Nature-Rich Project

This year at Zeeland Christian School, nature was incorporated back into the classroom. In an age of electronics and screens, there is a movement toward intertwining nature with the learning experience. ZCS has taken the initiative in creating an educational experience without the use of a screen through the Nature Rich Outdoor Space Project. In a collaboration between multiple West Michigan design studios and nearly two hundred students, the innovation of an interactive outdoor space began. Over one thousand ZCS children will have access to this area where they could better learn, worship, and play with using all five senses, motor skills, and meaningful interaction with nature. Led in Spanish and English by expert design leaders and fellow teachers, the students took initiative in shaping this inclusive space. Karyl Morin, Director of Learning Innovation at ZCS, led the transformation of classrooms into design studios to take part in the What If? Innovation Project ©. From visiting local design studios to conducting research, students learned skills that helped them grow their own creative solutions to this challenge. Developing creativity and ingenuity was the focus of each design studio as the students explored ideas. Through experiencing a rigorous process, both teachers and students alike developed new competencies as innovators and designers. Fully understanding the end-users experience was key in creating an inclusive and engaging environment for all. As ideas of all shapes and sizes developed in the classrooms, students voted on the best designs. Teams were then built to move designs from paper to prototypes through mock methods that fostered storytelling skills. This assisted the children in working together to help their clients experience the design. Displaying their solutions empowered students to contribute to the innovation itself, while reflecting on the skills they acquired throughout the design process. As the challenge came to an end, they were given the opportunity to assess how they’d grown. In giving thanks, the young innovators wrote appreciation notes to community members for being able to participate in the creative process. Providing students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in this design project was an important step in expanding their knowledge. By working towards creating this outdoor space, students of all ages and abilities will have enhanced experience throughout every season of the year. The Nature Rich Initiative will serve as a showcase of collaboration between the children and leaders in West Michigan. This was made possible by the extraordinary and generous efforts of a unified community inspired to put ideas into a reality that will stay with students for years to come.