STAY INFORMED
STAY INFORMED
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A compilation of articles that showcase leading-edge exemplars and the benefits of outdoor learning. This newsletter is ideal for sharing to raise awareness about the movement and it includes many of the articles listed below.
Ten Strands | January 2025
Seaberry developed and directs the powerful Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, a model for standards-aligned instruction that empowers teachers with the resources to move learning outside. She also created the grassroots Ocean Guardian School Program, giving students ownership of community stewardship projects. Dive in to learn the origin story of these vital programs and why Seaberry believes collaboration is key to equitable access to nature. Author: Ten Strands, Seaberry Nachbar
For over fifteen years, the California State Parks PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students)® Program has been building the infrastructure and relationships needed to bring state parks directly into classrooms through a suite of digital resources, including their flagship live, interactive video programs, available for free. Author: Brad Krey
At the heart of Solano County Office of Education’s (SCOE) outdoor learning initiatives are California’s Environmental Principles & Concepts (EP&Cs). In the second part of her blog, Summer Belloni, environmental literacy program manager at the Solano County Office of Education, dives deeper into how we collaborate with community partners to enhance student learning and create opportunities for all. Author: Summer Belloni
The California Campaign for Outdoor Learning is collaborating with multidisciplinary researchers to develop a powerful narrative that advances legislation and funding to ensure all children—especially the most vulnerable—spend significantly more time learning in safe, enriching outdoor environments from TK through 12th grade. In the last days of April 2025, the campaign held a Research and Evaluation Convening of thirty-five brilliant thought leaders and researchers, here's what happened. Author: Craig Strang
Jason Spencer, founder and project director of Green Light Get Outside (Green Light GO), shares how the organization partners with schools and communities to bring transformative outdoor learning experiences to underserved youth, creating opportunities to connect with nature. Author: Jason Spencer
On May 12, 2025, we partnered with the California Department of Education (CDE) and the San Joaquin County Office of Education to host a third statewide convening at the Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center. This strategic gathering brought together 30 regional Expanded Learning leaders representing six County Offices of Education (COEs), seven local education agencies, and five community-based partners. Attendees explored how to leverage Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) funds and infrastructure to increase the prevalence of outdoor learning experiences during expanded learning time. CDE emphasized that significant ELOP funding remains available and encouraged attendees to continue pursuing it for outdoor learning. The day featured group dialogue, technical assistance, access to resources, and a site tour, and reflected the Campaign’s growing focus on the leading-edge exemplar strategy.
In the first part of her blog, Summer Belloni highlights the county as a leading example of how integrating outdoor learning across all grade levels—from early childhood to high school—enhances student engagement, wellness, and inclusion through hands-on activities like gardening, citizen science, and nature-based education. Author: Summer Belloni
On April 29-30, 2025, thirty-five practitioners, health researchers and learning researchers gathered to consider what is currently known about the benefits to children of spending time learning outdoors, and to discuss a research agenda for the future that will advance the field and the Campaign for Outdoor Learning. Author: Craig Strang
Krista Croteau, a TK teacher at Redwood Preparatory Charter in the northern California coast rural town of Fortuna, founded Forest Fridays—a monthly outdoor learning day that fosters curiosity, resilience, and a deep connection to nature with a focus on global perspectives—expanding education beyond the classroom and inspiring stewardship. Author: Krista Croteau
The California Campaign for Outdoor Learning seeks to secure legislation and funding to expand outdoor education for all six million TK–12 students, prioritizing marginalized groups and promoting health, academic success, and environmental stewardship through meaningful outdoor experiences. Author: Craig Strang
The San Joaquin County Office of Education offers hands-on outdoor learning programs like Durham Ferry and Sky Mountain, fostering academic growth, environmental literacy, and well-being while inspiring curiosity and stewardship, especially for underserved students. Author: Dr. Troy Brown
The global environmental poly-crisis threatens children’s well-being and deepens their disconnection from nature, but prioritizing green spaces and "nature-rich" childhoods can improve health, resilience, and environmental stewardship, fostering a generation committed to sustainable climate action. Author: Laís Fleury
Pediatricians Dr. Glassy and Dr. Tandon advocate for more outdoor time to combat the harms of reduced free play and screen overuse, emphasizing nature’s benefits while calling for community efforts to ensure equitable access to green spaces. Authors: Dr. Danette Glassy and Dr. Pooja Tandon
On September 17-18, 2024, forty-two field and thought leaders met in Los Angeles for an intensive think tank, focus group, and working session to review, critique, and expand on the Phase 1 Findings and test messaging for the Campaign. Author: Craig Strang
The Outdoor Core Mountain Kid program in Plumas County integrates place-based outdoor learning across all grades, fostering environmental stewardship through hands-on exploration, community partnerships, and standards-aligned curricula, serving as a model for rural education. Author: Rob Wade
Outdoor learning fosters hands-on experiences, student autonomy, and connections to nature, as seen in Little Cunha Farm, where sustainability, community partnerships, and student-driven projects inspire stewardship, resilience, and purposeful learning. Author: Sonia Myers
This report summarizes interviews with over twenty-five thought leaders, emphasizing the benefits of outdoor learning for California students. It highlights the goal of increasing outdoor learning time to 20-25% of the school day and outlines a plan for building a coalition to support statewide outdoor education initiatives. Author: Craig Strang
Ten Strands is leading a California-wide campaign to secure funding and expand outdoor learning, which research shows benefits TK–12 students’ well-being and academic success while addressing opportunity gaps. Author: Craig Strang
The article explains how the National COVID‑19 Outdoor Learning Initiative (NCOLI), in partnership with Ten Strands, helped California districts safely bring students back to in-person learning by using outdoor classrooms and nature-based instruction to support equity and reengagement during the pandemic. Authors: Sarah Pedemonte, Vanessa Lujan, and Craig Strang
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