Easy Teacher Ideas: Elevate Your Classroom with Outdoor Education!

As a new school year approaches, teachers everywhere are gearing up with fresh ideas and resources to inspire their students. This year, why not take your classroom outside more often? Outdoor education is a fantastic way to engage students, promote hands-on learning, and connect them with nature. With our Adventure packs & school program, you can easily incorporate outdoor lessons into your curriculum and create unforgettable learning experiences.

Why Outdoor Education?

Outdoor education goes beyond the four walls of a classroom. It encourages students to explore, observe, and interact with the natural world, fostering a deeper understanding of the environment. Studies have shown that outdoor learning can improve student engagement, boost creativity, and enhance problem-solving skills. Plus, it’s a great way to promote physical activity and mental well-being.

Don’t believe us? Check out this study called “Getting Out of the Classroom and Into Nature: A Systematic Review of Nature-Specific Outdoor Learning on School Children's Learning and Development” done back in 2022!

What’s Inside our Adventure packs & school program?

The Outdoor Education Program from Join the Wild Life is designed to make it easy for teachers to bring outdoor learning into their classrooms. We have been working with teachers in Alberta, Canada to better understand the curriculum expectations and what the kits would need to assist in a curriculum expected teaching. The toolkit includes:

• Adventure Guides: Ready-to-use lesson plans that align with various subjects, including science, math, and language arts.

• Activities & Games: Step-by-step instructions for hands-on activities like nature scavenger hunts, plant identification, and outdoor art projects.

• Field Equipment: Tools like magnifying glasses, bug catchers, and weather observation kits to help students explore their environment.

• Digital Resources: Access to online guides connected to the kit & our blogs for awesome ideas for more things to do. Which is updated every other week!

Easy Ideas to Implement Outdoor Education

Here are some simple yet effective ways to incorporate outdoor education into your classroom using the toolkit:

• Start Small: Begin with short outdoor activities that don’t require a lot of time or resources, like a 20-minute nature walk where students can observe and document different plants and animals.

• Integrate with Curriculum: Use the guide as lesson plans in the toolkit to teach core subjects in an outdoor setting. For example, teach a math lesson on measurement by having students measure the height of trees or the area of garden beds with our measuring instructions in our Bear Essentials Kit.

• Encourage Exploration: Allow students to lead their learning by exploring their surroundings and coming up with questions or projects based on their observations.

• Make it Fun: Incorporate games and challenges, like a scavenger hunt or a weather prediction contest, to keep students engaged and excited about outdoor learning. We also have ideas every month for fun adventures to do with our kits or just something to do with the season!

Benefits for Students and Teachers

Implementing outdoor education can be incredibly rewarding for both students and teachers. Students benefit from the hands-on learning experience, improved focus, and a stronger connection to nature. Teachers can enjoy a dynamic and flexible teaching environment that allows for creativity and spontaneity in lesson planning.

Get Started with Join the Wild Life

Ready to take your teaching to the next level? Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor educator or new to the concept, our adventure kits will provide you with everything you need to create engaging, nature-based lessons that your students will love.

This school year, step outside the classroom and into the wild! With the right tools and resources, outdoor education can be an exciting and enriching experience for everyone involved. Happy teaching!