Madison Elementary School, part of the Stevens Point Area School District, serves 340–360 students, over half of whom are economically disadvantaged and more than one in five with identified learning disabilities. With such a diverse student body, the school is committed to providing equally diverse and engaging learning opportunities. Research consistently demonstrates that outdoor learning environments improve student engagement, academic performance, and overall well-being. However, Madison’s current outdoor learning space, located in the school forest, is underutilized due to its distance from the main building.

This project proposes the creation of a new outdoor classroom located directly on school grounds. The space will be designed to provide easy, daily access for teachers and students, encouraging frequent use as part of regular instruction. By embedding outdoor learning into the school’s daily rhythm, this initiative supports innovative teaching, equitable access to nature-based education, and deeper student connections to the natural world.

The rationale is grounded in well-documented research, including Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, which highlights the developmental, academic, and health benefits of children’s interaction with nature. By addressing the “nature-deficit disorder” Louv describes, Madison aims to foster healthier, more engaged learners while strengthening environmental stewardship among its students. 

To the left is a prototype created in 2017 to re-imagine a grassy area at the school and have been transforming it into a more useable space for teaching. In the middle is where we want to place the covered outdoor classroom.