This module helps teachers understand the benefits of outdoor learning and overcome common barriers to bringing students outside. You’ll explore the research-backed advantages for student engagement, physical health, and social-emotional development, and learn how to shift your mindset from “teacher in control” to “facilitator of exploration,” with nature as a co-teacher. We’ll address common concerns like safety and curriculum alignment, share real-life success stories, and guide you in establishing simple outdoor routines, such as circle time. By the end of the week, you’ll create your personal Outdoor Learning Vision Statement to set the foundation for meaningful, confident outdoor teaching.
In this module, teachers will learn how to connect outdoor experiences to core curriculum objectives in subjects such as Science, Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts. You’ll explore ways to map curriculum standards to hands-on outdoor activities, like measuring objects in nature for Math or observing plant life cycles for Science. The module also covers how to incorporate emergent learning, allowing student curiosity to guide exploration while scaffolding it to meet learning goals. Teachers will learn simple lesson planning structures for outdoor activities, including setting objectives, facilitating the activity, and reflecting afterward, with examples such as nature walks combined with journaling for Language Arts. Strategies for adaptability, including planning for weather changes and keeping low-prep activities ready, are also shared. By the end of the week, participants will draft their own outdoor lesson plan for a subject area of their choice.
This module provides practical strategies for maintaining engagement, safety, and smooth transitions in outdoor learning environments. Teachers will learn how to establish physical boundaries, such as designated exploration zones, and foster emotional boundaries that promote inclusion and respect. Classroom management techniques tailored to outdoor spaces, including clear signals, hand gestures, and nature-themed rewards, will be explored. Participants will also discover ways to support group dynamics, balancing introverted and extroverted learners, and using pairing or grouping strategies for collaborative learning. Engagement tools, such as magnifying glasses, clipboards, nature journals, and short interactive games, will help re-focus attention and make outdoor learning dynamic and enjoyable. By the end of the week, teachers will create their own personalized “management toolkit” for successful outdoor instruction.
In this module, teachers will learn how to effectively record and celebrate students’ progress in outdoor learning settings. Participants will explore a variety of documentation tools, including photos, journals, observation sheets, and digital apps, to capture meaningful learning moments. The module emphasizes student reflection, providing prompts to help children consider what they noticed, what surprised them, and what they learned. Teachers will also discover assessment strategies, from formative approaches like observation checklists and peer feedback to summative options such as student projects and nature portfolios. Finally, the module covers ways to share outdoor learning with families and the broader community, through newsletters, videos, or hosting events like a “Nature Showcase Day.” By the end of the week, teachers will create a simple documentation template ready for immediate use in their classrooms.
This module empowers teachers to establish consistent, long-term outdoor learning habits in their classrooms. Participants will learn how to build weekly schedules that integrate outdoor activities and adapt them to seasonal changes. The module covers strategies for collaborating with colleagues and administrators, advocating for outdoor learning, and sharing successes to build support. Teachers will explore sustainability practices, including using minimal resources for maximum impact and incorporating creative reuse of materials through activities like loose parts play. Students can also be engaged as stewards of their environment, taking on roles such as “nature monitor” and exploring the concept of land stewardship. By the end of the week, teachers will develop a long-term outdoor learning action plan tailored to their classroom.