Bowden Academy fifth grade students pushing for outdoor learning spaces

SAN ANTONIO – Students at Bowden Academy in the San Antonio Independent School District are embracing outdoor learning and are now pushing to create unique spaces at their school.

Fifth grade student Autumn King and her classmates have been researching the outdoors and its benefits.

“When we’re inside I feel meh, but when we go outside, it’s just fun,” King said.

The student’s teacher, Victoria Martinez, says they spent time on a ranch learning outside and that’s when the project started.

“We saw a really different transition when we came back into the classroom. They seemed a little down. They weren’t as engaged, so we started doing research and the benefits of outdoor learning,” Martinez said.

The students then designed outdoor spaces with sustainability goals in mind.

“This is our math and science area. In this space, they will be learning about how to grow vegetables. They will be learning about how to recycle and compost,” Martinez said.

The students spent weeks working on the projects. They were guided by local professionals including local architects.

The fifth grade students will be presenting their ideas to the community on Wednesday and believe the spaces can help other students.