Outdoor classroom system and early learning pods
A portable outdoor classroom system for teachers and students is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of workstations adapted to accommodate the students and teacher in a seating or standing position each workstation including a seating portion and a work desk portion. A blackboard may be included along with one or more shade sail mounted on posts or logs to protect the outdoor classroom system against sun and inclement weather. Also disclose are pre-school early learning pods designed to support early learners with a wider range of developmental needs and abilities. The early learning pods include vertical cluster logs arranged in clusters and combined with whacky support logs, horizontal border logs and other items such as carved log tunnels and carve chair logs to form enclosed or open learning areas.
1. An early learning pod system that is self-stabilizing and mountable on a surface plane without breaking the surface plane and without requiring additional anchoring, the early learning pod system comprising:
a plurality of vertical cluster logs each vertical cluster log having a predetermined height, a predetermined diameter, a flat top and a flat bottom, wherein the vertical cluster logs are arranged into a plurality of clusters, each cluster including at least two of the vertical cluster logs, wherein the at least two vertical cluster logs in each of the clusters are fastened together such that the flat bottom of each of the at least two vertical cluster logs is on a same horizontal plane, thereby self-stabilizing the cluster without breaking the surface plane or requiring additional anchoring;
at least one horizontal border log removably connectable directly to at least one of the vertical cluster logs by a tongue and groove connection; and
at least one vertical whacky support log having an angled top surface removably connectable directly to at least one of the vertical cluster logs by a tongue and groove connection.
2. The early learning pod system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one horizontal border log is a plurality of horizontal border logs and wherein the clusters of vertical cluster logs and the horizontal border logs may be arranged to form at least one enclosed space when connected.
3. The early learning pod system of claim 2 , further comprising a carved tunnel log forming an entrance to the enclosed space,
wherein the carved tunnel log comprises a cross section of a trunk of a large mature tree comprising a cavity hollowed out along a longitudinal axis of the trunk, and
wherein the entrance comprises the carved tunnel log installed such that the longitudinal axis of the trunk is parallel to the same horizontal plane and a first end of the cavity comprising a first end of the carved tunnel log is accessible from an exterior of the enclosure and a second end of the cavity comprising a second end of the carved tunnel log is accessible from an interior of the enclosure.
4. The early learning pod system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one horizontal half-log connectable directly to at least one of the vertical cluster logs by a tongue and groove connection.
5. The early learning pod system according to claim 1 , further including an amorphous log.
6. The early learning pod system according to claim 1 , further including at least one chair log.
7. The early learning pod system according to claim 1 , further including at least one mirror.
8. The early learning pod system according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined height of a first one of the at least two vertical cluster logs in each cluster is different than that predetermined height of a second one of the at least two vertical cluster logs.
9. The early learning pod system according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined diameter of a first one of the at least two vertical cluster logs in each cluster is different than the predetermined diameter of a second one of the at least two vertical cluster logs.