19”
ABC 7, Denver, July 31, 2020

“Education Experts Call for Outdoor Classes to Increase Student Safety Amid COVDI-19 Pandemic”
CBC Radio, July 29, 2020

“The Push to Move Class Outdoors in Gaining Momentum”
New York Magazine, July 29, 2020

“When Students Return to School, Some Educators Say–Why Not Head Outside?”
VTDigger, July 27, 2020

“L.A. County Could Use Parks, Libraries as Learning Sites Amid School Closures”
Los Angeles Times, July 23, 2020

“Parent Group Calls for at Least 30% of Public School Learning to be Outside this Fall”
Westside Rag, July 23, 2020

“Congress Urged to Provide Billions of Dollars to Fix Crumbling School Buildings That Pose Threat to Safety”
Washington Post, July 22, 2020

“11 Photos from Around the World Show How Students Can Return to School During the Pandemic”
Business Insider, July 21, 2020 

“Schools Beat Earlier Plagues With Outdoor Classes. We Should Too.”
New York Times, July 17, 2020
Open-air and outdoor classrooms have been used in past public health crises. Journalist Ginia Belefante explores what outdoor learning could look like in New York Public Schools now. Children & Nature Network executive director Sara Milligan-Toffler is interviewed for this piece. 

“6 Key Ingredients for Creating an Outdoor Classroom: For a $5,000 Per School Budget, Here Are the Top Outdoor Classroom Features School Districts Should Prioritize.”
District Administration, July 16, 2020

“Rice University Will Hold Classes in Outdoor Tents, Asks Students to Bring Own Chairs”
Chron, July 15, 2020

“Scotland Eyes Outdoor Learning as Model for Reopening of Schools”
The Guardian, May 10, 2020
”Local authorities are exploring how using outdoor space could optimise physical distancing”

“Italy Eyes Plans for Kids to go to Micro-Nurseries and Have Lessons in the Forest”
AFP/The Local, May 2, 2020
Schools in Italy will be closed until the fall, but the government is considering outdoor learning as an approach to reopen, particularly for young children in preschool and kindergarten.

“Flashback: In the Fight Against Tuberculosis, Open Air Schools in Chicago Took an Unorthodox Approach: Keep Kids Outside, Even in Winter”
Chicago Tribune, May 1, 2020
This article compares the current COVID-19 pandemic to the health crisis 100 years ago, when Chicago (and the world) suffered from the tuberculosis and Spanish flu pandemics. It details the ways that schools in Chicago responded, by having class outside, even during the coldest months of the year.

“Bring Back the Open Air School”
Treehugger, April 24, 2020
Discussion of the open air school movement that started in 1904 in Europe, and spread to the United States before and after World War I. Outdoor learning was used as a strategy to fight the tuberculosis and Spanish flu pandemics, while also keeping school open. This article includes photographs of the outdoor classrooms used at the time.

“See the Forgotten Open Air Schools, Designed to Battle Tuberculosis During the 1930s”
Media Drum World, undated
Photographs of outdoor learning in response to the tuberculosis pandemic ninety years ago.

“When Your Classroom is Outside, School is Always Open”
EdNews, April 2, 2020
Ideas for using outdoor classrooms for engaging academic curricula, shared by staff from Out Teach, a nonprofit that provides coaching and onsite professional development for teachers to boost STEM instruction, in the south and southeastern United States.

what is needed to reopen schools?

“Reopened Schools in Europe and Asia have Largely Avoided Coronavirus Outbreaks. They have Lessons for the U.S.”
Washington Post, July 11, 2020
Discussion of the various approaches that countries around the world are taking to reopen their schools, and the results they have seen to date.

“Thermometers, Masks and Lonely Lunches: State Schools Chief Previews What’s in Store for Students”
San Francisco Chronicle, May 27, 2020
Discussion of the current state of uncertainty in what will be required to reopen K-12 schools in California, and the likelihood that temperature checks, masks, and physical distancing measures will be needed.

"How Dutch Schools Reopened with No Pupil Distancing”
TES for Schools, May 22, 2020
Schools reopened in the Netherlands in mid-May. This article describes the approach Dutch schools are using to help make the transition easier for children, and what types of measures schools are taking to reduce disease transmission.

“How Reopened Schools in Denmark Keep Children Safely Apart”
BBC, May 12, 2020
Overview of the approaches that schools in Denmark and Germany have taken to reopen for the current school year.

“This School in China has a Brilliant Solution for Keeping Kids 6 Feet Apart”
FastCompany, May 1, 2020
Article about a Chinese school that asked all students to make creative hats to help young children remember to keep their distance from one another.
 

Learning Loss from Online education

“Research Shows Students Falling Months Behind During Virus Disruptions”
New York Times, June 5, 2020
Discussion of research that indicates that online learning this spring was not very successful for a large percentage of students, and is exacerbating racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps and contributing to increases in inequality.

National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative supports schools and districts around the country in their efforts to reopen safely and equitably using outdoor spaces as strategic, cost-effective tools to increase physical distancing capacity onsite and provide access to abundant fresh air. The Initiative seeks to equitably improve learning, mental and physical health, and happiness for children and adults using an affordable, time-tested outdoor approach to keeping schools open during a pandemic.

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative was co-founded in May 2020 by Green Schoolyards America, The Lawrence Hall of Science, San Mateo County Office of Education, and Ten Strands. It has now grown to include more than 20 other partner organizations that are collaborating to build a national movement, hundreds of participating volunteers, and foundation partners.