Early & Effective Outdoor Early & Effective Outdoor Education:Education:

Nurturing the Future of Nurturing the Future of

Children & NatureChildren & Nature By Melanie Van ZwietenBy Melanie Van Zwieten

What is Outdoor What is Outdoor Education? Education?

OUTDOOR EDUCATION OUTDOOR EDUCATION CONTINUUMCONTINUUM

KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

OUTDOOR EDUCATION OUTDOOR EDUCATION CONTINUUMCONTINUUM

(Cohen & Horn-Wingerg, 1993, Sobel, 1996, Coffey 2001, Kellert. 2002 cited in White, n.d.)

SKILLSSKILLS

OUTDOOR EDUCATION OUTDOOR EDUCATION CONTINUUMCONTINUUM

(Nicol, 2002b, Gough, 1990 & Slattery, 2001 cited in Lugg, 2004)

KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

SKILLSSKILLS

OUTDOOR EDUCATION OUTDOOR EDUCATION CONTINUUMCONTINUUM

Develop studentsDevelop studentslove, appreciationlove, appreciationand care forand care fornaturalnaturalenvironments environments

Which leads toWhich leads tosustainable sustainable

actionsactions

That translate toThat translate toenvironmentallyenvironmentally sensitivesensitive attitudesattitudes

(Martin,1999 cited in Lugg, 2004)(Martin,1999 cited in Lugg, 2004)

We need to foster We need to foster a connection a connection

between children between children & their natural & their natural

environmentenvironment

(Preston, 2004; Pergams & Zaradic, 2007)

What is Disconnecting What is Disconnecting Children from Nature?Children from Nature?

How children lost the right to roam How children lost the right to roam in four generationsin four generations

(Derbyshire, 2007)

Cultural ChangesCultural Changes

UrbanisationUrbanisation

Stranger DangerStranger Danger

Latchkey KidsLatchkey Kids

Scheduled for successScheduled for success

(Pergams & Zaradic, 2007; White, n.d.)

Parental Protection from PlayParental Protection from Play

Legal LiabilityLegal Liability

Computer Competence: Computer Competence: Competitive WorkplaceCompetitive Workplace

Media TechnologyMedia Technology

(Womack, 2007; Yule, 2002; Houghton, 2007; White, n.d.)

(Pergams & Zaradic, 2007)

(White, n.d.)

Curricular ApproachCurricular Approach

A combination of positive and personal learning experiences in local settings such as parks and the school yard, where students can connect theirknowledge and skills to their daily lives. The morepersonal children's experience with nature, themore environmentally concerned they are likelyto become. This will aid the development of children’s environmental values which will lead to environmentally responsible behaviours.

(Fisherman, 2001 cited in White, n.d.)(Fisherman, 2001 cited in White, n.d.)

Will This Approach Work?Will This Approach Work?

Preston (2004) research reiterates that outdoor educationPreston (2004) research reiterates that outdoor educationthat merely facilitates students’ knowledge of flora, faunathat merely facilitates students’ knowledge of flora, faunaand/or skills for outdoor activities such as canoeing, andand/or skills for outdoor activities such as canoeing, andexpects that children will fortuitously connect with nature, isexpects that children will fortuitously connect with nature, issimply imprudent (Lugg, 2004). simply imprudent (Lugg, 2004).

Preston investigated other ways of knowing nature, includingPreston investigated other ways of knowing nature, includingexperiential, spiritual and artistic, and found student-centredexperiential, spiritual and artistic, and found student-centredapproaches that focused on learners and their experiencesapproaches that focused on learners and their experiencesin local and everyday places that were ‘entwined’ within local and everyday places that were ‘entwined’ withstudents lives, had an overwhelmingly positive influence onstudents lives, had an overwhelmingly positive influence onstudents connections with nature (Preston, 2004).students connections with nature (Preston, 2004).

We need to find many different ways to give

nature back to all of our children.

Parents, teachers, community leaders,

outdoor educators can all be part of this effort

to make outdoor opportunities available,

fun, educational, inspiring and

reconnecting for all children.

(Houghton, 2007)(Houghton, 2007)

Many ways to do this …Many ways to do this …

Give children daily opportunities in nature Schedule time Have a positive attitude about children’s excitement Use transitions to engage children in nature Ensure children are equipped for outside play Gain consent and approval Look for experiences in nearby places Involve parents Talk about outdoor experiences

(Williams, 2008)

ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

Pick out a "special" tree your class can easily visit on a routine basis

Visits to your “special tree” can include:

Picnic lunch Story time To gather leaves for sensory activities Relaxation and wind-down time Cloud watching

Photograph students at the tree doing many different activities as they progress and grow over the school year. Create a "Class Tree" book that everyone, including parents can enjoy using a small photo album.

Class Tree BookClass Tree Book

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Butterfly GardenButterfly Garden

This butterfly garden will attract butterflies and develop students relationship

with the beauty of natures creatures. Teachers can explore the growing rarity

of butterflies to develop students sense of empathy for natures creatures.

Guide:

Provide the butterflies with: Warmth (a sunny spot) Shelter (shrubs and trees) Nectar (plant: Sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalis; Red valerian,

Centranthus ruber; Lavender, Lavandula; Honesty, Lunaria annua; Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum; Butterfly bush, Buddleja davidii;

Butterflies will start to use your garden to feed and maybe even breed.

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Water PaintingWater Painting

Encourage children to express themselves artistically on the playground andschool walls using natures ‘paint’ water. As the sun shines, children watchthe designs fade as the water evaporates.

What you will need: Water in clean containers Brushes and plastic spray bottles

Guide: Students paint their piece of art Watch designs disappear

Sensory GardenSensory GardenThis garden develops the five senses whilst fostering an interest in a varietyof flowers and plants. Encourage students to describe in words and picturesthe sights, smells, textures and tastes that these wonderful plants bring?

Sight: Brightly coloured plants and flowers are great for art subjects.

Sound: Ask students to listen to the sounds of nature: singing birds and wind rustling plants. Larger bamboo canes are great for making wind chimes.

Touch: Get students to touch the plants and describe what they feel like. Explain every texture has a purpose. For instance, furry leaves

protect the plants from hot and cold weather and sharp spines stop insects eating them.

Smell: Flowers’ fragrances often have a purpose, from attracting insects to deterring pests. See if students can recognise the smells of

plants such as Curry and Lavender plants.

Taste: Plants can have tasty fruits to attract animals to eat them and disperse their seeds for them. Plant strawberries or tomatoes and let children enjoy the ‘fruits of their labor’.

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Creature CastingsCreature Castings

Encourages your students to be animal detectives and explore nature forclues animals have left behind in the form of tracks.

Guide: Mix dentstone with water to the consistency of pancake batter. Find animal prints (or sneakily create ones using a cut-out). Pour to overfill the track well on all sides. Place a one-and-half inch high circular ring around track before casting. Collect when completely hard. Students discuss the different animals who could be responsible for the

tracks.

This activity also provides students with time in nature and free exploration.

(Rain, 2002)

Bug StudyBug StudyIncrease students understanding of wildlife by catching and drawing insects.Build students vocabulary by asking them to describe the bugs basic structures. What you will need: Plastic boxes (Chinese containers or cheese boxes) A magnifying glass Compost or soil, small pebbles or a stone Paper, pencil or fine-line writer pen or coloured crayons Garden trowel for digging

Guide: Put damp soil or compost in the box and add a stone or two. Give students time to explore and find their bugs; cool, damp places, under

stones, flowers, leaves and the soil. Observe the work of the bugs. Students collect them carefully using a piece of card to pick them up. Children use their magnifying glass to observe the bugs structures. How

many legs do they have? What colours are they? Students draw one or more of the insects. When they have finished drawing, remind students to put the insects back

where they found them. (BBC Gardening, 2009)

Pet PlantPet Plant

Digging up a dandelion and watching it grow flowers and seed clocks willencourage students to follow the cycle of bud to seed in detail. It shouldencourage and show them how to take care of potted plants over severalweeks of watching and observing.

Guide: Students place some rocks at the base of their/class plant pot. Then they need to half-fill the pot with soil or compost. Students find and dig up a dandelion. Most of the long taproot has to be

dug up with it, without which it will quickly die. Plant it in the pot, and firm it in with more soil or compost. Let them water it well, then put it on a windowsill. Look at it regularly. They should see it grow buds, then the flowers will

open, then they'll die, and finally the seed clocks will form. Their dandelion should grow quite a few flowers. They can count how

many it grows, then see if they can guess how many seeds it has produced - hundreds!

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Scrapbook for SeasonsScrapbook for SeasonsCreate a scrapbook of the school grounds to help children appreciate thechanging seasons and see the value of simple and regular observation.

What you will need A scrapbook and camera Sticky-backed plastic and glue Old seed catalogues Scissors, paper, felt pens and crayons

Guide Students draw a picture of themselves in the garden for their scrapbook. Students collect garden items from the ground to put in their scrapbook. They can draw pictures of different parts of the school grounds and gardens. Take photographs of students in the garden. Select a place and take a picture of it each month to observe the changes. Encourage them draw the different birds and creatures they see over the

seasons. They may see butterflies, beetles, ants, bees, frogs, even local cats. Give students old seed catalogues to design their dream flowerbed. Have students ask their parents to add something to their book.

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Treasure HuntTreasure HuntEncourage students to look carefully, asking them to find some unusual things in the school grounds. It will aid language development and basic mathand social skills. But best of all, students enjoy being outdoors.

GuideGive them a list of things to look for. Below are a few ideas: Numbers - find leaves with 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 points. Colours - find colours in a rainbow, match the colours on their clothing. Shapes - find an example of a: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval. Vocabulary - find something: hard, soft, wet, dry, cold, big, small,

beautiful, ugly, thick, thin, smelly, spiky. Alphabet - find something beginning with each letter of the alphabet.

Tips Use an area where you can see students or they can hear if you call. Remind them not to:

Eat berries, leaves etc which they find. Break plants, pick flowers or leaves, but to find them on the ground. Go off without being able to see you.

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Creating CompostCreating Compost

Creating compost empowers children to make a difference. Students canadd their lunch scraps and other materials to make healthy soil. They candig the soil into the school gardens to make them flourish.

What you will need A compost bin with a lid and old carpet to keep in the heat Old plant and kitchen waste Soil

Guide Set up the compost site or bin on the earth not concrete. Fill the bin with dead leaves, garden waste, fruit and vegetable peelings

from lunch and sprinkle in some soil. Watch students eat more fruit! Cover with carpet and leave it until you put more waste inside. After 3-4 months remove the cover and help students dig the compost

over. Leave it to rot down further. When the bottom of the compost is brown and crumbly, it is ready. Students can dig it into the school gardens.

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Caterpillar MagicCaterpillar Magic

Introduce your children to the metamorphic lifecycle of moths and butterflies.Collecting and observing caterpillars will foster their interest in the naturalworld and increase their awareness of the local environment.

What you will need Glass jar and class tank Plant for food Magnifying glass

Guide Students explore school gardens for caterpillars. Students put them in a glass jar with some of the plant for food. Each day students check that caterpillars have enough food. Now they just need to watch and wait . . . and wait . . . and wait! The caterpillars should get bigger and might even shed their skin. After a while they will turn into a chrysalis. One day each chrysalis will hatch into a butterfly or a moth. Now students can let them out into the garden.

(BBC Gardening, 2009)

Benefits Beyond NatureBenefits Beyond Nature

Greater ability to concentration Greater self-discipline Advanced motor fitness coordination, balance and agility Reduced levels of sickness Fosters language and collaborative skills Improved cognitive development Greater ability to deal with stress and adversity Reduces or eliminates bullying Instills a sense of peace Fosters more positive feelings about themselves and others Stimulates social interaction Greater development of independence and autonomy

(White, n.d.)

One of the most compelling attributes of One of the most compelling attributes of outdoor education is its unique capacity to outdoor education is its unique capacity to instill a love of and connection to natureinstill a love of and connection to nature

in young people, giving them a kinship with in young people, giving them a kinship with the natural world that will help them become the natural world that will help them become

environmental stewards in the future.environmental stewards in the future. Houghton, 2007

Recommended TextRecommended Text

Last Child in the WoodsLast Child in the WoodsSaving Our Children from Nature-Deficit DisorderSaving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Author: Richard LouvAuthor: Richard Louv

ReferencesReferences

BBC Gardening, 2009, Gardening with Children, accessed 22/04/2009, http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/.

Derbyshire, D 2007, ‘How children lost the right to roam in four generations’ The

Daily Mail, UK, 15 June, accessed 16/02/2009, http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/how_children_lost_the_right_to_roam_in_four_generations/ Rain, D 2002, ‘Getting youth started tracking and stalking’, Green Teacher, Fall 2002, no.69, pp.15-17

Houghton, E 2007, ‘Book Review: Reconnecting Children through Outdoor Education – A Research Summary ', Journeys, viewed 16/02/2009, http://www.voea.vic.edu.au/shop/ReconnectingChildren_Review.pdf.

Lugg, A 2004, ‘Outdoor adventure in Australian outdoor education: Is it a case of roast for Christmas dinner? ’, Journal of Outdoor Education, vol.8, no.1, pp4-11.

Pergams, O & Zaradic, P 2007, ‘Kids picking TV over trees’ The Nature Conservancy, 28 June, accessed 16/02/2009, http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/kids_picking_tv_over_trees/

References ContinuedReferences Continued

Preston, L 2004, ‘Making connections with nature: Bridging the theory – practice gap in outdoor and environmental education’, Australian Journal of Outdoor Education, vol.8, no.1, pp12-19.

Yule, V 2002, ‘Justice & Legal Liability Insurance’, Australian Fabian Society, accessed 16/02/2009, http://www.fabian.org.au/968.asp Australian Fabian Society

White, R n.d., Interaction with Nature during the Middle Years: Its Importance in Children's Development & Nature's Future, accessed 16/02/2008, http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/nature.shtml.

Williams, E 2008, ‘Exploring the Natural World with Infants and Toddlers in an Urban Setting’, Young Children, vol.63, no.1, pp.22-25

Womack, S 2007, ‘Let children learn by taking risks, says RoSPA’ The Telegraph, UK, 06 June, accessed 16/02/2009,http://www.childrenandnature.org/index.php?/news/detail/let_children_learn_by_taking_risks_says_rospa