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Environmental educators remain challenged by how to encourage people to make connections between environmental quality and human development in a way that is socially just and equitable for all living things. This article explores links between performance-based learning and environmental education pedagogy as one way to address this challenge. Sixteen children (8-10 years) from an Auckland primary school worked with a performance artist to present "Lookout," an intimate performance by a child for an adult. Its intent was to juxtapose people's different backgrounds, experiences and ages in a two-way communication of their view of Auckland City through an environmental lens encompassing past, present and future, while surveying the city from a vantage point. Analysis of data from focus groups with the children and interviews with their parents (also participants) showed that the "Lookout" process led to children developing a deeper understanding of Auckland City's issues, a stronger sense of connection to their city, an understanding of the future, and feelings of empowerment. However, their parents' learning was more tenuous. Three key elements to the success of "Lookout" for learning are identified, and it is proposed that these could be used when developing performance-based environmental education programs.

During a fieldstudy of children's gardens in the United States in 2005, the author became aware that possibilities for providing learning experiences in children's gardens are bountiful and different styles are emerging. Anecdotally this appears to be a contested area with some within the discipline favoring a narrower definition of children's gardens that is focused on learning about plants rather than other aspects of nature, or being more play-focused. Yet a clear definition of the construct has so far eluded both academics and practitioners, possibly due to the many different purposes they fulfill and places they may be found (Miller, 2005). Because of its educational focus integrated with design and its inclusiveness, the author proposes the model of learning-informed design could contribute to development of a typology, which Miller (2005) recommends as more appropriate than a definition for the children's garden genre. This article describes this model and uses a children's garden in Auckland, New Zealand as a casestudy to illustrate its use. (Contains 1 figure and 1 footnote.)