Learning to Love Wetlands
Creating a Schoolyard Wetland Habitat

Author: Sarah Pounders

The inspiration for a schoolyard wetland came from the unlikeliest of places. In Laurel, Maryland after a large wetland was replaced with a new state highway, the students at Hammond Elementary School began to complain about snakes and other wildlife invading their homes and yards. Seizing a teachable moment, Sally Oswald talked with students about the effects of altering habitats, comparing the loss of the wetlands to moving. The construction trucks were like moving vans: they drove up to the animals’ homes and loaded up all their things. However, unlike people, the animals did not know the movers were coming and were not offered a ride in the van. The now homeless animals were simply searching in the community for a new place to live.

Sally’s students were moved by this explanation and she explored ways to build on this lesson. Through a local environmental watershed group, she was introduced to Environmental Concern, a nonprofit organization providing wetland resources for educators. Environmental Concern partnered with Hammond Elementary to create a schoolyard wetland habitat, a project funded by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The students would have the opportunity to build a new home for some of the animals displaced by the destruction of the wetland.

During the yearlong planning process led by Environmental Concern, teachers, parents, and students took part in trainings; participated in a site analysis to choose an appropriate location for their new learning center; and researched wetlands soils, plants, and wildlife.

The installation culminated in a Planting Day Festival. More than 500 students, parent volunteers, and teachers worked side by side to fill their freshly dug wetland with native plants. Each student also had a chance to participate in other activities during the day, including making their own wetland craft, dissecting a cattail, investigating wetland artifacts, and learning about run-off. Students left the Planting Day muddy, but proud that they helped to build their wetland themselves, and learned something in the process. Sally says, "The kids had a ball, and some even told me that it was the best day of their lives!" She received enthusiastic support from administrators, parents, and other community members.

The wetland is closely tied to the curriculum at Hammond Elementary. The fourth grade classes complete an annual science unit on wetland habitats and link it to language arts and math through research, measuring, and writing activities. Other teachers use it as a hands-on learning tool throughout the year for classroom experiments, soil testing, water sampling, and wildlife observations.

Sally strongly advocates teaching young students about wetlands to instill appreciation and respect for their role in the environment. Many people think of wetlands as “an unkempt mess,” but by learning about their role in water systems, including the filtering of water and providing protection against flooding, along with their importance as a wildlife habitat, people can begin to understand why we need them. She feels that teaching about wetlands is "more than a learning experience, it is almost a responsibility." The schoolyard wetland provided her with a wonderful tool for standards-based, hands-on lessons, but more importantly, she hopes "to teach the next generation to protect and nurture these habitats to prevent future natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina." She hopes her students will become responsible citizens who will make community decisions and support laws to protect the environment. By learning about wetlands, they will develop a heightened awareness and watch out for endangered areas.

In addition to the excellent learning opportunities, Sally also cites the ease of maintenance as a benefit of installing a schoolyard wetland habitat. Although they may need to replace a few plants annually, the site was carefully chosen and designed to minimize maintenance, especially as compared to other outdoor classrooms. They would like to find funding to create a sitting area for outdoor lessons, but are not pressed to provide large annual funds to maintain the area. Sally encourages all teachers to explore the possibility of creating their own schoolyard wetland habitat.

For additional stories about schoolyard wetland habitat projects and resource information, visit Environmental Concern's Web site.

Photo courtesy of Environmental Concern Inc.

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