Exploring Campus With an Environmental Lens

When students arrive at The Greene School in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, what they see is unlike any other school they’ve attended before. A long road winds through the woods before revealing buildings that seem more suited for a campground than an educational facility. Situated on 74 acres of forest, with wetlands and a pond, The Greene School’s campus and learning environment are notably different than many traditional schools, and they take full advantage of their unique location. The school was intentionally founded with a focus on environmental stewardship, and educators there aim to help students understand the world around them—and their impact on it.

As part of their first semester at the school, all ninth graders take a field ecology class that fills a science requirement. “It's their first introduction and immersion into our mission—what it means to explore the interdependence of humans and natural world, and what it means to engage in issues of sustainability,” says teacher Damaris Borden. “We're not just learning in the classroom, but we're getting in the field, collecting data, doing observations—just immersing ourselves in the natural world.”

Each year, students prepare to showcase the knowledge they’ve gained by hosting their families and community members for a tour in the late fall, where they share details about the various ecosystems on campus. This year’s field ecology students were especially excited to show off the beaver dam. In Borden’s classroom, students prepare by revisiting the questions they had about their campus at the beginning of the semester, sorting out what queries have been answered and what they still want to explore.

While students come to her with different levels of experience with the outdoors, Borden notes, “There's a sense of pride and satisfaction, and real reflection on their own abilities and how they support each other,” that grows stronger over the course of the year.

To learn more about this innovative school and the outdoor spaces and learning environments of their campus, visit The Green School page on Edutopia.