Place-Based Learning: using your senses and digital tools as you experience nature
Hybrid Approaches to Facilitating High-Impact Experiences With the global pandemic, teachers are being challenged to teach online, face-to-face or both. The current situation, in addition to shifting practices in education over the past decade or more, causes us to wonder: How can we virtually facilitate high-impact, place-based learning experiences with our students? What practices might […]
iNaturalist
A joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, iNaturalist creates an online and global network of naturalists, biologists, and plant-enthusiasts. With the goals to connect people with nature and to create a repertoire of biodiversity data, iNaturalist is a potential entry point for students (and teachers!) into the world of […]
Opportunities for Outdoor Learning: podcast resource post
The recent announcement (May 19, 2020) by the Ministry of Education, while clarifying many aspects of what schooling will look like for the balance of this school year, has also caused concern and questions for both in-service and pre-service teachers. Below, I’ve shared a few resources that might support BEd TCs as they plan for […]
Walking Curriculum: learning outside
My hope is that images and knowledge of the local natural world will become etched in students’ minds–they will come to know the Place in great(er) detail. Each walk can provide deeper understanding, clarity, richness, and detail to students’ understanding of Place. We can see how Mathematics or Science or Social Studies teaching can […]
Scavenger Hunts, BINGO games & more: get your students moving!
“…challenge and learning are a large part of what makes good video games motivating and entertaining. Humans actually enjoy learning, though sometimes in school you wouldn’t know that” (Gee, 2007). An increasingly large body of work supports the notion that game-playing can promote engagement and and deepen student learning. By playing games, an activity deeply […]