Learn by Living Outdoor World Lab
The Outdoor World Lab
The Outdoor World Lab (OWL) is a holistic gardening, food, and nature program serving TK–5th grade students as an integrated part of our elementary curriculum.
Each class visits the OWL weekly for a 40-minute, standards-aligned lesson. Topics include Identifying Local Native Plants, What Does Organic Mean?, and All About Barn Owls: Our New Garden Residents!. These in-depth lessons are paired with hands-on “garden work days,” during which students grow plants from seed in our greenhouse, transplant them into garden beds, and maintain the growing space throughout the seasons. Students are then able to complete a full growing cycle by harvesting, cleaning, preparing and taste testing their crops!
If you find yourself on campus during a seasonal transition, we invite you to join one of our celebrations in the outdoor classroom where we welcome the Spring Equinox and Winter Solstice. At the OWL, students also learn to value slow, intentional time outdoors through mindful weeding, silent observation walks, garden journaling, and a gentle appreciation for all living creatures.
Our outdoor classroom spans two acres and features:
| • 20 raised garden beds | • Orchard |
| • In-ground, farm-style growing rows | • Outdoor art easels |
| • Mud kitchen | • Greenhouse |
| • Archaeology dig zone | • Stump circle |
| • Musical instrument meadow | • Covered instructional area |
Currently underway:
- Permaculture food forest in collaboration with the Whole Kids Foundation
- Native pollinator garden in collaboration with Samo Fund through the Blossoming Futures program
- “Friends of Nature” program featuring talks with local beekeepers, the team behind the Annenberg Wildlife Crossing and more!
Our students are inheriting a world shaped by climate instability, water scarcity, strained food systems, and sustainability challenges. The Outdoor World Lab empowers them to engage with these realities by creating solutions—not theoretically, but experientially.
