What: An easy way to increase time outside without compromising academic time or changing the regular schedule is to simply teach the lesson outside instead of in. Some topics like independent reading or writing are easy to take outside as they involve mostly independent work. Other topics like math, content and strategy lessons can also be taught outside. Perhaps gather students around the base of a tree in the shade and teach the lessons. If your school has an amphitheater or wooden platform, use that space. Working from the beginning of the year on expectations for behavior and learning outdoors will help students be more successful at attending to lessons and staying on task.
How: Consider what subjects or lessons work best for you and your students to take outside. An easy place to start is to do independent reading outside. Then try another subject. It is a good idea to change up which lessons you do outside so that students get a range of experiences and learn to attend to different tasks while in an outdoor space. Make a special indicator for Outside Learning that can be added to your schedule such as a picture of a tree that you can stick onto the subject that will be taught outside. This helps students prepare mentally for the change in schedule and can also help hold you accountable to actually getting out.
Reading: Students can carry their own books outside then select a special spot to sit and read quietly. If you typically do small group reading instruction during this time, gather your group in a circle in the grass, at the base of a tree or at a picnic table.
Math: Bring a portable white board outside with you so you can model problems and demonstrate concepts. If you have students do guided practice with personal white boards, have them carry them out. If you want students to do work in a math book, they can simply bring out their book and pencil and find a quiet place to work.
Read Aloud: Read-alouds are wonderful lessons to teach outdoors. Gather students around you to listen and discuss the book. Think-Pair-Share, Triads, Quads are all easy discussion protocols to utilize outdoors to discuss the text.
Content Lessons: Content lessons can involve a lot of materials but sometimes they simply involve reading a document or article and having a rich discussion. Consider if the lesson can be mobile and moved outdoors. Science and social studies trade books can be read outside, students can work in small groups on developing a poster or reading a book together. FOSS student textbooks can easily be taken outside. Another idea is to have students use sidewalk chalk to show thinking, learning or create concept maps on the blacktop.
| Questions to Consider | |
| Location |
|
| Materials |
|
| Weather |
|
| Communication |
|
| Student Expectations |
|
When: Think about how many lessons a week you would like to teach outside. If your goal is 2, think about which lessons in the week would work well taught outside and what the forecast is for different days that week, and then plan accordingly. You could do the lesson at the same time as it is typically scheduled though think about how much time you will need to transition to and from the outdoors. If you have a break or snack in your schedule, consider utilizing that time as the transition time and serving the snack while children work outside. Or, move the schedule so that the outdoor lesson happens at a time when students already have outdoor gear on and are near the first floor (right after arrival, before of after lunch/recess, before dismissal). While the weather at the beginning and end of the year offer supreme conditions for being outdoors, don’t hesitate to take students out for learning in fall, winter and early spring. The benefits far outweigh any inconvenience or brief discomfort.
Who: Classroom teachers can decide what lessons during their week would work best to teach outdoors. If students are pulled-out or if other adults push-in during the selected time, you would need to make a plan with those adults to accommodate the change.
Materials: folding chair, portable teaching white board, tarp, outdoor kit, lesson materials
Why: Teaching regular academic lessons outside is a perfect way to increase outdoor minutes while not taking away from academic time or changing the regular schedule.
Barriers addressed: Control over Curriculum; Curriculum Connections; Educator Content Knowledge; Materials and Funds; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Services; Time Pressure; Time/Space in Standards