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How-To Guide for Schoolyard Habitats
National Wildlife Federation's "How-To Guide" for Schoolyard Habitats® walks through the steps to
creating a successful and sustainable wildlife garden, provides information on teaching in an outdoor
classroom, and offers resources to help create and maintain your habitat.
We've broken out the guide into seven sections below, to walk you through the process and provide
lesson plans.
PART 1: Welcome to the Schoolyard Habitats Program (pdf)
What is a Schoolyard Habitat and how does it benefit students, teachers, our school and our
community? Find answers to these topics, a list of frequently asked questions, and how NWF's
Schoolyard Habitats program can help you along the way as you build an outdoor classroom and a
new home for wildlife.
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Greetings from National Wildlife Federation
Schoolyard Habitats Program Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Articles: "Down by the Schoolyard" and "The Schoolyard Habitats Movement"
PART 2: Gardening for Wildlife (pdf)
Learn what wildlife species need from their habitat, how to fulfill those needs through your Schoolyard
Habitat, and how to attract certain wildlife to your site.
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Ecology 101
Introduction to Native Plants
Habitat Basics
Butterfly Gardening
Restoration Projects
Soil
Composting
Container Gardening
PART 3: Teaching with Schoolyard Habitat Sites (pdf)
Find techniques and activities for teaching grades K-12 in an outdoor classroom on a variety of
subjects, and ways to analyze and manage your curriculum.
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Reaching High Academic Standards on the Schoolyard
Analyze Your Curriculum
Schoolyard Habitats and Service Learning
PART 4: Gathering Information (pdf)
A guide through key steps to begin your Schoolyard Habitat, including gathering a team, choosing a
site and planning out your garden, and activities to keep students involved from beginning to end.
Create a Habitat Team
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Habitat Team Roles
Team Planning Worksheet
Develop Your Vision
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Visioning Worksheet
Our Schoolyard Habitats Vision
Conduct a Site Inventory and Choose Your Site
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Introducation
Habitat Hunt (K-8)
Who Can Live Here? (9-12)
Schoolyard Biodiversity (K-8)
Wildlife Where You Live (9-12)
Basic Site Inventory (9-12)
Advanced Site Inventory (9-12)
PART 5: Assembling the Elements (pdf)
Checklists and steps to finalize your plan, help gathering resources like volunteers and funds,
important factors to optimize your habitat's design and accessibility, and suggested steps and
activities as you break new ground and coordinate the planting.
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Design Considerations
Discouraging Vandalism
Accessibility Guidelines
Putting It All Together
Project Planning
Acquiring Resources
Creating a Budget
Fundraising
Engaging Volunteers
Breaking New Ground
Planting Your Site
Planning a Planting Day
PART 6: Ensuring Continued Success (pdf)
Make sure your habitat site continues to thrive for years to come with key steps including a
maintenance plan for the site, process for regular site upkeep, and activities to keep students and
their parents involved.
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Creating a Maintenance Plan
Creating a Field and Care Guide
Monitoring Projects
Parent Involvement
Schoolyard Habitats Certification
PART 7: Appendix and Resources (pdf)
Find additional information on NWF's mission and education programs, workshop overviews, NWF
contact information for school based programs, tips for teaching outdoors, a glossary of terms and
more.
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NWF's Mission and Education Programs
Creating Schoolyard Habitats Workshop Overview
NWF Contact Information
Site Design Guidelines for New Schools
Pacing and Baseline Mapping and Mapping Scale
Tips for Teaching Outdoors
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Glossary of Terms
Careers in Conservation
Resources
Feedback Form
Gulf Oil Spill-Info for Educators
Educator Resources-Gulf Oil Spill
NWF's Eco-Schools USA program offers information and activities about wetlands.
Ranger Rick answers kids' questions about the oil spill.
What Is Eco-Schools USA?
Eco-Schools USA is a holistic, green school program that
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greens the school building
greens the school grounds
greens the curriculum and student experience
NWF is working to recruit thousands of K-12 public, private and charter schools across the United States to become
a part of the Eco-Schools USA program. Learn more about Eco-Schools USA.