ECO – Educating Children Outside
Our First and Second Grade classes will regularly be using the outdoors as our classroom on Wednesday morning this year to learn how to care for themselves, others and the environment as well as address a number of the science standards at our grade levels. This time will enrich and support classroom learning and immerse students in the natural world.
Students will explore standards-based themes that will include: animal adaptations, life cycles, ecosystems, scientific investigations, physical geography and mapping. This content will be presented through skill-based games, observing, journaling, building, experimenting, drawing, writing, tracking, and sharing stories. Typically we will go out on Wednesday except for January and February, when the weather is unpredictable. In January and February we will do some animal research and writing during our ECO time inside.
Clothing Inventory
One focus of our curriculum is teaching children to prepare for being outdoors and to take good care of themselves while they are outside. The following list of clothing is necessary for every student to own or borrow from our school supply (if you are unable to purchase). Warm children are happy children! Even though the snow is not here yet, rainy days can be cold and we will be going outside when it rains.
Being Prepared/Clothing List (depending on time of year)
Rain jacket with a hood
Rain pants
Mud/Rain boots
Snow pants
Snow jacket
Socks (wool or fleece, no cotton!!)
Boots (insulated and warm!)
Hat (wool or fleece)
Water resistant gloves or mittens (please no cotton) 2 pairs
Neck warmer or scarf
It’s really helpful to send in a full change of clothing in a labeled bag for your child to keep at school to use as needed— for a mud puddle stumble at recess, milk spills at snack, rainy ECO lesson and other accidental mishaps.