Learning does not need to be confined within the walls of a classroom. With Take Me Outside Week approaching, it’s the perfect time to recognize the benefits of outdoor learning. This week encourages educators to go outside with their students and transform everyday lessons into new, exciting experiences. Bringing learning outdoors helps students develop a sense of care and responsibility for the environment as it fosters a natural connection. A study done by the National Library of Medicine stated, ”Teaching outdoors has quantifiable socio-emotional, wellbeing and academic benefits.” (Bengtsson et al.) When students spend more time outside, they can develop a deeper appreciation for the planet and the need to protect it. GreenLearning offers many different activities and programs with curriculum connections that you can use for outdoor learning. Let’s dive into the different possibilities that await outside the classroom door!
Now is the perfect time to participate in our Ripples of Change Contest. Suited for grades four to twelve, learners will begin by completing the Ripples of Change Activity. By doing this, students will then consider the positive impact that they can make with little ripples as they create a nature mandala. After making the mandalas, teachers can share the art on social media, tagging GreenLearning and Take Me Outside for a chance to win a giftcard to the Take Me Outside Store.
The community walk is a great way to get learners outside and is suited for grades four to six. Simply provide them with a walking route (or let them choose their own) and ask them to track energy use throughout their walk. This could be looking into things like how many lights are on in the houses nearby or how many cars are in driveways. They can look for electrical transmission or distribution systems and transportation fuels (gas or charging stations). With the student’s exploration, they can then brainstorm ways in which they are able to reduce energy use right in their own community.
This is the perfect activity for grade three to twelve learners to burn off some steam. They are tasked with performing various activities to reach 1 Kwh of energy. Whether this is through running or biking, they can track how long it takes. Takeaways from this activity are understanding how energy is consumed and how we can make changes to reduce our energy use.
Taking Inspiration from Nature
The Taking Inspiration from Nature activity will allow grade three to eight students to get in-touch with their surroundings and learn how nature can be used to develop innovative design solutions that will eliminate plastic waste. Learners will participate in a ‘Web of Life’ game and will be assigned a different organism in an ecosystem of your choice. They will then learn the impacts of microplastics on our ecosystems.
This activity is quite self-explanatory and it is simply planting trees. It is a great opportunity for grade five to twelve students to feel special because it helps them know they are making a difference. Learners can also check their tree in various seasons and record its growth each year. From an educational standpoint, this activity is a great way to demonstrate the importance of trees and the many benefits they provide for shade, wind protection and flood protection. Students will also learn the importance of responsibility while keeping their tree watered and therefore foster a connection with the environment naturally.
With the amount of research that has been done on the benefits of learning beyond the four walls of the classroom, now is the time to try it out in your school. Stepping outside of the classroom encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity in learners of all ages. Whether it be through hands-on activities that are to be done outside, or just bringing your regular learning outside while enjoying the fresh air, outdoor education can offer countless benefits for the students personal growth and development. GreenLearning provides many great activities that can be taken outside and Take Me Outside Week is the perfect time to start doing this with your class!
Take Me Outside also provides additional resources with activities for the week and for Take Me Outside day - October 23 2024.
Bengtsson, Sara-Linnéa, et al. "Effects of Outdoor Learning Activities on Physical Activity, Academic, and Social and Emotional Outcomes in School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 12, 2022, p. 7256. PubMed Central (PMC), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9149177/.