Outdoor Education

Outdoor School features recent works of contemporary environmental art and writing by more than twenty-five Canadian and Indigenous artists who propose radical new ways of thinking about and being outdoors together.

"This book helps educators who use the outdoors as a learning setting. It presents teaching methods for people who teach in schools, nature centers, adventure centers, camps, environmental learning centers, government agencies, and universities. These methods apply to many subject areas such as physical education, science education, environmental studies, and recreation"--

Here, outdoor leaders will discover an abundance of ideas that can make their jobs easier, enrich their teaching knowledge and broaden their current programmes. A CD-ROM also accompanies the book and allows users to search for and print only the lessons they plan to use.

The average child can identify over one thousand corporate logos, but only ten native plants or animals—a telling indictment of our modern disconnection from nature. Soaring levels of obesity, high rates of ADHD, feelings of stress and social awkwardness, and "Nature Deficit Disorder" are further unintended consequences of a childhood spent primarily indoors. The Big Book of Nature Activities is a comprehensive guide for parents and educators to help youth of all ages explore, appreciate and connect with the natural world. This rich, fully illustrated compendium features: Nature-based skills and activities such as species identification, photography, journaling, and the judicious use of digital technology Ideas, games, and activities grounded in what's happening in nature each season Core concepts that promote environmental literacy, such as climate change and the mechanisms and wonder of evolution, explained using a child-friendly, engaging approach Lists of key species and happenings to observe throughout the year across most of North America Perfect for families, educators, and youth leaders , The Big Book of Nature Activities is packed with crafts, stories, information and inspiration to make outdoor learning fun. Jacob Rodenburg is the Executive Director of the Camp Kawartha summer camp and outdoor education centre. As well as publishing numerous articles on children, nature and the environment, he has worked in the field of outdoor education for twenty-five years. Drew Monkman is an award-winning environmental advocate, naturalist, and retired teacher. In addition to his weekly nature column, Drew is the author of two season-based nature guides, including Nature's Year.

One educator's story detailing a cross-Canada run to inspire students and teachers to get outside and experience the benefits and beauty of nature. You'd think starting a non-profit organization aimed at getting young people to spend less time in front of screens and more time outside would be difficult enough. But with a decrepit support vehicle housing two dogs that despised each other, a good friend who left after five months, a lot of peanut butter, and a hope to inspire thousands of students, Colin Harris decided to start this journey by running 7600 kilometres, the equivalent of 181 marathons, across Canada. And to ensure this was a truly Canadian venture, he started in the bleak and snowy month of January. Take Me Outside is Colin's story of spending nine months running from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia, visiting over 80 schools along the way to engage with 20,000 students about the importance of spending time outside learning, playing, and exploring in the Canadian landscape. With one of the biggest and best backyards in the world, people across Canada are spending the vast majority of their time inside. Yet, our identity as Canadians has always been rooted in our relationship with the outdoors. This wildly entertaining book not only recounts what it's like to run across the world's second-largest country but also implores readers of all ages to reignite their connection with the natural world.

This Open Access book examines children’s participation in dialectical reciprocity with place-based institutional practices by presenting empirical research from Australia, Brazil, China, Poland, Norway and Wales. Underpinned by cultural-historical theory, the analysis reveals how outdoors and nature form unique conditions for children's play, formal and informal learning and cultural formation. The analysis also surfaces how inequalities exist in societies and communities, which often limit and constrain families' and children's access to and participation in outdoor spaces and nature. The findings highlight how institutional practices are shaped by pedagogical content, teachers' training, institutional regulations and societal perceptions of nature, children and suitable, sustainable education for young children. Due to crises, such as climate change and the recent pandemic, specific focus on the outdoors and nature in cultural formation is timely for the cultural-historical theoretical tradition. In doing so, the book provides empirical and theoretical support for policy makers, researchers, educators and families to enhance, increase and sustain outdoor and nature education.

Outdoor Education: Methods and Strategies, Second Edition, provides all the necessary information and tools for teaching outdoor education. Future educators will learn how to create optimal learning opportunities in outdoor environments, how to design effective lessons, and how to identify and use the methods that are best for the place and the participants. These teaching methods apply to a variety of organizations, including schools, nature centers, adventure centers, camps, environmental learning centers, government agencies, and universities. Outdoor Education: Methods and Strategies, Second Edition, is divided into three parts. Part I defines what outdoor education is and details the professional expectations for an outdoor educator. It also explores theories that support outdoor education, including developmental stages, learning stages, and constructivism. Part II guides the reader to understand the backgrounds and abilities of participants, create a successful learning environment, teach effectively in a variety of settings, and design lesson plans. Part III examines the uses of physical, cognitive, and affective methods for teaching, and it includes sample lesson plans that illustrate the methods presented. These chapters help students reflect on, evaluate, and improve their lesson plans through experimentation. Presented by authors with a combined 150 years of experience in the field, the methods and strategies in this book have been tested and proven to work in a variety of outdoor settings. This second edition covers theories such as scaffolding, brain-based learning, Erik Erikson’s eight stages of development as applied to outdoor education, playful learning, and nature play as well as the use of technology in outdoor education. This text supplements theory with tools to support practical application: Easy-to-use forms for designing, implementing, and evaluating outdoor lesson plans Nine sample lesson plans offering detailed instructions and representing a variety of settings for different age groups and abilities Updated Stories From Real Life case studies that illustrate how methods are applied in the real world Explore Your World sidebars prompting students to reflect on their own experiences and goals Tips and Techniques sidebars offering brief and actionable advice for educators New Professional’s Perspective sidebars featuring insights from real practitioners about core content and topics in the book Students will also find a number of learning aids—including chapter objectives, review questions, and a glossary—to enhance knowledge retention. Outdoor Education: Methods and Strategies, Second Edition, will help aspiring educators enhance their audience’s awareness, appreciation, and knowledge of the outdoors. Ultimately, it will advance their ability to increase people’s enjoyment and understanding of the environment.

This practical text offers simple activities and lesson plans for young people in a variety of school and community settings. The author examines why outdoor education is important and includes a step-by-step guide for planning field trips through to a complete outdoor education programme.