What: Cross-class collaborations such as buddy reading and whole-grade events provide easy opportunities to take children outdoors.
How: For example, if two classes typically do buddy reading, take the kids outside to read. If kindergarten does Fun Fridays where they play games in the gym, take them outside to play the games instead. If the 3rd grade classes are bringing a guest speaker, consider having the speaker talk to students while gathered outdoors. If 1st grade is testing airplane creations for their flight project, rather than testing in the hallway, test outdoors.
Things to consider when planning:
- Coordinate with other teachers about where to meet outside
- Ensure the outdoor space will be available (sign-up sheet in main office, school outdoor space Google Doc, if your school has such)
- Have a rain plan (a space indoors to use if weather is bad)
- Have children bring needed materials outside (for example, bring books with them to read)
When: Many cross-class collaborations are regular, scheduled events like buddy reading that occur at a set time each week or bi-weekly. Keep the regular schedule but plan to do the gathering outside instead of in. If a grade typically gathers once a month to do an activity together, plan to do it at the same time outside.
Who: Teachers can coordinate with other teachers within or across grades. Administration can provide support by encouraging teachers to utilize cross-class collaboration time to go outside. They can create a Google Doc with outdoor spaces for teachers to sign-up to use. Librarians could plan cross-class reading/special events outdoors instead of inside.
Materials: The same materials you would need for the indoor event.
Why: Cross-class collaborations provide an excellent opportunity to take children outside as classes are often already transitioning out of their classroom. With the movement already planned for, no extra transition time will be needed to get outside. These are also scheduled times that are out of the regular academic schedule and can be an easy time to go outside without taking away from required subjects.
Consider: Consider thinking more broadly about a cross-class collaboration like buddy reading. You could make a buddy-learning collaboration between two classes. Sometimes the classes could read outside, but they could also do nature exploration together; they could do bud drawings/observations at different points throughout the year; they could learn new games together; they could share what they’ve been learning about in their own classes; they could even go outside for some snow play. Think beyond buddy reading and how you could utilize the changing of the seasons and the outdoor spaces at your school as opportunities to engage kids in outdoor exploration and learning.
Barriers addressed: Fairness Across Students/Classes; Out of Routine; Remembering to Include Nature; Scheduling; Sharing Spaces; Time Pressure; Time/Space in Standards