William H. Farquhar Middle School, Olney, MD. Photo credit: Patrick Ross
School Health Research Library
We have curated a library of peer-reviewed scientific studies from around the world published since 2016, focusing on the school built environment and occupant health and performance. This research builds on the 2017 Schools for Health: Foundations for Student Success report released by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that synthesizes foundational research about school indoor environmental quality impacts on students and staff.
To help translate this research into action in schools, we have compiled School Health Research Highlights to help school staff and leaders access key findings and actionable strategies on priority topics.
Displaying 331 - 340 of 680 | Export entire research library
The impact of school gardens on youth social and emotional learning: a scoping review
Lohr, Abby M.
This scoping review synthesized studies on school garden programs and youth social and emotional learning. Qualitative findings suggest benefits for relationships and emotional skills, though few quantitative effects were found, highlighting need…
Keywords: social and emotional learning, Adolescent health, Child health, School gardens, health promotion
Nature contact at school: The impact of an outdoor classroom on children’s well-being
Largo-Wight, Erin
A 6-week crossover experiment in kindergarten classrooms compared indoor vs. outdoor settings. Teachers noted fewer behavioral redirections and modest well-being benefits in the outdoor condition, suggesting nature contact may promote student health.
Keywords: Nature contact intervention, Outdoor classroom, Green school, children
Teacher and student perceptions of an outdoor classroom
Guardino, Caroline
Mixed-methods study of 2 teachers and 37 kindergarteners comparing indoor vs. outdoor classroom revealed increased well-being and attention, especially for children with disabilities, supporting outdoor learning’s value for inclusive education.
Keywords: Outdoor classroom, Learning environment, nature contact, Attention, Well-being, disability, special needs
Reconfiguring relational space: a qualitative study of the benefits of caring for hens for the socio-emotional development of 5 - 9-year-old children in an urban junior school context of high socio-economic exclusion
Gilligan, Ciara
A qualitative study explored how daily hen care at an urban Irish school helped 5-9-year-olds build empathy, responsibility, and calm. Teachers noted greater motivation and peer cooperation, suggesting benefits for social-emotional development in…
Keywords: hens, care, Socio-emotional, personal and social development, poverty, outdoor education, diametric space, concentric space
Equally green? Understanding the distribution of urban green infrastructure across student demographics in four public school districts in North Carolina, USA
Zhang, Zhenzhen
This spatial study of four public school districts in North Carolina examined how trees and other green infrastructure are distributed. Schoolyards showed more equal greenery than neighborhoods, suggesting schools can help reduce environmental…
Keywords: Environmental justice, green schoolyards, green infrastructure, social vulnerability index, tree canopy
Urban greenery, active school transport, and body weight among Hong Kong children
Yang, Yiyang
A survey of 1,148 Hong Kong primary students examined how greenery around schools related to active transport and BMI. Structural modeling revealed greener areas promoted walking and healthier weight, supporting green infrastructure for childhood…
Keywords: urban greenery, Physical activity, active transport, BMI, childhood obesity, School environment
Association Between Greenness Surrounding Schools and Kindergartens and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children in China
Yang, Bo-Yi
A cross-sectional study of 59,754 children in 7 Chinese cities used vegetation indexes to assess school greenness. Greener environments were linked to lower odds of ADHD symptoms, supporting nature-based planning for child mental health.
Keywords: None listed by authors
Science in the Learning Gardens (SciLG): a study of students’ motivation, achievement, and science identity in low-income middle schools
Williams, Dilafruz R.
Using self-determination theory, this longitudinal study of 113 low-income middle school students examined how motivational experiences in garden-based science predicted engagement, achievement, and identity. Findings support garden integration as a…
Keywords: science education, motivation, academic outcomes, middle school, School gardens, science identity
Associations between green area in school neighbourhoods and overweight and obesity among Norwegian adolescents
Wilhelmsen, Christine Koteng
Analysis of 10,527 Norwegian youth found higher obesity rates in greener school surroundings, possibly due to low accessibility of forests and farmland. Results suggest green area design matters for promoting adolescent health.
Keywords: body mass index, overweight, Obesity, geographic information systems, greenspace, adolescent, Schools
Protocol for the Open Sky School: a two‑arm clustered randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a nature‑based intervention on mental health of elementary school children
Loose, Tianna
This RCT protocol tests a 12-week outdoor education program in Québec elementary schools. Children spend 2 hours weekly in green space. Primary outcome is mental health symptoms; aims to inform scalable nature-based school interventions.
Keywords: school-based intervention, Mental health, children, randomized controlled trial, Nature, outdoor education, elementary-school children, greenspace