Friday, January 29, 2016

Reconnecting Your Students to the Lessons of Nature

Every Classroom Matters episode 209

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Justin Ward connect students to nature

We need to take kids out into nature! Far too many children are growing up not seeing the beauty of nature and not learning to respect the danger. We are going to inherit the future where the only thing valued by this generation is made of concrete, rebar, and steel. The lone wildflower that springs up in the sidewalk will just be seen as a weed. We need our kids fording streams, climbing mountains, and getting down on all fours to look at an insect they’ve never seen before. Listen to the show.

According to a 2015 Outdoor Recreation report (linked in resources), outdoor recreation is at its lowest levels since the report began in 2006. Only 60% of kids aged 13-17 report ONE outdoor activity in 2014. (Adults aged 18-24 have only 56% reporting one outdoor activity!)

Today’s show is about a school that takes kids outside into nature.  Many schools are canceling these nature field-trip events for safety or financial reasons. Never taking school children outside is a grave disservice to this generation who needs to get outdoors more than ever before. Let’s talk about nature, learning, and one thing we should be teaching in school.

Essential Questions: Reconnecting Your Students to the Lessons of Nature

  • How is an extended overnight nature experience be run by a school district?
  • How do you educate children on outdoor safety?
  • How can you raise money and secure parent support for nature learning experiences?
  • How does a successful 45-year outdoor nature program keep going in a budget-crunch situation?
  • What are the benefits from an overnight nature experience?
  • What technology can you use to help kids learn more about nature?

Educator Resources from this Episode

albert einstein look deep into nature Robert Frost look deep in the woods nature learning

Leave Us a Rating and Review

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above.button-itunes

How to reconnect students to nature

The post Reconnecting Your Students to the Lessons of Nature appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!


from Cool Cat Teacher BlogCool Cat Teacher Blog http://www.coolcatteacher.com/reconnecting-your-students-to-the-lessons-of-nature/


No comments:

Post a Comment