Why trees in schoolyards?
- Why green schoolyards? http://www.greenschoolyards.org/introarticles
- Activity guides, http://www.greenschoolyards.org/guides/
- Presentation to San Diego’s Master Gardeners’ school garden committee, 1/16/19 Trees in_schools
- Trees enhance student health and outdoor play
- Trees help teach science and other lessons
- Trees make streets safer and more walkable
Where?
- Trees can be planted at the edges of the asphalt, to shade play and social areas, and over outdoor learning areas
- Trees can be planted on south and west sides to cool buildings, and along sidewalks in front of schools, drop-off areas, and nearby bus stops
- How to water trees
- Trees are Good, series of two-page guides on all aspects of tree care
- Shade planning for schools
Joint Park-School Use
- San Diego Unified School District, Joint use information Play all day brochure
- Article about 30 more parks at schools, SDUT Parks Schools 3/24/17
Lessons about trees
Tree-based lessons were developed to be taught in urban schoolyards, with minimal teacher preparation and materials. There are three lessons for each grade.
- Grade K, Our senses, Soil, and Sorting leaves,
- Grade 1, Tree observations, Bird safari, Ants,
- Grade 2, Noticing differences, Seed travel, and Seed development
- Grade 3, My tree, Leaves and water, Leaf anatomy,
- Grade 4, Tree identification, Tree anatomy, and Tree products
- Grade 5, Food web in schoolyard, and in Oak ecosystems
- Ten books about loving trees, includes The Tree Lady about our own Kate Sessions
More resources
- Green Schoolyards America, http://www.greenschoolyards.org/ (since 1999, Sharon Danks, founder)
- Master Gardeners of San Diego, School Gardens, feedback about trees in schoolyards, from Meeting 1/16/19
- Contact Muriel King to ask about how to get more trees in schoolyards. King is a Master Gardener school garden consultant, community beautification volunteer in South Bay Terraces, and District 4 representative on City of San Diego’s Community Forest Advisory Board.