Cahaba teachers plant ideas for outdoor classroom

In the coming months there will likely be many kindergartner noses pressed to the glass of classrooms at Cahaba Elementary. Students will be studying the birds flying freely in their newly created sanctuary, right outside the kindergarten wing. 

The vision is to build an outdoor classroom for K-5 classes — one kids will design and help construct themselves. It will include a pollinator garden and bird sanctuary, observatory and a community vegetable garden. 

The project is funded through one of Trussville City Schools Foundation’s new MUSH (Motivational, Unique, Strategic and Helpful) grants, which recently were awarded to teachers throughout the school system. The goal of the program is to fund teachers who submit proposals that include innovative teaching ideas. 

Cahaba kindergarten teachers Angela Shorter, Audrey Shannon, Candi Jones and Marcia Segers, who previously taught at Paine Primary, wrote the grant — which had a cap of $1,000. 

They have previous experience gardening with their students since they also had a pollinator garden at Paine. 

“We are very excited about this project,” Shorter said. “We already know the learning that students will gain from this.” 

Initially, the goal will be to attract birds and then they will expand on that. The bird sanctuary and pollinator garden will include window feeders, feeders on shepherd hooks, suet feeders, native plants to attract hungry bees and butterflies, a bird bath and a motion-sensor camera.

The camera enables them to record bird movements, so students don’t miss out at any time. Birmingham’s Audubon Society has been especially helpful in the planning stages, Shorter said, helping them get the motion-sensor camera and providing important contacts for guidance. The Audubon Society also recently contributed $400 specifically earmarked for getting the bird sanctuary up and running, Shorter said. 

“The kids will probably enjoy seeing the birds the most at first,” said Shorter. “They will get excited about being able to identify different birds after their research.” 

“The Cahaba Project is the best place for this,” Shannon said. “Kids will see the birds right outside our classroom and then also right in their own backyards.” 

When it’s established, the outdoor classroom will build a bond between the community and the school. 

“My favorite part is that parents will be able to access it,” Jones said. “There will be no gate; it will be open 24 hours, and parents are welcome to harvest anything.” 

“We want to train our teachers as well,” Shorter said. “Everybody can get something out of the garden.” 

The schedule for classes will vary, she said, and time spent in the outdoor classroom will be directly tied to course curriculum. They also hope students’ time spent in the outdoor classroom at such a young age will lead to a strong investment in nature and conservation at an older age. 

“We are hoping the excitement will grow as the kids grow older,” said Segers. 

The teachers hope to have the bird sanctuary completed by mid-April, and though it will probably take about two school years to complete the outdoor classroom overall, it will always be a work in progress. 

Challenges will be funding and manpower, and donations will be greatly appreciated, Shorter said. 

“Birds eat a lot,” Shorter said. “It will be expensive, and we plan to contact local nurseries and seek out donations for things like soil, because it’s going to need some leveling. Right now, it’s on a slope, and it will be hard for the students to work.”