Outdoor Topics in the Curriculum

K-PS2-1/2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions — use the playground to investigate how different directions of pushes and pulls impact the motion of an object. Collect and analyze data on how to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull.

K-ESS2-1 Earth Systems — Take students outside to make and share observations of local weather conditions. Use collected data to describe patterns over time.

K-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems — Observe trees and plants and animals during different seasons, construct an argument supported by evidence of how plants and animals can change the environment to meet their needs

K-PS3-1 Energy — Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface. Place objects of different materials (soil, rocks, cloth, leaves) in different locations and test how much sunlight they absorb by feeling them for heat. Do the test multiple times to discuss the impact of clouds, angle of light coming from sun.

K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes — Observe squirrels or other local animals and notice how what they do helps meet their needs (collect food, build nest, drink water, look for predators)

1-PS4-1 Waves and Their Applications — Plan and conduct an investigation of how different materials on the playground vibrate to make different sounds (strike plastic, wood, metal, different sized objects)

1-ESS1 Earth’s Place in the Universe — Make observations of the sun, moon and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted. Observe the sun at different times and use that to understand how the earth spins making the sun appear to move across the sky each day. Prepare students to make observations of the moon and stars at home with families and share observation in class.

1-LS3-1 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits — Observe small plants on the school grounds to notice how parent and offspring plants are similar but not exactly the same.

1-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes — Observe how plants have external structures like thorns. Then make models of how we as humans mimic these structures to meet our needs.

2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions –Observe and classify different kinds of materials on the playground by observing their properties (color, texture, hardness, flexibility). Then test different materials for strength, absorption, etc. and make conclusions about why certain materials were used to make certain playground components.

2-LS2-1 Ecosystems — Plan and conduct investigations to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow. Use outdoor plants on school grounds. Cover some to limit light exposure, put plastic or Vaseline over some to limit air, etc., then collect data and make observations.

2-LS4-1 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity — Make observations of plants and animals in different habitats (urban yard, small woods, field, whatever is accessible)

2-ESS2-1 Earth’s Systems — Use the outdoors to test how to slow or prevent wind and water from changing the shape of land–use soil, sand, clay and test with wind, water and time.

3-PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions — Investigate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on objects (seesaw, bring materials outside to test, what forces make a ball move, stop, etc), Make observations and measurements about an object’s movement (ex: ball) and how to predict future motions. This can all be done with different types of balls outside using tape measures or yardsticks and strings.

3-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes — Observe diverse life cycles in nature (garden plants, plants on school grounds, local animals including small mammals, frogs, insects). Use the outdoors to get students engaged in observation then have them developed models to describe the unique life cycles of these organisms and what they have in common.

3-LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits — Students can observe how plants and animals have traits inherited from their parents that are variations of these traits. Use plants and animal located on school grounds to observe. The next step is to observe how the environment can influence traits such as limited water can stunt the growth of a tall plant.

3-ESS2 Earth’s Systems — Use the outdoors to observe and record data about typical weather conditions in a particular season. Then use data to compare to weather in other locations, create graphs and charts.

4-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes — Students need to construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external functions to support survival, growth, behavior and reproduction. Use a school garden, a trip to the woods, or other outdoor observations to gather data/observations to support student arguments.

4-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe –Take students on a trip to a local site where they can see evidence of rock formation, fossils, and layers in rocks. Students can use their observation to construct explanations to tell how patterns in rock formation support changes in a landscape over time.

5-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes — Engage students in close observation of a variety of plants (grass, weeds, garden plants, trees). Students must use these observations to support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.

5-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics — Student can use observations from the food chain (sun, to plants, to animals, to decomposers, to compost, etc) in a school garden or other local area to develop a model to describe the movement of mater among plants, animals, decomposers and the environment.