LEARNING OUTDOORS
Outdoor learning can be a safe, effective way to promote students’ engagement and achievement. The video below focuses on the benefits and logistics of taking students outside.
(The video was produced by the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative. These materials were developed under a MiSTEM grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education.)
General Guidance for Educators about Organizing and Managing Outdoor Learning
National Outdoor Learning Library – Green Schoolyards America
Practical resources for greening school grounds and taking learning outside.
BEETLES Project
BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning & Expertise Sharing) provides student- and nature-centered resources for outdoor science programs.
Getting Ready to Teach Outdoors
The first of three helpful blog posts from the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance. This useful overview provides some great tips about outdoor learning with students.
Teaching Outside: Outdoor Routines
The second of three blog posts from the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance focuses on the importance of establishing in your practice and rehearsing with your students certain routines that can support outdoor learning.
Teaching Outside: Adapting to Online Learning
The third of three blog posts from the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance suggests ways to effectively combine teaching outdoors with virtual instruction, and recommends several helpful resources.
Articles and Links to Research on the Benefits of Outdoor Learning
8 Reasons to Take Learning Outside
A summary article that includes links to several studies about outdoor learning.
7 Benefits of Outdoor Learning
A short article focused on documented benefits of outdoor learning.
The Surprising Benefits of Teaching a Class Outside
Article from The Greater Good Magazine, noting several important benefits of outdoor learning, including the phenomenon of increased student engagement persisting beyond a single experience of outdoor instruction.
Resources that Focus on Content in Outdoor Learning
DNR: Natural and Historical Education Resources for Home
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has made a list of outdoor education resources that can be used during the pandemic. Ranging from virtual tours to short lectures, this free content is available for all.
Outdoor Discovery Center Network Backyard Series
Explore ways to adapt the six-week learning series to a hybrid learning model, or choose specific lessons that suit both your school site or students’ home places.
Resources About Outdoor Learning Locations
MiPINES
MiPINES (Michigan Parnters in Nature Education Space) seeks to empower educatins in practicing outdoor education by providing the location of greenspaces within a short distance of their school.