This past weekend my three good friends and I took our kids fishing. The night before
the trip Kai and I predicted how many fish each person would catch and how many fish in total would be caught. We talked about how big the largest fish would be and which species of fish we’d catch. On the ride up the kids wonder how long the trip would take and at what time we’d arrive at our island. Collectively, they worked to solve the problem. The kids also tallied the different number of mammals they saw and marvelled at a beautiful cow moose they spotted. The kids read the odometer, speedometer, compass and clock. On the boat ride over to our island Kai and I talked about what causes a reflection on the water and tried to identify some of the different types of trees. The incidental learning continued all weekend long.
I love the outdoors and the opportunity to adventure. I believe some of my greatest
lessons learned in life were in the outdoors. Many of my students don’t have the same opportunity to experience their natural environment as my son or I do. I’m passionate about presenting my them with as many unique opportunities for learning as possible to help them realize their own passions. I want my students to realize that learning does not start and end in the classroom. In fact, the world is their classroom. I always look for opportunities to take the learning outside our classroom. For example, I have taken my students to volunteer at our local Shelter House, visit our local dump, and to visitFort William Historical Park. Technology has also allowed me to “take” my students on virtual field trip throughout the world, and on some adventures of my own. For example, I’ve taken my students up the Gunflint Trail to watch a lynx in pursuit of a rabbit and to Niagara Falls to do some real math.
Are you passionate about taking the learning outside? Have some great ideas? Want to learn how to connect the outdoors to your curriculum? Join us the #ONedchat Team TONIGHT at 8:30 for our Twitter chat!
Mr.C's SharesEase Blog 