Enhancing Adopted Science Curricula for the Outdoors
Teachers and schools looking to go outdoors to enhance an adopted science curriculum will find the following resource helpful. The Lawrence Hall of Science curricular programs, Full Option Science System K-8 (FOSS), AmplifyScience K-8, Science Education for Public Understanding Project 6-8 (SEPUP), and Ocean Sciences Sequence 6-8 programs have all developed Environmental Literacy Curriculum Connections to show the many outdoor learning opportunities that are both embedded in the materials and/or can be easily added to instructional units within the curricula.
Key information. These curriculum connections are best suited for kindergarten through eighth-grade in-person instruction in small or large groups. Teachers should be familiar with the curriculum or should partner with an educator who is teaching the curriculum. Curriculum connections offered here can be done at home, in a schoolyard, or on field trips. Activities are all aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and the California Environmental Principles and Concepts.
© Paige Green, Education Outside
RESOURCES
This resource helps educators identify which curricular units emphasize environmental concepts and how to add outdoor learning experiences to classroom routines. Click here for Environmental Literacy Curriculum Connections and click below for links to each curriculum.
Credits
This article and resources were written and created by Jedda Foreman, Sarah Pedemonte, and Craig Strang of The Lawrence Hall of Science at University of California, Berkeley.
National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative
The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative supports schools and districts around the country in their efforts to reopen safely and equitably using outdoor spaces as strategic, cost-effective solutions to increase physical distancing capacity onsite and provide access to abundant fresh air. The Initiative seeks to equitably improve learning, mental and physical health, and happiness for children and adults using an affordable, time-tested outdoor approach to keeping schools open during a pandemic.
