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10 Reasons to Take Your Students Outside

1. Nature is everywhere! Every school, home and daycare has some kind of outdoor space nearby where teachers can take students for school work or play.

2. School grounds and nearby nature provide a low- to no-cost setting for effective teaching. Field trips do not have to involve buses! A ten-minute walk in the community can be a prompt for writing or art activities, and schoolyard gardens can be used to teach maths and science skills.

3. Nature enhances academic achievement. Studies show that students learn more when they participate in authentic, inquiry-based lessons in the natural environment.

4. Nature-based activities improve student behavior. Students who are engaged in authentic learning misbehave less than others. Also, recess in the outdoors gets the “wiggles” out of their systems!

5. Students are motivated to learn when content is connected to nature. When learning takes place in their own environment, students want to find out more, read and research, and truly understand the material.

6. Outdoor learning promotes communication. Students who participate in outdoor project-based or issue-based activities learn to communicate with their peers and community volunteers.

7. Students improve cooperation skills when they spend time outside. They hone their skills as they work out issues on the playground or try to solve problems related to natural learning.

8. Nature helps students focus, including ADHD students. Students are more engaged in learning because nature is real and relevant for them.

9. Students are healthier and happier when they spend time outside. Students get more exercise when they are outside, whether for recess, P.E., or even for student learning.

10. School grounds and nearby nature provide a wonderful setting for curricular integration. Teachers can connect and integrate content in all subjects with themes or issues in the natural world.

(Thanks to Tamra Willis, originally posted in the Children & Nature Network)

http://childrenandnature.ning.com/group/naturalteachers/forum/topics/10-reasons-to-take-your-students-outside/ to read the original article with links to the original research and studies to back up each statement.


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