Logistics of Outdoor Learning:
Some thoughts....
Pre-determine a spot in your schoolyard where students will be able to space apart from others for quiet reflection while you can still see them all. Establish the boundary and you can let them choose their spot, but specify that they must be a specific distanced from others (determine what works for the space) for individual work.
Managing Risks:
-Planning Ahead: send home parent letter (see Sample Letter to Parents), fill out consent forms (see Principal), know your site (daily site checks, etc).
-Emergency Plan - have cell or radio communication, first aid plan, etc
-Thinking ahead - risk/benefit, washroom access (have students go before heading outside), safety routines (print a routine for the office and tell office where you’re going and with how many students), setting kids up for success with appropriate clothing choices.
-Know your students - what will and won’t work outside? Set up parameters and rules before heading out.
A day ahead:
be prepared with lesson,
first aid kit,
class list,
weather,
materials,
preface to kids,
make sure kids have appropriate clothing
Before leaving:
If you know ahead of time what students are going to see, you can create a basic diagram to orient them during the field trip. For instance, if you are taking students on a trip behind the scenes in an aquarium, you can prepare a simplified diagram of the water system so that students have a road map to follow as the tour progresses. This map can also focus students' attention on any landmarks that are important to your learning goals. Leave enough room for students to annotate or add to the map.
From https://www.calacademy.org/educators/scaffolds-for-fieldtrips
double check the weather,
class count,
review routines (washroom, water, snack),
safety routines,
bring incident report forms
During:
co-evaluating risks with students,
dynamic risk assessments,
set boundaries clearly,
set up hand washing/ sanitizing station and make sure you’re following new protocols that are COVID-related (physical distancing and reduced sharing/disinfecting of materials)
After:
Reflection,
Complete forms,
contact parents if needed
Attention grabbers:
1. You yell a coyote (or bird) call, they call back to you, and listen.
2. When it’s time to pack up, try a fun nature-themed call and respond e.g. You: “Time to scoot!” Them: “Little Newt!”
3. Time to line up - You: “Get in line!” Them: “Porcupine!” -
Preface with serious academic talk - While inside, discuss the nature of outdoor learning time being very distinct from recess because you will be engaging in the same learning you would normally do inside. Recess is free play while outdoor learning is structured, facilitated, academic learning time. Set rules and parameters before going outside and then reiterate when you get outside.
Names for different areas: just like they know where the office, washroom etc is inside, you can give creative names to certain areas outside. (‘The forest hub’, etc)
Give a ‘tour of the outdoors’ so they know where their boundaries are for the day (or for each time you’re outside)
Create local maps: students map their outdoor area.
Assessment and Documentation:
Document student learning to assess and evaluate later - Utilize similar assessment methods to inside- Tweak your assessment methods (observation charts, checklists etc) to outdoor setting (waterproof bag over clipboard and pen) - Use pre-and post-learning techniques - ex: if building shelters, students make predictions and document planning and results. Have students use written work outside daily. - Use journals as assessment documenting tool - students can hand in once a week for evaluation, etc - Co-create criteria with students - create buy in to specific programming
Inclement Weather Assessment:
Teaching in an outdoor classroom happens all year round no matter the weather. You’ll find rainy day play ideas, best clothing for kids and what to wear when teaching outside in inclement weather.
Ensure students have access to necessary clothing items to “dress for the weather” (items can be collected from donations/clothing drive, thrift shop, lost and found and more)
Student supports:
Ensuring accessibility to outdoor programming for all of your students: consider wheelchair access, medical conditions, attention span and timing outdoors
ESL Students: Storytelling with visual supports, clear instructions with visual aids, knowledge building circles (can you bring visual cards outside to help?)
Complaining/uncomfortable students: Give them specific leadership tasks, praise them for their positive efforts, see what their interests are and plan accordingly to that (such as having them be responsible for taking the photos for you).
Activities:
Student Led Risk Assessment - What if?
This is a practice that can be used as a way to mitigate risk. This can be used whenever you enter into a new area, or start a new activity. Students play the “What if? Game”. Find a safe location, sit down in a circle, and identify all the hazards or risks in the area (the leader could suggest ideas, so students don't get silly -such as tripping, falling branches...), and how we can reduce those risks by avoiding, removing or adapting things in our environment.
Some thoughts....
Pre-determine a spot in your schoolyard where students will be able to space apart from others for quiet reflection while you can still see them all. Establish the boundary and you can let them choose their spot, but specify that they must be a specific distanced from others (determine what works for the space) for individual work.
Managing Risks:
-Planning Ahead: send home parent letter (see Sample Letter to Parents), fill out consent forms (see Principal), know your site (daily site checks, etc).
-Emergency Plan - have cell or radio communication, first aid plan, etc
-Thinking ahead - risk/benefit, washroom access (have students go before heading outside), safety routines (print a routine for the office and tell office where you’re going and with how many students), setting kids up for success with appropriate clothing choices.
-Know your students - what will and won’t work outside? Set up parameters and rules before heading out.
A day ahead:
be prepared with lesson,
first aid kit,
class list,
weather,
materials,
preface to kids,
make sure kids have appropriate clothing
Before leaving:
If you know ahead of time what students are going to see, you can create a basic diagram to orient them during the field trip. For instance, if you are taking students on a trip behind the scenes in an aquarium, you can prepare a simplified diagram of the water system so that students have a road map to follow as the tour progresses. This map can also focus students' attention on any landmarks that are important to your learning goals. Leave enough room for students to annotate or add to the map.
From https://www.calacademy.org/educators/scaffolds-for-fieldtrips
double check the weather,
class count,
review routines (washroom, water, snack),
safety routines,
bring incident report forms
During:
co-evaluating risks with students,
dynamic risk assessments,
set boundaries clearly,
set up hand washing/ sanitizing station and make sure you’re following new protocols that are COVID-related (physical distancing and reduced sharing/disinfecting of materials)
After:
Reflection,
Complete forms,
contact parents if needed
Attention grabbers:
1. You yell a coyote (or bird) call, they call back to you, and listen.
2. When it’s time to pack up, try a fun nature-themed call and respond e.g. You: “Time to scoot!” Them: “Little Newt!”
3. Time to line up - You: “Get in line!” Them: “Porcupine!” -
Preface with serious academic talk - While inside, discuss the nature of outdoor learning time being very distinct from recess because you will be engaging in the same learning you would normally do inside. Recess is free play while outdoor learning is structured, facilitated, academic learning time. Set rules and parameters before going outside and then reiterate when you get outside.
Names for different areas: just like they know where the office, washroom etc is inside, you can give creative names to certain areas outside. (‘The forest hub’, etc)
Give a ‘tour of the outdoors’ so they know where their boundaries are for the day (or for each time you’re outside)
Create local maps: students map their outdoor area.
Assessment and Documentation:
Document student learning to assess and evaluate later - Utilize similar assessment methods to inside- Tweak your assessment methods (observation charts, checklists etc) to outdoor setting (waterproof bag over clipboard and pen) - Use pre-and post-learning techniques - ex: if building shelters, students make predictions and document planning and results. Have students use written work outside daily. - Use journals as assessment documenting tool - students can hand in once a week for evaluation, etc - Co-create criteria with students - create buy in to specific programming
Inclement Weather Assessment:
Teaching in an outdoor classroom happens all year round no matter the weather. You’ll find rainy day play ideas, best clothing for kids and what to wear when teaching outside in inclement weather.
Ensure students have access to necessary clothing items to “dress for the weather” (items can be collected from donations/clothing drive, thrift shop, lost and found and more)
Student supports:
Ensuring accessibility to outdoor programming for all of your students: consider wheelchair access, medical conditions, attention span and timing outdoors
ESL Students: Storytelling with visual supports, clear instructions with visual aids, knowledge building circles (can you bring visual cards outside to help?)
Complaining/uncomfortable students: Give them specific leadership tasks, praise them for their positive efforts, see what their interests are and plan accordingly to that (such as having them be responsible for taking the photos for you).
Activities:
Student Led Risk Assessment - What if?
This is a practice that can be used as a way to mitigate risk. This can be used whenever you enter into a new area, or start a new activity. Students play the “What if? Game”. Find a safe location, sit down in a circle, and identify all the hazards or risks in the area (the leader could suggest ideas, so students don't get silly -such as tripping, falling branches...), and how we can reduce those risks by avoiding, removing or adapting things in our environment.