Outdoor Learning

Dear Stevenson Families:

Stevenson School will once again be participating in an Outdoor Education Challenge! Each classroom will be learning outdoors for different periods of time from May 23 – June 29, rain or shine! Some classrooms have already been taking their learning outside and building stamina for staying out longer and for going on community walks. Students will be designing and constructing shelters for the playground to take a break from the sun, wind and/or rain. We also will have several tents and our school tipi as sheltered learning spaces. Students will even be eating lunch outdoors in June.  In the event of extreme heat/humidity or severe rain we will take a break and head indoors.

We are asking for your support to make this an enjoyable experience. Students should dress for the weather and will need some supplies to ensure their comfort and safety each day.

• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Rubber boots and a rain coat or poncho
• Umbrella (optional)
• Sweater or jacket for cool mornings
• Water bottle
• Backpack
• Sunglasses
• A change of clothes 

*All items should be labeled with your child’s name and room number please. 

Our plan is to engage students in a variety of literacy, numeracy, science, social studies, art, and play activities that stimulate their interest in and their appreciation of the outdoors.

While outdoors in nature, a child is more likely to “encounter opportunities for decision making that stimulate problem solving and creative thinking because outdoor spaces are often more varied and less structured than indoor spaces,” and “induce curiosity and the use of imagination” (Burdette & Whitaker, 2005, p. 48).

Part of our outdoor learning will involve exploring our community.  In September, you signed a permission slip to allow your child to participate in community walks for the remainder of the school year.  If your wishes have changed since then, please contact your child’s teacher directly.

 

Another way you can support our outdoor learning adventures is to volunteer with your child’s classroom. Please let your child(ren)’s teacher(s) know if you are available to join them.

We are looking for some donations of items that would help in our learning outdoors. If you have any of the following items or you think of something else creative we could use, please contact the school:

• Scoops, shovels, cups, wooden spoons
• Pots, pans, muffin tins, pails
• Sidewalk chalk
• Pieces of wood, logs, pegboard, pressboard, cardboard
• Small toys and loose parts (cars, dolls, shells…)
• Tires

Also, we are looking to borrow the following items:

• Wagons
• Wheelbarrows
• Adult sized shovels
• Binoculars

We are excited to share this adventure with our students and look forward to the learning opportunities we will have together. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher at school.

Yours in learning,

Stevenson Staff

“We must teach them to love the earth, before we can ask them to save it.” ~Unknown

Photo credit: @missgriffithroom3
"How do you teach a child coordination, problem solving, curiosity, spacial awareness and a love for nature? You let them climb a tree! #letkidsbekids #outdoorlearning #playoutside #getbacktonature" - Miss Griffith