When it comes to building musical instruments for the garden, you can start with what you have laying around. But how do you turn scraps into music? As always, Pinterest is a great resource for creative and innovative projects. Browsing photos of outdoor instruments will lead to your own symphony of ideas! View Resource »
Homemade Musical Instruments
From xylophones to sensory shakers to trash can steel drums, this blog post is full of incredible ideas. Some can be made in a single lesson while others take more planning. With such an extensive list of suggestions, students can make music with almost any available material! View Resource »
DIY Instrument Series
DIY Music Man is like a scarecrow, but way more fun! This blog post provides instructions to create your very own “Music Man” and also links to other great blog posts with fun ideas and instructions to create music installations, like a sound wall and a music tree. View Resource »
2×4 Xylophone
This oversized outdoor xylophone is a great addition to any garden or outdoor classroom. Younger students can help with its assembly, while math and music lessons for older students are perfect for determining how big the boards have to be for the notes to have proper intervals. View Resource »
Teaching In Nature’s Classroom
In Teaching in Nature’s Classroom: Core Principles of Garden-Based Education, Nathan Larson shares a philosophy of teaching in the garden. Rooted in years of experience and supported by research, Larson presents fifteen guiding principles of garden-based education. These principles and best practices are illustrated through engaging stories from the field. The book also features a collection of vivid paintings by mural artist Becky Redelings and connections to the research literature provided by Alex Wells and Sam Dennis of the University of Wisconsin Environmental Design Lab.
We are excited to be able to offer copies of Teaching in Nature’s Classroom in both English and Spanish, free of charge! Visit the book website to receive a free copy.
