Healthy Habitats: First School District Certified - Orinda Union School District in Orinda, California - Brief Article

National Wildlife, August-Sept, 2002

As a pioneer in a growing educational trend, the Orinda Union School District in Orinda, California, has been certified as the nation's first public school district to create certified Schoolyard Habitats sites at every school.

Orinda's outdoor classrooms serve as a model for other school districts: Teachers use the habitat sites for teaching natural science and appreciation of Nature, as well as interdisciplinary lessons in math, art, English and history. Orinda's district-wide Math in the Garden Program combines math concepts and skills required by the new state standards with hands-on work in the garden. "We are proud to have such a fine example of our program in action," says NWF Education Vice President Jim Stofan. "Orinda Union School District truly exemplifies how everyone, especially children, has the ability to improve our environment for people and wildlife alike." More than 1,600 schools are certified by NWF. To learn more, visit www.nwf.org/schoolyardhabitats.