Preparing for a Year of Outdoor Learning

The start of the school year brings a flurry of planning and preparation. If outdoor learning is going to be a part of your plans this year, here are some tips for preparing for a year of outdoor learning. Not all of these tasks need to be done at once. However, these are some ideas to help you get your year started off on the right track and allow for a smooth transition into a year of outdoor learning.

Curriculum Planning

Adapting your curriculum to be taken outdoors can take some time. You may want to devote some of your planning hours to looking at your curriculum and finding ways that you can easily take it outside. Once you have some ideas forming, you can begin to map out your year of outdoor learning. Some things to think about are:

• seasonal activities you would like to include
• topics you would like to or have to cover
• curriculum topics that are easy to take outside
• curriculum topics that might be more challenging to do outside
• local resources or experts that you can leverage
• opportunities for field trips or excursions that you can build on

Preparing Policies and Procedures

You may not think you require it, but having a set of policies and procedures for outdoor learning can help you navigate tricky situations that might arise. Your policies and procedures can give you a sense of confidence that you are able to deal with anything from a first-aid emergency to students who don’t come prepared. Your policies and procedures will include everything from determining acceptable weather conditions to how you plan on dealing with challenging students. A template for creating your own policies and procedures can be found in our “Get Outside Tool Kit.”

Site Assessments

A thorough site assessment of the space you will be using for outdoor learning is necessary whether you are brand new to outdoor learning or have been using the site for ages. Your site assessment will alert you to any hazards that you may need to be aware of and mitigate as well as. Information and templates for conducting a site assessment can be found in our “Get Outside Tool Kit.”

Preparing Your Safety Kits

Sourcing and preparing your safety materials for being outside is something that can take a bit of extra time, especially if you are new to outdoor learning. Some of the items you may need to prepare are:

• Your Teacher Bag
• Your First Aid Kit
• Materials for Marking Off Boundaries (cones, flagging tape, etc.)
• Your Outdoor Clothing

Finding Resources

As an early learning teacher, I am constantly on the hunt for good resources and teaching materials. You never know when you might find a good deal! Think about what you might need for your lessons and outdoor time and start creating a list. Have family and friends keep an eye open at garage sales and thrift stores as well. Some of the materials that are always on my radar are:

• high-quality pictures books
• teaching tools such as math manipulatives, wooden bowls, baskets, puppets
• interesting tools for outdoor learning such as magnifying glasses
• blankets, sit-upons, etc.
• a good quality wagon

Contacting Experts

If there are local experts that you need to contact or excursions that you need to book in advance, planning early is always best. I know many popular field trips fill up fast. Additionally, local experts or programs can be hard to book. Making contacts early in the year and finding out the booking process can give you a head start on making these events happen.

Contacting Families

Making contact with families early in the school year is probably one of the most important steps you can take toward having a successful year of outdoor learning. Without family support, you may struggle with students being unprepared for outdoor learning. Some things you may need to inform families about are:

• completing permission forms
• sharing information on how to dress for the weather and outdoor learning
• sharing policies and procedures
• sharing how you cover the curriculum outdoors
• sharing your philosophy of outdoor learning

Do Your Own Professional Learning

Teachers are the quintessential lifelong learners. There is always something new to be learned. This is especially true if you are trying something that is a bit “outside the box” like outdoor learning. Making a plan for your own ongoing professional learning can help keep you motivated and inspired throughout the year.

Now Make This Your Year To Get Outside…

A little bit of planning and preparation can go a long way to help both you and your students experience the many benefits of outdoor learning. Make this your year to get outside with your students and thrive while still covering your curriculum.

Additionally, you can garner support from families and administration by demonstrating your planning, preparedness, and dedication to outdoor learning. By preparing your site, and your safety materials, and getting a head start on planning, you can make outdoor learning just as easy and seamless as your indoor learning time.

You can find many great tools and templates to help you prepare for your year of outdoor learning in our “Get Outside Tool Kit.” This tool kit is free and contains over 90 pages of valuable resources for your outdoor learning journey.

Keep Reading…

• Working With Hesitant Parents to Embrace Outdoor Learning
• Are These 7 Outdoor Education Myths Holding You Back from Thriving Outside?
• Outdoor Education for Non-Outdoorsy Teachers