Ducks and chickens, butterflies and birds, fruits and vegetables, and even a pond full of fish… Sounds like a special field trip for school. But at Legacy Elementary in Madison, Alabama, it’s every day.

In 2009, Legacy Elementary School received a State Farm Youth Advisory Board grant to build an outdoor classroom and pond. Over the past seven years, the outdoor classroom has grown close to one acre with plants and animals all around. Every student, kindergarten through fifth, experience and contribute to the pond each day throughout the year.

“The pond is truly the kid’s pond,” shared Keith Trawick, Principal. “They work on it year round. They pull weeds, spread mulch, plant flowers and vegetables and feed the animals.”

The pond is truly unique. People from across the world come to see the pond because they don’t see this at their schools.

Each grade has responsibility for a different part of the outdoor classroom. The kindergartners are responsible for the ten raised vegetable gardens. The fifth graders help the kindergartners with their responsibilities with the gardens.

“I like the fact teachers go to the pond as much as possible and connect our lessons to the pond. We do math and science there.” says fifth grader Lily Judge

Another way students help each other is during Big Fish Day. Every month, twelve fifth graders plan activities and teach the younger grades at the pond.

In addition to Big Fish Day, a Student Pond Committee meets every other week. They clean the pond, fill up feeders, sweep walkways and feed animals. Students learn life lessons each day at the pond.

In the summer, the school hosts a farmer’s market that showcases the outdoor classroom. Vendors come a couple of Saturdays in the summer, and people come check out the pond. Last year, a high school student brought and sold his honey at the market. Profits go to the Pond. Eventually they would love the students to sell vegetables they grow.

“Our school is the only one in the county to sponsor a Farmer’s Market. The Market was a goal we reached and it has been a huge success. Anything we can do inside, we can extend to the outdoor classroom,” says Ms. Janel Ramsden, Legacy Elementary Teacher.

“In the second grade, we raised butterflies in class and set them free in the butterfly garden. It is one of my best memories at Legacy and the outdoor classroom,” says fifth grader Hunter Mason

Every year, the fifth graders have a fishing day. The Alabama Wildlife Federation comes to teach them to fish and they get their youth fishing license. It is one of the most anticipated days for fifth graders.

“We’re very proud to have Project Pond certified by Alabama Wildlife Federation and the National Wildlife Federation. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and effort put forth by our students, teachers, and community,” says Trawick. Project Pond is the largest certified outdoor classroom in the state.

Legacy Elementary School reaches more than 700 students each year and thousands of people from the community. Administration, teachers and students take pride in their outdoor classroom and their way of learning. How can you help your school learn through unique ways?

Across the country, schools are teaching students, not just with a text book, but by getting their hands dirty. Literally. And, with the help of State Farm, they are helping their communities and the environment in the process.

Crellin Elementary teaches students how to keep the body and the planet healthy

Your chicken door needs to be closed each day at a certain time? What do you do? If you are a fifth grader at Crellin Elementary in Maryland, you build an automatic chicken door that runs on solar power.

From working in the greenhouse, cleaning the wool from a sheered sheep, to taking a walk to learn about the hemlocks, Crellin Elementary Students (K-5) are learning in unique ways.

The kids, along with their parents and teachers, learn about healthy, sustainable lifestyles and how to protect the environment. They feed the animals, plant vegetables and compost leftovers from school lunches. And the students don’t mind doing their chores…at school.At the school, they also have a lab the students use to study and collect data.

After spending time in the barn, first graders were curious about which roosting box the hens preferred when laying eggs. For two months, regardless of the weather, these little scientists went to the barn to collect data. Using the results, the second graders prepare the “Sunshine Farm” eggs to sell.

“Using the environment to teach content skills and processes is part of the approach to teaching and learning,” said Principal Dana McCauley. ”(They) strive to be self-sustaining at Crellin by tying agriculture into the curriculum.”

Virginia Chance School “Green Team” creates organic garden and compost system

The Virginia Chance School in Louisville, Kentucky has an eight-member “Green Team”. The chosen fourth and fifth graders annually lead the environmental and energy conservation charge at the independent school for children age two through fifth grade.

The Green Team’s first big undertaking in 2012 was overseeing the building of a 60-foot greenhouse to create an organic garden and compost system.

“The building of the greenhouse really changed our school and our learning environment for the better,” says Ms. Cummins, the lead teacher.

Subsequent Green Teams have introduced an Aquaponics system into the greenhouse, planted a rain garden, and built rain barrels. Next on the horizon is building a chicken coop.

The produce the students grow is used as fresh snacks for the student body, student-run farmers market, cooking classes, monthly taco dinners. Leftovers are donated to a local food bank.

In May of 2015, the National Energy Education Development Project named the Chance School the top elementary school in the country. “I think what made their project stand out is the ability to tie in growing their own food and conserving water into energy conservation,” said Ms. Cummins.

The school was honored by a visit from First Lady Jane Beshear of Kentucky in recognition of all of the great things the Green Team is accomplishing.

Tucker County High School grows 50,000 bedding plants

High school students can get into the action too. At Tucker County HS in Hambleton, West Virginia, students are learning valuable life skills.

Through the Farm to School program, the students sell their produce directly to the high school or other schools. The school’s cafeteria is now serving meals with produce grown in the greenhouse.

The culinary program, part of the career & technical education program, has also expanded with the addition of fresh produce from the greenhouse. Students learn how to can and preserve fresh produce for school meals.

Last year, 50,000 bedding plants were grown in the high school green house and sold to the community and surrounding counties.

With these programs in place, TCHS can make money from the greenhouse facilities and culinary programs to, ultimately, help support the students

Charles Ortiz knew he wanted to go to Rusk Elementary School. Not just because his older sister went there or because it’s an award-winning STEM magnet school. He wanted to go because of the Geo-dome.

Planting a seed…

When Brenda Boyer joined the staff at Rusk near downtown Houston, the school had a few fruit trees and gardens for outdoor learning activities. During her first year teaching, she came up with the idea of building a geodesic dome.

“With a dome, we could grow and learn all year-round and make a club out of it, pre-K to eighth grade,” Boyer explained.

The principal was on board and charged Brenda with the fundraising. This was no small task. Brenda had almost given up on the Geo-dome. Then, in the spring of 2012, she came across a crowdsourcing philanthropy program called Cause An Effect (now State Farm Neighborhood Assist®).

“I applied online and completely forgot about it. Several weeks later I got an email from State Farm and ignored it,” Brenda shared. “I got another email and thankfully I opened this one and took action. We made it to the next phase and had a chance to win the $25,000.”

Watching it sprout…

The school and its community pulled together.

“The Facebook voting was very, very exciting,” shared Charles’ older sister Dominique Ortiz, a seventh grader at Rusk at the time.

“We didn’t really think we would get it. Mrs. Boyer is the most devoted and tenacious teacher I’ve ever had. It was cool to see it finally happen,” Dominique, now a sophomore, said.

Nourishing the bud…

The geo-dome wasn’t built right away, so the teachers continued to teach in their hands-on style.

Kindergarten through eighth graders learn the basics of growing food. They plant the seeds inside the dome and then replant them in the gardens later. “The kids think it’s really fascinating to watch something pop up out of the dirt in their little Styrofoam cup!” Brenda shared.

The students did a lot of work in science class and in summer camps.

“Whenever you get to touch something it will stick in your mind better than a textbook. It really helped me learn better,” Dominique remembered.

It also gave her a new appreciation for what it takes to grow food.

“We put so much effort into growing the plants. It makes you not want to waste anything. Not everyone in the world has this abundance” Dominique shared.

Appreciating the flower…

After years of difficulties from permits to new building construction, the Geo-dome was finally built.

The dome was ready for use in October 2015. Charles had been looking forward to it for three years.

“The dome will let more students experience growing plants and food. It will help us remember better, having this experience. And you are going to be proud of what you got out of it, because of all the effort you put into it,” shared Charles.

Now, every student at Rusk gets to work in the dome and experience this unique outdoor learning environment. The school will also be able to produce more food and share their hard work.

“The Star of Hope Mission homeless shelter is just blocks away from our school. We want the dome to not just be outdoor learning but also a service-learning project,” Brenda said. “We will engage the Mission and give food to help those who need it the most.”

“Giving back to their community will teach the students a different kind of lesson. Giving is caring. Hopefully this is a lesson that will last a lifetime. ”

The State Farm Neighborhood Assist program connects individuals and communities with local non-profits to build safer, stronger, better educated communities.

SFNA invites people to submit a community cause about which they’re passionate and can rally behind for a chance to win one of 40 $25,000 grants, exclusively through Facebook.