This year was a challenging year like no other. Back in September I taught K/1 blended. I created my day to include time where students were asked to do things outside in their gardens or yard spaces. I didn’t want them to be on a computer from 8:30-2:30 each day. I wanted them to explore nature in their own spaces. My weekly sway was filled with activities they could do with their families outside. When we moved into our habitat’s unit students were asked to create habitats outside for an egg and see if the egg would be safe for a few days out there. If the egg survived being outside in the student-built habitat it was a success! If something happened to the egg students would have to share what they could do to change the habitat so the egg would be safe. When my students would come into the classroom in the afternoons, we would continue to have our gathering time but we would do this outside sitting on mats so we were socially distant. Students loved being able to gather together outside safely.

Outdoor learning has interested me for so long. I enjoy hearing what others have been doing and then trying to borrow those ideas for my own classroom. I hope you have enjoyed the sessions over the last three weeks and look forward to hearing what you have been doing with outdoor learning in your classrooms.

As a primary teacher my favourite thing to do with my students is go on nature walks. First as a group we would discuss nature. After our discussion we would next walk, stop, close our eyes and then just listen to the sounds of nature. It’s so great to get out and be part of the nature around our school. We were fortunate enough to have a community park next to our school and a forested area with walking paths that we could walk through. Other things my students have enjoyed doing is nature art. What can we make using the natural things we can collect from outside. Leaves, rocks, sticks, whatever you can find you can turn it into art.

As a teacher we can understand that the importance of outside time is just as valuable as inside learning time. From games like everyone’s favorite parachute, or playing on the playground, outdoor learning is a great way to get students interested in their learning. What I have learned in primary can easily be used throughout the K-12 system with tweaks here and there. Outdoor learning isn’t something new that was brought on by the pandemic. Taking our students outdoors to enjoy fresh air and sunshine is something we all look forward to doing from time to time. We have also built in exploring the outdoors around our schools with nature walks or inquiry projects.

This year, we have had the honor to have three presenters, Nadine McSpadden, Craig Sutton and Andrea LaPointe who all held a session each on how to utilize outdoor learning. I highly suggest watching these sessions which are stored under our recordings tab. Their sessions were informative and filled with ideas to use while being outdoors. The doors are opening, the sun is shining through the windows. You have made it through the winter and on to the home stretch until summer. Teaching through the pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone. It’s okay to pause and take a deep breath. Let’s take the learning that has been happening inside the classroom and go outside. Just because we go outside doesn’t mean the learning has to stop.