Best Practice: 3.2 Outdoor Learning: Outdoor learning experiences are provided. 

About

Outdoor learning has been a strategy employed for a long time that aims to fulfill the function of teaching and learning in an outside environment. This has gone by many labels since the term “Outdoor Education” was introduced in the 1940’s¹. Outdoor learning can serve as a supplement or complimentary teaching methodology in addition to common classroom learning. This is in contrast to the traditional standardized test based curriculum which focuses on scores and memorization rather than effective and immersive long-term learning. “Support of school-based, experiential, outdoor education as one of many powerful ways to engage our students in meaningful, memorable, and motivating learning”². With this in mind, MN GreenStep Schools aims to provide students, educators, and community members with the resources they need to increase outdoor learning experiences for students K-12.

Vision and Benefits

There are many benefits to outdoor learning.

• Mental Health: Improved self-efficacy, mindfulness, and subjective well-being (Mutz and Muller, 2016).

• Physical Health: Students are more sedentary and spend more time interacting with media than the physical world around them with as little as 30 minutes a week spent outdoors (James and Williams, 2017).

• Emotional Health: A large portion of students have reported being dis-engaged with school-based learning and curriculum. An original report from Blad (2014) has argued that “emotional engagement in school is the noncognitive factor that most directly correlates with academic achievement” (James and Williams, 2017). Emotional engagement to the content leads to increased motivation and attention as well as development of social and critical thinking skills.

• Social Skills: Engagement with the natural environment is beneficial for the well-being of a developing child. Group learning often is associated with outdoor activities which can lead to increased self and social awareness. Can lead to “self-confidence, responsibilities, sense of pride, cooperation, and problem solving skills as well as promote deeper relationships between students and teachers” (Mirrahimi et. al., 2011).

• Practical (Physical) Skills: Three important elements: cardiovascular fitness (endurance), orthopedic fitness (strength and flexibility), and weight maintenance (Britenstein and Ewert, 1990). The physical benefits from outdoor physical activity which often accompanies outdoor learning activities is especially important as students’ learning has been heavily influenced by increased technology use in and outside of the classroom. 

Who's Doing It?

Here are examples of Schools practicing Outdoor Learning

Outdoor learning that incorporates curriculum focusing on using nature and the outdoors as resources has been widely adopted by many independent schools and districts. This takes place through using outdoor spaces designated for learning or utilizing partnerships and public spaces as a resource. Many Minnesota schools that were awarded Green Ribbon recognition have incorporated outdoor learning, for example:

• School of Environmental Studies in Apple Valley, MN, received a 2013 Green Ribbon School award. A 2013: a reviewer commented, "Their work in Pillar 3 has no equal among Minnesota high schools.” While a school with their special focus may have more outdoor learning features than others, many schools could implement similar ideas. Some of their their practices include:  

  • School garden that sends produce and garden goods home with students, 

  • Winter themed learning, outdoor winter camping, hiking, 

  • Outdoor classroom, with garden, rain gardens, composting, hiking trails, pond, amphitheater, 

  • Indoor Living wall, several aquariums, pets, 

  • Partnership with the Minnesota Zoo, DNR, City of Apple Valley, 

  • Courses in Nature based photography and Ornithology

  • Students must know 100 native and invasive animals and plants before graduating

  • Art classes regularly outdoors or at MN Zoo

  • Basic and complex math based on environmental issues and measurements of collections

  • Students expected to keep a "house" journal about observations outdoors

• Glendale Elementary School in Savage received a 2016 Green Ribbon School award. Their outdoor learning practices are also impressive and include: 

  1. Butterfly and perennial garden

  2. Snow shoeing

  3. Animal tracking, 

  4. Snow Fest, Winter Wonders

  5. EPA's Sunwise program (UV protection for kids)

  6. Utilizing nearby Environmental Learning Center with direct trail access, 

  7. Eco-Adventure Summer Camps, 

  8. Junior Naturalists who monitor bird feeders

  9. Trips to Wolf Ridge Learning Center

The Datasheet (future) for each Best Practice is a resource you can use to plan actions you want to take, implement those actions in a project, and submit documentation for the project along with a project story form.  

Implement Best Practice Actions in a Project

Select Best Practice Actions (BPAs) to work on and complete

Review the list of actions that can be taken to shift your district or school towards incorporating more outdoor learning experiences for students. Start by documenting practices that are already being done at the school. For example perhaps your school already has a community garden, dedicated outdoor learning spaces, and regular time spent outdoors completing classwork. 

A. Management Practices 

A.1 Outdoor Learning Assessment 

• Create an  inventory list of outdoor learning activities that tracks:

  • How much, who, where, when, etc…

• Survey teachers to assess needs and barriers, etc.

A.2 Outdoor Learning Plan

• Create a plan of action that outlines goals and objectives

• Involve stakeholders in planning process

B. Outdoor Learning Spaces

B.1 Identify and Establish Outdoor Classrooms

• Identify outdoor spaces that could be used as outdoor classrooms on or off-site.

  1. Natural or built areas, recreational fields, and even parking lots can serve as an outdoor learning space.

B.2 Identify and Establish Community Gardens

• Food gardens, butterfly gardens, native prairie gardens are a few varieties that can exist with the goal of bringing the community together to promote plant and animal growth.

B.3 Contact Local Parks and Public Centers for Permissions and Partnerships

• Contact local parks, nature centers, and public lands to gain access to nearby areas for outdoor learning and potentially service projects

B.4 Assess Utility of School Yards

• Identify existing playgrounds and recreational areas and consider how they could be enhanced or used for environmental education 

C.  Classroom Logistics

C.1 Assess Accessibility Accommodations

• Consider pavement versus gravel trails, easily navigated entrances and exits, accommodations for learning disabilities or particularities. Sight, hearing, physical challenges.

C.2 Determine Financial Costs and Considerations

• Consider budget for special equipment purchase, maintenance and replacement

• Consider additional classroom aids to assist teachers in managing students outside traditional classroom 

C.3 Determine Safety Measures and Precautions

• Safety interactions with community members and strangers, basic fire and weather safety, appropriate clothing and materials with adult supervision. 

• Allergies and first aid

C.4 Assess Seasonal Considerations

• Weather accommodations, clothing, safety protocols for students for all seasons.

C.5 Create Classroom Management Plan

• Have students keep an individual journal to track activities and reflect on experiences. 

• Outdoor teaching kit including tools and resources for teachers and students ( ex writing materials, field guides, etc…)

D. Curriculum and Content

D.1 Physical Education

• Health and Wellness are both promoted through outdoor learning experiences. Involve moving the body, getting fresh air and sunshine. 

D.2 Humanities

• Language, Literature, Art, History, and Philosophy and subjects that are often individualized and create personal, meaningful connections with students. Examples include nature journals, environmental novels, and nature based artwork and design. 

D.3 STEM

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math subjects can all be incorporated into lesson plans carried out outdoors.

D.4 Environmental Education

• Using nature as a model and method of delivery, for example, using a tree- measuring circumference, species identification, seasonal changes, plant growth

D.5 Maintain Progress Journal

• Informal reflections and check ins. Engagement and experiences noted. 

E. Partnerships and Participating Programs

E.1 Explore Partnerships with Local, State, and Federal Funded Organizations

• MN DNR, MN Department of Health, U.S. Green Ribbon Schools, MN Green Schoolyards, DNR School Forest Program

E.2 Explore Partnerships with Non-Government Organizations

• For example: Wolf Ridge Nature Center, Junior Naturalists, Science Museum of MN, University of Minnesota, Pheasants Forever, Jeffers Foundation, 

E.3 Develop Relationships and Partnerships with Indigenous Communities

• Local Tribes or Reservations and understanding Indigenous knowledge.

• Unique knowledge, relationships, tribal government entity

F. Special Events and Programs

F.1 Consider Implementation of Earth Day

• Celebrations promoting sustainability and community engagement for the environment

F.2 Create Winter Activity Curriculum 

•  Feature curriculum dedicated to winter survival and educational activities such as snowshoeing, weather awareness, and animal tracking.

F.3 Explore Extracurricular Programs

• Summer camps or before and after school programs on or off-site offered by schools with a focus on outdoor learning experiences.

F.4 Build Partnerships with Nature Centers

• For example: Wolf Ridge, Bakers Near Wilderness Center, etc,..

G. Impact Assessment

G.1 Establish a Performance Monitoring Practice with Baseline

G.2 Measure impact

• Conduct teacher surveys that track observations of classroom dynamics and learning artifacts. 

• Conduct student surveys

• Explore partnerships with universities utilizing school students through program evaluations. 

Related Best Practices

Outdoor Learning best practices can be enhanced by combination with best practices in other categories. For example, teachers may benefit from training in outdoor learning, which would fall under best practice 3.3. A school garden for outdoor learning can also be related to best practices in 2.7 Nutrition. Explore opportunities for helpful connections and combinations with other best practices across categories.

Connections to Outcome Area 2: Improved Health and Wellness

As the world faced the Covid-19 global health crisis, students and educators have been faced with the challenge of keeping students and staff safe while also providing learning environments that are accessible for everyone. The schools that have been best equipped with outdoor learning spaces and experiences have been the most prepared during the pandemic when many operations were closed down or limited due to safety concerns. Outdoor learning is a beneficial alternative to traditional classroom settings that could pose a health hazard to students and staff. Which is why it is more important than ever that schools are well equipped with the materials and resources to help educate students in an out of classroom environment. Even as the impact of the pandemic lessens over time, the benefits of fresh air and outdoor learning remain.

Submit Annual Review

The annual review for this best practice includes

• Confirming that Best Practice Actions are still active. (Eg. are programs still in operation and working? Are event or time based actions repeated each year?)

• Amending the documentation with any changes

• Adding any lessons learned from the prior year to share with others.

To submit the annual review, send in the datasheet (future) for this best practice with updated calendar year in the update column to reflect which BPAs are still active.

GreenStep Advisor

• Contact Jonee Kulman Brigham for assistance

GreenStep Resource Organizations

Explore GreenStep Resource Organizations for this best practice based on types of assistance they offer. As more resource organizations join, there will be more offerings and an ability to sort by type and topic of support. In particular:

• For a comprehensive resource, see the Minnesota Association for Environmental Education, which hosts a searchable database of resources called the EE Portal to support environmental education, including outdoor learning.

Also see:

• Yes! (Youth Eco Solutions) - many YES! projects involve outdoor learning

• Trust for Public Land (TPL) Research, design assistance, and grants for green schoolyards

• MN GIS Education Hub (GIS tools and apps free to K-12 schools can be used effectively in outdoor learning)

• U.S. Green Building Council - Minnesota Center for Green Schools has a library of resources

Online Resources:

Other online resources include:

• The Children and Nature Network has a website with resources and research database on the value of children spending time outdoors

• Minnesota Department of Education's page on Outdoor and Nature-Based Learning

• Department of Natural Resources (DNR) web page on Funding for No Child Left Inside to see updates on dates and application processes

• Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  web page on School Forests in Minnesota

• National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)

• North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), including EE program evaluation guidance