Designing Outdoor Learning Experiences
Outdoor classrooms connect students with nature and provide
opportunities for students to explore all sorts of outdoor learning. This also
has the potential of making students aware of personal or community concerns,
which may drive them to take an active role in improving the environment.
Green education stimulates the senses and mind. Research has
found a strong correlation between a “green school” process and improved
schoolwide academic performance on standardized tests in reading, math and
science. In addition, research has
demonstrated how outdoor learning supports students’ cognitive functioning,
reduces symptoms of attention deficit disorder, increases self-discipline, and
boosts emotional well-being. Outdoor
classrooms can help counter an ever-growing nature-deficit disorder - which is
the state humans are in when cut off from nature: sense are dulled, attention
problems increase, and physical and emotional illnesses are at a higher rate.
With that in mind, Houlton is fortunate to be able to provide
students with opportunities to experience their own outdoor classroom! Sandy Madsen (Master Gardener) will be
starting her work at Houlton this Thursday, and is looking for ways to support classroom
teachers in their classroom (and outdoor classroom) instruction. We also have Melissa Dupont (Willow River
State Park) who is excited to partner with our teachers and/or school. And, we have a completed greenhouse that has
plenty of outdoor learning space. So how
can we incorporate this into an already packed day?
Time will be set aside to brainstorm ways to incorporate our
outdoor learning space at Tuesday’s staff meeting. Please come to the meeting* with an idea of an
IUI or other science/social studies units that could be enhanced with some sort
of garden or outdoor learning experience. This includes classroom teachers,
specialists, or anyone else that has an idea of how to get our kids outside and
learning. I’m excited to take advantage
of the opportunities we have, right here at Houlton.
Thank you! See you tomorrow morning!
Sue
*If you can’t be there on Tuesday, please share ideas with Sue.
