Meaningful outdoor learning LESSON RESOURCES
Getting kids outside is essential for developing their understanding of the natural world. Plus, multiple studies have highlighted the positive benefits of spending time outside in reducing students’ stress and anxiety.
Lesson Resources
Please note that these resources are created and owned by third parties and may have been updated or altered since the resource was last reviewed. It is important that teachers use their professional judgement when assessing any resource for its applicability to the curriculum, their classroom and educational context, and the needs of their students. myPITA receives no financial benefit from use of these external resources.
Email [email protected] with your outdoor learning activities and book recommendations.
Email [email protected] with your outdoor learning activities and book recommendations.
Ten tips for successful outdoor learning
Comprehensive teacher’s resource guide to getting your class outside PDF
Includes tip sheets about classroom management and planning, and easy-to-implement cross-curricular activities.
HCTF Education Resources
Searchable database of outdoor and place-based lessons and activities.
SCIENCE
LANGUAGE ARTS
Nature-inspired writing
NATURE JOURNALING
Sit Spot - Begin by teaching students how to sit and enjoy nature.
Nature journaling prompts and how to make your own nature journal
Comprehensive teacher’s resource guide to getting your class outside PDF
Includes tip sheets about classroom management and planning, and easy-to-implement cross-curricular activities.
HCTF Education Resources
Searchable database of outdoor and place-based lessons and activities.
SCIENCE
- Go outside and ask, “What do you notice? What can you hypothesize about? What does this mean for our ecosystem?”
- BC Invasives Education Resources provides a searchable database of science and other curricular lessons for both indoors and outdoors. More invasive species lesson plans are coming this fall!
LANGUAGE ARTS
Nature-inspired writing
- Write a descriptive paragraph about what you see.
- Write a story about a plant or animal.
- Write a poem based on the five senses experienced in nature.
- Perform short plays or scenes from longer dramatic works outside. Discuss how acting outside in a different setting impacts the performance.
NATURE JOURNALING
Sit Spot - Begin by teaching students how to sit and enjoy nature.
Nature journaling prompts and how to make your own nature journal
A Butterfly is Patient and other titles
By Dianna Hutts Aston (Author), Sylvia Long (Illustrator)
Inspiration for nature journaling is any book by Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long: A Butterfly Is Patient, An Egg Is Quiet, A Nest Is Noisy, A Rock Is Lively, A Seed Is Sleepy, and A Beetle Is Shy.
Admire the observational and scientific detail in the drawings and writing. Not necessarily the easiest to read aloud from cover to cover because there is no rhyming scheme or rhythm to the prose, but these beautifully illustrated books show and tell insightful and informative information and offer a non-fiction alternative that will appeal to many learners.
By Dianna Hutts Aston (Author), Sylvia Long (Illustrator)
Inspiration for nature journaling is any book by Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long: A Butterfly Is Patient, An Egg Is Quiet, A Nest Is Noisy, A Rock Is Lively, A Seed Is Sleepy, and A Beetle Is Shy.
Admire the observational and scientific detail in the drawings and writing. Not necessarily the easiest to read aloud from cover to cover because there is no rhyming scheme or rhythm to the prose, but these beautifully illustrated books show and tell insightful and informative information and offer a non-fiction alternative that will appeal to many learners.
MATH
25 Outdoor Maths Games and Activities for All Ages
ART
Emily Carr: Into the Forest
Students are introduced to Emily Carr’s process by sketching outdoors and then, back in the classroom, creating a painting based on the sketch.
MORE
More Free Fun Outdoor Learning, Games, and Projects
25 Outdoor Maths Games and Activities for All Ages
ART
Emily Carr: Into the Forest
Students are introduced to Emily Carr’s process by sketching outdoors and then, back in the classroom, creating a painting based on the sketch.
MORE
More Free Fun Outdoor Learning, Games, and Projects
Picture BOOKS
The following picture books can be used in any intermediate or middle years classroom to introduce, support and sustain, or as a final reflection. Everyone enjoys being read a picture book.
Outside In
By Deborah Underwood (Author), Cindy Derby (Illustrator)
A thought-provoking picture book that poetically underscores our powerful and enduring connection with nature, not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors.
Discussion prompts and lesson ideas.
By Deborah Underwood (Author), Cindy Derby (Illustrator)
A thought-provoking picture book that poetically underscores our powerful and enduring connection with nature, not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors.
Discussion prompts and lesson ideas.
My First Book of Haiku Poetry
By Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen (Author), Tracy Gallup (Illustrator)
This award-winning book is an excellent introduction to this ancient form of poetry. Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful illustration that should inspire your students to write their haiku and accompanying drawing. Haiku writing lesson plan.
By Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen (Author), Tracy Gallup (Illustrator)
This award-winning book is an excellent introduction to this ancient form of poetry. Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful illustration that should inspire your students to write their haiku and accompanying drawing. Haiku writing lesson plan.
Does Earth Feel?
By Marc Majewski (Author, Illustrator)
Does Earth feel calm?
Does Earth feel curious?
Does Earth feel hurt?Does Earth feel heard?
With spare prose and evocative paintings, author-illustrator Marc Majewski implores readers to think more deeply about what our only planet is telling us, ultimately asking—what do you want Earth to feel?
By Marc Majewski (Author, Illustrator)
Does Earth feel calm?
Does Earth feel curious?
Does Earth feel hurt?Does Earth feel heard?
With spare prose and evocative paintings, author-illustrator Marc Majewski implores readers to think more deeply about what our only planet is telling us, ultimately asking—what do you want Earth to feel?
The Imaginary Garden - CANADIAN
By Andrew Larsen (Author), Irene Luxbacher (Illustrator)
A beautiful book to read aloud and great for showing the possibilities of accessing nature when you live in a city.
Printable activity.
By Andrew Larsen (Author), Irene Luxbacher (Illustrator)
A beautiful book to read aloud and great for showing the possibilities of accessing nature when you live in a city.
Printable activity.
This Land Is a Lullaby - CANADIAN
By Tonya Simpson (Author), Delreé Dumont (Illustrator)
In this gentle picture-book lullaby, the sounds of the land soothe an Indigenous child to sleep on a stormy summer night on the Plains. An excellent book for exploring rhyming schemes.
By Tonya Simpson (Author), Delreé Dumont (Illustrator)
In this gentle picture-book lullaby, the sounds of the land soothe an Indigenous child to sleep on a stormy summer night on the Plains. An excellent book for exploring rhyming schemes.
Big City Bees - CANADIAN
By Maggie de Vries (Author), Renne Benoit (Illustrator)
Explores the life cycle of pumpkins in an urban community garden and the importance of bees without feeling like it is teaching.
Plant Something Bee Friendly lesson plan - Intermediate
Bee Helpers lesson plan and printable resources
By Maggie de Vries (Author), Renne Benoit (Illustrator)
Explores the life cycle of pumpkins in an urban community garden and the importance of bees without feeling like it is teaching.
Plant Something Bee Friendly lesson plan - Intermediate
Bee Helpers lesson plan and printable resources
Podcasts
Earthy Chats: Cross-pollinating Enviro Ed Ideas
Wide-ranging chats with outdoor and environmental educators about best practices, changing trends, and new insights about the outdoor and environmental learning field.
Wide-ranging chats with outdoor and environmental educators about best practices, changing trends, and new insights about the outdoor and environmental learning field.
Teach Outdoors
Teach Outdoors explores the benefits and challenges of bringing learning outside of the traditional classroom setting.
Teach Outdoors explores the benefits and challenges of bringing learning outside of the traditional classroom setting.
