Building a den is something involving creativity, problem solving and teamwork and think of the stories and drama activities that could take place once your den is built!
Working with children outside the classroom, we often see a different side to them. We all know that children learn best when happy and in a positive stimulating environment and being outdoors can provide a different experience to the classroom. Lessons outside may be seen as a special treat, but many schools are designing learning to incorporate regular periods in the school grounds or trips to a local outdoor space.
With activities for every year group, these plant resources will encourage children to explore the natural world around them, work scientifically, find out about the work of Charles Darwin and about modern day plant scientists working in different parts of the world- they even contain class certificates for your own plant hunters!
Children could get involved in bird watching, this video introduces fifteen British birds that you students most likely to see in the UK. It explains how to identify them by their size, shape, colour, habitat, behaviour and sounds. It could lead in to many activities counting different species, designing and make bird food and feeders.
As well as learning about the natural world, learning outdoors can encompass so much more. This film looks at how one school uses the school grounds as a valuable resource for learning across the primary curriculum, especially in numeracy. This article explores mathematics activities which utilise the environment and natural objects and are more effective on a large scale.
No matter what you do, if you view the outdoors as an extension of your classroom then the list is endless.
In fact, if you view the outdoors as an extension of your classroom then the list is endless, here are a few ideas: find 2D shapes in the local environment, make angles using sticks, create pictographs with leaves or pebbles, measure objects in the school grounds, bug counts, daytime moon viewing, make a sensory garden, create sculptures using natural materials, design a playground, even chalking calculations on the playground can be something different and less permanent than recording them in a book.
We would love to see any resources you have created for outdoor learning- them please share them here.
For those who wish to find out more about developing outdoor learning within school this book provides a great starting point to embed outdoor learning into the curriculum of all children.
Our primary conferences are offering workshops on outdoor learning in both mathematics and science, as well as many other inspiring ideas - so come along and join us.