Christine Chapel

Taking your Class Outside – Tips to Getting Started 

Do you really want to get your students outside but are just not sure how to begin? Here are a few pointers from educators “in the field”.

1. Do some prep with students beforehand

Discuss the plan to go outside and briefly describe what you will be doing.  Give what you’re doing some context.  Discuss how to prepare so they will be comfortable when outside.  Lead by example!  Students should dress for the weather and conditions.  This is one of the most important aspects of having a successful outdoor excursion.  Proper footwear, hats and appropriate outer jackets are a must.  A class set of sit upons is handy for sitting on the ground. Have students make their own by putting several sections of newspaper into a plastic grocery bag and tightly sealing it.  Go over basic rules of safety (e.g. always stay within sight of you), expectations and routines.  Use specific calls or signals to bring students together while outside (e.g. use a dollar store duck call – even senior students will respond and think it’s hilarious).  Practice with younger students several days before you plan to go out.

2. Begin simply

The first few times students are outside they may be excited and less focused than in the classroom; this is to be expected. But don’t let that deter you!  Keep the first excursion fairly short.  Use it as a means of establishing routines and getting used to the outdoor classroom.  Gradually increase the length of time spent outside each time.  It won’t take long before the initial excitement will become comfortable familiarity and the fun can really begin.

3. Clearly and simply outline specific activities

Start together in a circle or horseshoe, review the activity and define boundaries.  Begin and end the same way, cementing routines and thus increasing the students’ level of comfort and focus as they become increasingly “at home” in their outdoor surroundings.

4. Remember that outdoor excursions do not have to be complicated or expensive

Put together your “outdoor bag” of basic supplies like paper, pencil, chalk, crayons, or have students pack their own for their outdoor trips.  Use items you find outside for activities. Found items like seeds, cones, fallen leaves and rocks can be used for any number of activities and projects.  Make your own (pop bottles make great bug catchers), share equipment with other schools or contact a local Board or Conservation Authority outdoor centre to see if they lend equipment out to schools.

With an open mind and a bit of preparation, you can take those first steps into the outdoors and enjoy new and meaningful experiences with your students.  Happy trails!

Jennifer Andrade

Book the Ultimate Outdoor Experience at a Local Conservation Area

As a new school year approaches, why not book the lesson outside?

Outdoor education is beneficial in so many ways that help kids learn about the natural environment and  build a love for the environment.

Here is a useful  guide that can help you book the ultimate outdoor experience for your class.

Conservation Ontario

Conservation Authorities offer 64 outdoor education facilities throughout Ontario.  These centres provide fantastic opportunities for learning  outdoors.  For more information on programs and services at an outdoor education centre in your area, contact your local Conservation Authority.

Please refer to the map below as a guide or check out www.conservationontario.ca

Here are a few great locations worth mentioning:

Kortright Centre for Conservation
Toronto & Region Conservation Authority
http://trca.on.ca/school-programs/facilities-and-programs/kortright-centre-for-conservation/programs.dot?_ga=1.100164697.610207491.1441062198

Terra Cotta Conservation Area
Credit Valley Conservation
http://www.creditvalleyca.ca/learn-and-get-involved/education-2/for-teachers-students/outdoor-education-programs/programs-offered/

Mountsberg Conservation Area (Birds of Prey)
Halton Conservation Authority
http://www.conservationhalton.ca/fieldtrips

Foley Mountain Conservation Area (Children’s Nature Discovery Centre)
Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
http://www.rvca.ca/careas/foley/

And many more interesting places to explore outdoors….

Astrid Stelle

A Conversation with Bill

To begin, I’ll suggest that one of the reasons that we work to further Environmental Education is to enrich peoples’ understanding of environmental issues.  But that can often be made more difficult than we might anticipate, given that most of us are continually (re)constructing our understanding of the world based on everyday information and experiences.  I had a conversation this summer that stuck with me; it provides a little anecdotal insight into the task that we, as environmental educators, have set ourselves.

The conversation took place with an elderly gentleman whose working roots are in agriculture and industry.  Let’s call him Bill.  It was not the first time that Bill had questioned, indeed scoffed, at the idea of anthropogenic global warming.  He announced that he did not believe in global warming and based his comments on two claims: his own lifetime of watching the weather and living through countless weather anomalies; and, his understanding that the planet regularly goes through climate cycles driven by the sun, one of which we are currently experiencing.  I recognize that these are two common stumbling blocks for many people who question the claims of climate change scientists.  We base many of our opinions on our lived experiences, so if you experienced the very frigid February 2015 in Ontario, then of course you might wonder if global warming was a hoax! (On the other hand, as I write this column in early September, we are experiencing a heat wave in the 30˚C’s !)

The conversation presented me with an opportunity to better understand Bill’s thinking, and to inform my own understanding of public views on science and climate change.  I wondered why Bill questioned the long time work and reports of scientists like those on the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  He had no real answer, except a general distrust and a strong misunderstanding of the actual research activities that they have undertaken.  He simply kept referring to the natural cycles of the sun and the planet. Ocean temperatures and currents, glacial core sampling, decades of atmospheric CO2 data – these meant very little to him.  Bill is not unique in his (mis)understanding of the work of scientists, nor in his skepticism of current climate warming as a result of human activity, rather than the natural workings of sun cycles.

In his 2013 State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Obama said: “But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change… We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science—and act before it’s too late.”

Notice the reference to climate change as a belief system, and the placement of science as an über-power that can pass judgment, implying that climate change is a religion of sorts.  Alternatively, the President might have used a phrase like “consider the evidence and data of the last decades”.  Instead, the carefully chosen language of the SOTU address suggests that many, many people, including Bill, still do not understand how scientists work to gather and share knowledge.  And of course, it’s important to remember that the science of anthropogenic climate change / global warming has been heavily politicized, with significant time, energy and money thrown at Climate Change Denial and the discrediting of scientists.  Bill, like most of us, has not been immune to those messages.

The question for us as environmental educators is how we might approach Bill’s beliefs and attitudes in ways that challenge (or maybe nudge) him to change his thinking.  How could I present the work of scientists as legitimate and believable?  How can I explain that current climate change models supersede any natural cycles that the Earth might have been experiencing?

I pointed out that natural climate cycles normally have taken tens of thousands of years, and although the Earth has indeed experienced a few cataclysmic climate changes, those resulted in drastic loss of species and general life on Earth.  But that point of discussion didn’t have the impact on Bill’s thinking that it has on mine.  He didn’t buy it.  I then pointed out that although we base many of our beliefs on personal experience, when it comes to weather and climate, our memories can be fickle, focusing on some events and leaving out others.  That didn’t fly for him either.  I found myself scrambling for a way to connect with him.

“So Bill, when you had the medical tests that indicated you had some major arterial blockages and needed the triple bypass, did you believe the doctors?”

“ Well sure.”

“So you believed the evidence they presented to you – and trusted them to do surgery on your beating heart?”

“Yes, of course.”

“There are a lot of scientists who worked for many years to understand and perfect their understanding and skills when it comes to open heart surgery.  And their work is solid – you trusted it.  It’s the same for climate scientists – there are hundreds of them who have been working for years to understand Earth’s climate – in ways that are as complex as the medical work that scientists have done.  You know, global warming theory is based on very robust factual evidence, in the same way that medical science is…”

Silence – deep thought.

“We have to ask ourselves why hundreds of scientists would put their careers at risk by doing bad science and trying to fool millions of people.”

Silence – more deep thought.

And then we talked some more about what constitutes scientific evidence, and the politicization of that evidence.  I felt that Bill was at least starting to reconsider his beliefs and we left it at that; I anticipate that the conversation will continue.

What did I take away from the exchange? Well, too often I assume that global warming/climate change is generally accepted by all, and that most people trust the work of scientists – but those assumptions are incorrect.  And secondly, if we are truly to engage people in thinking about (and hopefully acting) on environmental issues, we need to begin with our lived and shared experiences.  (Teachers call this constructivist pedagogy.)  What understandings do we have in common?  What are the overlaps in our constructed perspectives of the world that we live in?  Let’s start the conversation there.

We have a lot of work to do in environmental education – and we must do it gently and thoughtfully, considerate of the validity of life experiences of those with whom we interact.

Upcoming Events

• Bugs That Visit Your Backyard – September 21
• Eco Film Festival: Dirt – September 23
• University of Guelph Workshops – September
• Homesteading Workshops – September

Teacher Resources

Looking for ideas to green your lessons?  Check out these great resources below for a plethora of amazing ideas and activities!

• Bird Studies Canada
• Water Focused Resources
• Natural Curiosity and Your School
• Kids Go Green
• Gardenshare Information and Resources
• Nature Notes