Building Environmental Literacy with Outdoor Learning:
Introduction to Outdoor Learning | K - 5|
Teachers will work with the Change is Simple team to address some of the common challenges associated with setting up an outdoor classroom - from keeping track of and moving materials, and dealing with unpredictable events. Teachers will start this workshop with a lesson on bringing the outdoors in as a way to get comfortable with using outdoor materials. Next, they will look at useful ways to set up a productive outdoor learning space, and will experience a science lesson focusing on exploring the ecosystem surrounding their school environment.
Curriculum Alignments: Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, Mass. Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework
Creating Outdoor Environments for Teaching Math and ELA | K - 5 |
Designed for the teacher who is comfortable in their ability to teach outdoors, this lesson will broaden teachers’ understanding of environmental literacy within math and ELA lessons. This workshop will develop a teacher’s ability to capitalize on the engagement and motivation of students in an outdoor setting to better implement environmental literacy standards. Using math and ELA skills, teachers will identify ways to infuse environmental literacy into their outdoor learning lessons. Teachers will build on their own environmental literacy through fun and engaging math + ELA outdoor lessons with opportunities to engage with colleagues, self reflect, and imagine a sustainable future.
Curriculum Alignments: Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, Mass. Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework
Environmental Justice in the Outdoor Classroom | 3 - 5 |
This workshop will expand teachers’ repertoire to include cross-curricular units focused on sustainability and environmental justice. Teachers will walk away with the skills to integrate many elements of SEL, NGSS, Common Core, and MSHF through the lens of environmental literacy and stewardship utilizing the outdoor environment as a critical learning tool. Teachers will investigate how historical sustainable practices can be used to address current and future ecological crises. These lessons will focus on the ecological history of the landscape, weaving in elements of ecological change, environmental justice, and sustainability.
Curriculum Alignments: Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, Mass. Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework