Outdoor Classroom at

Wellborn Elementary School

Calhoun County Master Gardeners teamed up with Wellborn Elementary PTO to develop an Outdoor Classroom. Environmental education activities, as well as other school activities will be enhanced by outdoor learning.

The landscape provides cover for frogs, lizards, birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The pond incorporates aquatic plants. An amphitheater and demonstration area will provide a true outdoor classroom area.

The first workday was held in April of 2007, and there have been many other 'unorganized' work days since. The pictures show all that has been accomplished.

The project is also sponsored by the 4H Tree Amigos Club, Calhoun County Commission, Calhoun County Recycling, Legacy, Inc., Bridgewater Interiors, ACCI General Contractors, Commissioner Eli Henderson, Representative Barbara Boyd and Representative Steve Hurst.

Wellborn Elementary School is one of the newest  nationally certified Nature Explore Classrooms.  Certified by the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, Wellborn Elementary is the first certified Nature Explore Classroom in Alabama located at a school.

Nature Explore Classrooms are part of the Nature Explore program, a collaborative project of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. Developed in response to the growing disconnect between children and nature, certified Nature Explore Classrooms are designed to help fill the void by educating young children using research-based principles for integrating nature into their daily learning.

Dedicated April 22, 2010

In the news: Nature Explore Classrooms