In an effort to meet standards for teaching with hands-on materials and enrich the educational opportunities at Trail Wind, a committee of administrators, teachers, parents, and community partners proposed developing an outdoor classroom. Along with learning concepts in the classroom, the outdoor learning area gives students real-life experiences and involves them in a living laboratory consisting of an orchard, a wetland area, flower beds, raised vegetables beds for each grade level, a desert area, pathways, a stage, and seating for students. By providing a varied setting for learning, the Outdoor Classroom gives students and teachers an alternative location for presentations and interactive lessons outside of the traditional classroom.

The outdoor classroom covers over 13,000 square feet. It is a project that will never be “done”, and involves children in countless learning experiences such as planting seeds, bulbs, shrubs, and trees. Students can design bird houses and worm bins, develop a compost area, plant a garden, and plan studies and experiments involving soil, insects, water, and plant life. They are learning about flowers, photosynthesis, minerals, recycling, farming, erosion, food chains, life cycles, adaptation, habitats, desert life, and water. Other topics they could study are microscopic life, flight, animal needs, weather forecasting, land use, natural resources, the Oregon Trail, early settlers, native Americans, and more. Students have the chance to participate in outdoor plays, silent reading, art lessons, and writing in a natural setting.

The development of Trail Wind’s Outdoor Classroom has involved many people who have volunteered their time and expertise, donated materials, and provided financial support. This group includes students, families, community members, businesses, staff and parents. Students and their families have raised over $10,000 while strengthening student math skills in two Math-A-Thon efforts.
Engraved brick sales netted almost $3,000. Family supported school carnivals brought over $4,000 to the Outdoor classroom. Families and staff helped to plant donated trees and shrubbery. Students helped weed berms. Albertsons Community Partnership donated $500. Cloverdale Nursery, S-16 Limited Partnership, Barber Hills Nursery, Micron, BSU Horticulture Department, and Far West Nursery provided soil, rocks, trees, plants, excavation, architectural design, and brick design and installation. Cub Scout Pack 193 donated birdhouses.

Plans for the future include building benches in front of the stage for outdoor lessons and presentations, and picnic tables to provide work areas for projects.