Take the Kids Outside

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Submitted by Jenni Lund on Thu, 2017-07-13 00:00

 

The value of spending time outside is immense and so important.   There are health benefits, peace of mind, and creates a clear  consciousness of the environment.   There are a lot of studies that show statistics about the benefits of being outdoors and as teachers we should begin to take more opportunities to capitalize on this.   During the course of the week of Adventure Learning I've learned so much about resources that are right out our proverbial black door.   For most students, they can become aware of their environment and its bountiful resources if you spend a small amount of time teaching them the appreciation of it.  Some of the ways you and your students can get involved are listed below:  

  • create an outdoor learning space
  • Look around and identify birds, insects, and plant life
  • Take a field trip to explore environmental education
  • Invite biologists, bird experts, university graduate students, and other environmental agencies to speak in your classroom
  • Go for nature walks with your students

 All of these activities will help you and your students connect with nature and the environment and provide you with health and mental wellness.  So take some time to take the kids outside!

 

 

External Link: 
http://www.deq.idaho.gov/assistance-resources/educational-tools/teacher-resource…
https://idahoee.org
https://bee.cityofboise.org/watershed/learn/teacher-resources/online-resources/

Comments

Fabiola Stewart's picture

Submitted by Fabiola Stewart on Thu, 2017-07-13 16:01

Thanks Jenni for your ideas. I really like the create an outdoors learning space. It is simple but I can see the benefits of just spending a class period or two more outside. I hadn't realized how many resources there are in the area that would be able to come in and share with our students the great information of their own ecosystems. If they can take pride, and consideration of the places in which they live, they might also be able to gain a larger perspective on the world and realize there is much more happening in their own bubble of Nampa, Meridian, or Boise then they had thought. 

Shaun Lund's picture

Submitted by Shaun Lund on Thu, 2017-07-13 20:07

Thanks Jen for your post. I am a huge believer in having the outdoors and the classroom mix. Having a outdoor learning space would be amazing. Many kids in Idaho are not experiencing the same way of learning that they did many generations ago. Our students have technology that is competing against the outdoors. This is taking away the basic being outside and experiencing things the way generations before did. If a school can include the outdoors into the classroom you will find that students may start asking questions again. What? Where? Why? Using an outdoor space to allow for natural light, sound and fresh air definitely is not going to hurt our students. In fact we may actually see improvements in behavior and attention span. All of the reasons you gave in your post are positive proof that this outdoor space can create a perfect environment for learning.

Submitted by Todd Thompson on Thu, 2017-07-13 20:56

Jenni, 

Thanks for the ideas!! The thought of having a few classes outside to learn and enjoy nature is pretty cool. Having an outdoor space to teach would be incredible! :-) 

Educators can promote appreciation for the environment is by educating students on pollution. Helping them to understand the roll we all play in keeping the environment enjoyable for everyone will hopefully stick with them. 

Another way to promote appreciation is by teaching reduce, reuse and recycle. It's so cool to see these values ingrained in the students at my school. Thoise are the types of values that will help our environment last for a long time.