Teacher's Page
Here are some ideas of ways you can take your class outside. It can be as simple as moving your lesson to somewhere outside, or taking a break from the day to get the class moving. While every school has access to a different outdoor environment, there are always plenty of ways to use the outdoors as an educational resource. Below are some quick ideas to take your class outside, as well as some full outdoor-based lesson plans.
Quick Lesson Ideas
Elementary:
- find a quiet spot to read a book to the class
- outdoor centers: take a few easily transportable centers out into a grassy area on a sunny day.
- take your class on a walk and have them look for signs of any given season
- collect flowers and leaves to do leaf rubbings with crayons
- write math problems in the ground and have students find rocks, pine cones , or sticks to represent the equation
- have students use their bodies to measure different objects they see outside
- take a "brain break" and have students run a lap around the school
- create a scavenger hunt
- Have students make various patterns using different materials they find outside
- have your class sketch or paint their surroundings outside
- go for a walk outside to a nearby park
- create a treasure hunt with clues that relate to topic the students are currently learning about
- have students to their silent reading outside
- do yoga outside
- have students write a journal entry or reflection in a quiet spot outside
- have students write a poem about what they see and how they feel while they are outside
- take your P.E class outside: play a game of ultimate frisbee, soccer, kickball or basketball
- find a peaceful spot outdoors to have a class discussion
Full Lesson Plans
Elementary:
-Outdoor math stations
-Kindergarten measurement Lesson
-Nature walk and game
-Four corners P.E game
-Outdoor color hunt activity
-Sense of Hearing Lesson
Secondary:
-fossil hunting
-mixtures and pure substances -science
-animal adaptations - science
-Outdoor math stations
-Kindergarten measurement Lesson
-Nature walk and game
-Four corners P.E game
-Outdoor color hunt activity
-Sense of Hearing Lesson
Secondary:
-fossil hunting
-mixtures and pure substances -science
-animal adaptations - science