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SYH Project Design Exercises

The document provides guidance for designing a schoolyard habitat project in 4 steps: 1. Form a team and brainstorm project ideas and features. Survey the school community. 2. Develop a master plan by surveying the site, identifying goals and drawing site plans in phases. 3. Assess the project site by measuring the area and evaluating growing conditions. 4. Design the project by understanding habitat design principles, drawing plans, choosing native plants, calculating plant needs, and creating a planting map. Additional materials for implementation are also listed.

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71 views7 pages

SYH Project Design Exercises

The document provides guidance for designing a schoolyard habitat project in 4 steps: 1. Form a team and brainstorm project ideas and features. Survey the school community. 2. Develop a master plan by surveying the site, identifying goals and drawing site plans in phases. 3. Assess the project site by measuring the area and evaluating growing conditions. 4. Design the project by understanding habitat design principles, drawing plans, choosing native plants, calculating plant needs, and creating a planting map. Additional materials for implementation are also listed.

Uploaded by

renee_roth
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Schoolyard Habitat Project Design Exercises

Step 1. Form a Team


1.1 Draft Schoolyard Habitat Team Roster
As your project evolves and the tasks become more defined, each of the team members
may take on different or additional roles.

Your School name


Name
Role on Team
Role in School
Email and Phone
Description of role
Core Team

Supportive Team Members and potential partner organizations outside the school

Step 1.2 Brainstorm your Schoolyard Habitat Ideas

Write Ideas/Potential Benefits for Wildlife:

Write Ideas/ Potential Benefits for People/School Community:


1.3 Survey the School Community
Describe your Team’s Plan to Survey the School Community:

1.4 Brainstorm Potential Schoolyard Features


Write your teams ideas for potential Schoolyard Features: Include type of habitat (i.e.
Woodland, Meadow, Riparian, Wetlands), any additional habitat projects (rain gardens,
bioswales, hedgerows, pollinator gardens, etc); Wildlife Features (i.e. Logs, Snags,
Nesting boxes, ponds); and School Community Features (i.e. Trails, Outdoor seating,
shade trees, greenhouses, etc)

Step 2: Develop a Master Plan


2.1 Write your finding on your Schoolyard Site Survey

2.2 Write your findings on your Schoolyard Wildlife Survey


2.3 Refine your brainstorm ideas into goals

2.4 Draw your Master Plan (based on the brainstormed ideas and assessments)

2.5 Breakdown your goals and projects into phases:

Goals
Projects
Phase One

Phase Two
Phase Three

Phase Four

2.6 Develop Your Timeline:


Step #3: Assess Project Site
3.1 Measure Project Area: Area in ft (A) = Length in ft X Width in ft

3.2 Assess Growing Conditions:


a) Sunlight
b) Existing Vegetation
c) Water
d) Soil

Step#4: Design Project

4.1 Understand Principles of SYH Design

4.2 Draw your Project Plan – Follow Field notes for drawing plan

4.2.1.Field Notes for Drawing Your Project Plan


Procedure:
• Before leaving the classroom, review the project site assessment data and goals.
• Go to the area designated for the project.
• Divide into teams of two or three. Draw a design for the site that includes all of
the elements of your chosen project.
• Measure size of specific features. For example, length and width of path or area
designated for seating.
• Write a phrase or two about each element of the design to support your ideas.
• Have each group present their plan to the class.
• As a group, decide what element of each plan you like.
• Choose a committee who will take these ideas and create a composite
project plan.
4.3 Create your Planting Map – Follow considerations for choosing and mapping plant
species and calculate the number of plants needed prior to drawing the planting map

4.3.1.Field Notes for Choosing Your Plants

Procedure:
• Gather native plant nursery catalogs, native plant books, field guides, and regional
website plant resources to provide a list of appropriate plants.
• Split into small groups.
• Choose plants using your resources as a guide.
• Fill in the plant chart below. Use the notes column to describe why you have
chosen those plants.
• Teams share their ideas with the whole class.
• As a class, create a composite plant list. Done

Scientific name
Common name

4.3.2 Calculate the number of plants needed:


Calculate number of plants needed
Use the square footage of your habitat area and the formula below calculate the number
of plants needed. Generally for naturalized plantings, calculate one flower or grass for
every two square feet and one tree or shrub for every eight square feet. The following
formula can help determine the number of plants needed.

Area to be planted in ft2 A


____________________ = ___ = A ÷ D2 = Number of plants
(Distance apart in ft)2 D2

Caption: D = 1.5 for slow spreading plants, 2 for medium spreading plants, 3 for fast
spreaders and 8 for trees or shrubs.

Now that you know the number and types of plants you need for your habitat you are
ready to create your planting map.

4.3.3. Create your Planting Map

Field Notes for Creating Planting Map


Procedure:
• Use the drawing of your project plan, plant species list and the plant quantities
calculated to illustrate where the plants will be planted. If possible, draw your planting
map directly onto a copy of your project plan.
• Set up a mock planting at the project site. Use various materials or containers to
represent the plants. Is your team satisfied with your map? If not, update you map to
reflect your desired result.
• Combine or overlay your planting map with your project plan to create a complete
project design.

4.4 List Additional Materials for Design Implementation:

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