Kids love being outside and exploring nature! Elementary school students look forward to immersive programs in Outdoor Education that take them on incredible scientific adventures with their peers. But teaching children about nature and going outside of the classroom shouldn’t be limited to a once-a-year intensive. There are easy ways to make time for Outdoor Education all year round.
At CRISTA Camps Miracle Ranch, we are blessed with a campus that plays host to a diversity of environmental opportunities for learning. Every year we host X number of students and pique their wonder at the beauty, complexity, and symbiotic nature of creation. Here are a few helpful things we've learned along the way to use with your student's scientific exploration through creation.
Ideas for Outdoor Education at Every Grade LevelIt’s never too early to teach children to love nature and take care of it. They love to go outside and explore, so let them do it!
Provide child-sized binoculars and magnifying glasses to use on a 15-minute walk around the playground. Then come back inside and have everyone share what they saw.
Chart the weather during circle time to build observation skills. Look for patterns of rainy, windy, and sunny days.
Notice leaves in spring as they come out and introduce the big concept of “photosynthesis”. Watch the leaves through the summer and pick them up in fall to bring inside and sort by color, shape, and size.
Have a classroom gerbil or fish for children to take turns feeding.
Connect academics with outdoor education to spark the imaginations of your elementary students.
Have each child keep a Nature Journal to write and draw in. (English and Art)
Take field trips to a local zoo or park to observe animals and plant life. (Observation skills and Science)
Give students measuring tools and have them measure as many things as they can find on a nature walk and record the results in their journals. (Math)
Expand on charting weather by putting out measuring containers to keep track of how much it rains or snows. (Math)
Take the class to the quietest place on the school grounds and have them listen and record what they hear in nature. (Observation skills and Record Keeping)
Give each student seeds and have them plant them in a cup, keeping them in the windowsill of the classroom and watering them as needed. Watch them grow.
Introduce students to Conservation with this lesson from CRISTA Camps.
Study plant life cycles using school landscaping. (Science)
Calculate area and perimeter of outdoor spaces. (Math)
Estimate height or distance and check for accuracy. (Math)
Give students 20 minutes outside to list sounds, textures, and patterns they notice. Come inside and have them write a poem or paragraph on what they saw.
Using materials from nature, students will construct a shelter for a specific animal and present it to the class.
Have a school-wide cleanup day where students pick up trash, sweep sidewalks, and weed garden beds.
Plant a class garden with each student given his or her own space to cultivate their favorite flower or vegetable.
With creativity and intention, the outdoors becomes another classroom. By stepping outside even briefly, teachers can create engaging, meaningful experiences that help students connect content, build skills, and exercise curiosity.
An immersive outdoor education program like that offered at Miracle Ranch Camp in Port Orchard is a highlight of the year for students in elementary school. For more ideas about teaching Outdoor Education or spending time at Miracle Ranch with your class, visit our Outdoor Education page.
