Students investigate how a small forest can improve an urban school space for plants, animals, and people by studying sunlight, soil, water, and habitat needs in the schoolyard. Working in teams, they use field observations, partner input, and feedback from gallery walks to design and revise a pocket forest model with native plants, habitat features, and simple visitor paths. The experience builds science understanding about how communities protect environments while strengthening collaboration, communication, self-direction, and problem solving through real design decisions. It culminates in a public walkabout where students explain their model and reflect on what they learned from sharing their ideas with others.

Students will investigate how sunlight, water, soil, and space in the schoolyard affect which plants, animals, and people can thrive in a small urban forest. They will use observations, partner feedback, and information from a local native plant expert to design and revise a pocket forest model with native plants, habitat features, and visitor paths that fit the site. Students will explain, using evidence and science vocabulary, how communities can use small forests to protect resources and improve urban habitats for living things and people. They will also strengthen collaboration, reflection, and communication by making shared decisions, responding to critique, and presenting their models during the Walkabout.

Students will create field journals with site notes, sunlight and soil observations, habitat sketches, and questions gathered during the schoolyard investigation. In teams, they will develop draft layout maps and revised planning boards that show native plant choices, animal habitat features, water and sunlight considerations, and simple visitor paths, using feedback from gallery walks and the local native plant nursery. The culminating product is a student-designed pocket forest model with labeled native plants, animal habitats, and visitor paths, prepared for the Pocket Forest Walkabout. Teams will also create a short presentation or display labels that explain how their design improves habitat for plants, animals, and people in an urban space.

Begin with a “Pocket Forest Adventure Day” where mixed-grade teams explore the schoolyard using clipboards, sunlight testers, and simple soil checks to identify places where plants, animals, and people could thrive. Have students record evidence of shade, water flow, soil condition, animal activity, and human use, then compare their findings to photos or samples from a local native plant nursery. End with a quick team challenge: choose one possible site and explain why it could become a stronger habitat using science vocabulary. Close by introducing the driving question and inviting teams to sketch a first idea for a small urban forest model they will revise over the project.

Host a Pocket Forest Walkabout in the schoolyard, library, or cafeteria where teams display their pocket forest models with labeled native plants, animal habitats, and simple visitor paths. Invite families, classmates, school staff, and the local native plant nursery partner to visit each display while students explain how water, sunlight, soil, and wildlife needs shaped their design and how small urban forests can protect community resources. Include a feedback station where visitors leave compliments and questions on sticky notes, and end with a brief oral reflection or sketch-and-share about what students learned from presenting their work. This format gives every student a speaking, listening, or hosting role and celebrates both the final model and the thinking behind it.