Portfolio

 

 

Background & Project

Head Start School

 

Our community partner , Head Start is a program of the United States Department of health and Human Services hat provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low income children and their families. The benefits of providing high quality, natural outdoor play and learning environment for head Start preschoolers in Muncie are particularly important because research links socioeconomic disadvantages with compromised physical health and wellness. Families from lower socioeconomics levels have fewer health concerns, increased energy, and gains in children's cognitive development. Research also shows that children who play in and explore natural environments adapt conservation and sustainability values as adults.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The project

 

It will be placed in the west area of the nature based plays cape for 300 children and staff at the Head Start early childhood education program in Muncie. This 2 acre field offers an ecologically rich environment that serves of children's play, learning and education as a primarily goal. Also in the nature based outdoor play environment we will offer opportunities for students, teachers, adults, and children to gain a better understanding of the benefits of, and strategies for, reconnecting children with nature. We will work with the staff, teachers, and children at the Community Partner Head Start and with varied consultants from the community and university to assist in the design, development and construction of a nature based play environment outdoors learning classroom. The project will be placed in the science area of the plays cape and the design would allow them to learn as they use the space. The furniture proposal would be a permanent table design that would include natural elements like rocks, sand, soil, water and plants to interest children in learning about natural world and help them in their cognitive learning process. That would also enhance creativity, physical activity and spending time in the nature. Understanding the connection between elements of nature in the outdoor environment and their intrinsic benefits for childrenaged 3 -5 is essential.

 

 

Design

 

The furniture proposal would be a permanent table design that would include natural elements like rocks, sand, soil, water and plants to interest children in learning about natural world and help them in their cognitive learning process. It will be placed in the west area of the nature based plays cape for 300 children and staff at the Head Start early childhood education program in Muncie. This 2 acre field offers an ecologically rich environment that serves of children's play, learning and education as a primarily goal. That would also enhance creativity, physical activity and spending time in the nature. Understanding the connection between elements of nature in the outdoor environment and their intrinsic benefits for childrenaged 3 -5 is essential.