Our master plan and concept focus primarily on the students and their curriculum. Because school is for learning we focused our making their experience of learning the most engaging and interactive to the outdoors. The students at Caroline Elementary are very engaged in their learning and are very passionate about the outdoors. With this in mind we used the school layout and related curriculum to create spaces of learning and fun. The playground area for recess will also offer the opportunity for learning and engagement within their environment and each other. In addition, we are embracing Caroline’s strong and beloved school grounds while incorporating design elements that enhance the possibility for learning. In addition, we followed the observed school culture from our trips there and are using that as a key player throughout our design. This age group is in their primary developmental stage mentally. With this in mind we took a deeper look into what affects that positively and negatively. As a result we found that playing with the power of the senses will affect the feeling and learning capability of our spaces. The spaces have strong spacial relationships to specific classrooms and incorporate the curriculum of that grade while encouraging new opportunities for learning with the embracement of the senses.
at a glance
a closer look
The analysis page shows the importance of the spatial relationships of the school and the curriculum of each grade.
The master plan shows the overall design areas we encountered
The entrance to the school focuses on safety while providing a visually appealing landscape. The plant list contains plants that provide color throughout the seasons.
The multi-use courtyard can be used for private music lessons, art classes, lunch, and a place for the after-school program. It is a place students can make their own.
The garden provides a unique planting experience for each grade. The playground is refurbished and design elements are added that enhance learning.
The tactile garden focused on student interaction with different plants and textures. A place of fun and learning. The Bird watch is a lookout for birds, specifically aimed at the kindergartners focus on birding and habitat.
The reading nooks are a place students can go to read and study, a quiet place away from the school. The woods provides rain drums and African culture for the 2nd and 3rd grade units, culture and water.
welcome_to_caroline.pdf | |
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What the fifth graders thought...
After presenting to the fifth grade class we received some feedback. They were asked to place sticky notes on our boards to show what they liked. Yellow notes show they like the overall idea/concept and green notes show they like the graphic representation of our work.
Special thanks to the students and faculty that helped make this design process such a rewarding experience.