Outdoor Learning Resources

Organizations

The following organizations have years of experience supporting teachers and students in taking learning outside during the school day. They range from local school garden support organizations to universities and international collectives. This list is not exhaustive, but provides a sense of the field and some inspiration.

equity

Children and Nature, and Place Based Education

Children and Nature Network

Children and Nature Network Research Library

Families in Nature

Getting Smart: The Power of Place

Natural Start Alliance

Teton Science Schools Place Based Education Overview

Environmental Literacy and Advocacy

Center for Ecoliteracy

North American Association for Environmental Education

Outdoors Alliance for Kids 

State Education and Environment Roundtable

Ten Strands

Green Schools and Green Schoolyards

Evergreen

Green Schoolyards America

Green Schools National Network

International School Grounds Alliance

University PRograms

Equity in the Outdoor Classroom

Equity should be central to your outdoor programming. Gathered here are a few outdoor classroom-specific resources as well as broader reading for ensuring equity in your space and among your educators.

"Building Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Outdoor Classrooms"
— Education Outside

"Diversity in the Great Outdoors: Is Everyone Welcome in America’s Parks and Public Lands?" (article)
— Resources.org

Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Relevance in Outdoor Science and Environmental Movements (list of articles)

"Five Ways to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive" (article)
— The Atlantic

"Hiring Considerations for Outdoor Educators Working in Schools"
— Education Outside

"How Place-Based Science Education Strategies Can Support Equity for Students, Teachers, and Communities" (article)
— STEM Teaching Tools

"Laying the Foundation for Discussing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Among Garden Educators" (educator training overview)
— Education Outside

"Partnering to Develop Equitable, Inclusive, and Culturally Relevant Student Activities"
— The BEETLES Project

"Restorative Practices" (educator training overview)
— Education Outside

School Garden Support Organization Network & Online Forum

"School gardens in the city: Does environmental equity help close the achievement gap?" (research article)
— Children & Nature Network

"Teaching Tolerance: Liberated Roots" (article)
— Learning for justice

"Traditional Ecological Knowledge" (article)
— Ensia

"Trauma Informed Practices for Garden Educators" (educator training overview)
— Education Outside

Books

There are many books that can help you dive deeper into learning and teaching outside, as well as give you inspiration for the design of green schoolyards. Below is a list of books that will help you get started.

Bernstein, S., & Littlejohn, G. (2001). Greening School Grounds: Creating Habitats for Learning. (T. Grant, Ed.). New Society Publishers.

Broda, H.W. (2007). Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning: Using the Outdoors as an Instructional Tool, K-8. Stenhouse Publishers.

Broda, H.W. (2011). Moving the Classroom Outdoors: Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning in Action. Stenhouse Publishers.

Cohen, W., & Fisher, J. (2012). The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids. Timber Press.

Danks, S.G. (2010). Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation. New Village Press.

Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. (2011). Growing with Nature: Supporting Whole-Child Learning in Outdoor Classrooms.

Evergreen. (2006). All Hands in the Dirt: A Guide to Designing and Creating Natural School Grounds. [online guidebook]. 

Finney, C. (2014). Black Faces, White Spaces. University of North Carolina Press. 

Green Schoolyards America (Ed.). (2018). International School Grounds Month Activity Guide. International School Grounds Alliance. 

Hart, R. (1997). Children’s Participation: The Theory and Practice of Involving Young Citizens in Community Development and Environmental Care. Routledge. 

International School Grounds Alliance. (2018). Living Schoolyard Activity Guide. Green Schoolyards America. 

Larimore, R.A. (2019). Preschool Beyond Walls: Blending Early Childhood Education and Nature-Based Learning. Gryphon House, Inc. 

Latané, C. (2021). Schools that Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind. Island Press.

Minnucci, E., & Teachout, M. (2018). A Forest Days Handbook. Green Writers Press. 

Moore, R. (1993). Plants for Play: A Plant Selection Guide for Children’s Outdoor Environments. Mig Communications. 

Mountain, J. (2015). 100 Ideas for Early Years Practitioners: Outdoor Play (100 Ideas for the Early Years). Bloomsbury Education.

Natural Start Alliance. (2019). The Nature-Based Preschool Professional Practice Guidebook. North American Association for Environmental Education. 

Powers, J., & Ridge, S.W. (2018). Nature-Based Learning for Young Children: Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Budget. Redleaf Press. 

Pranis, E., & Gifford, A. (2009). Schoolyard Mosaics: Designing Gardens and Habitats. National Gardening Association. 

Robertson, J. (2014). Dirty Teaching: A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Outdoors. Independent. 

Robertson, J. (2017). Messy Maths: A Playful, Outdoor Approach for Early Years. Independent Thinking Press. 

Rowe, S., & Humphries, S. (2012). The Coombes Approach: Learning Through an Experiential and Outdoor Curriculum. Continuum. 

Senda, M. (1992). Design of Children’s Play Environments. McGraw-Hill.

Sobel, D.T. (2008). Childhood and Nature: Design Principles for Educators. Stenhouse Publishers. 

Sobel, D.T. (2013). Place-based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities. Orion Society.

Sobel. D.T. (2015). Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens: The Handbook for Outdoor Learning. Redleaf Press. 

Sporer-Bucklin, A., & Pringle, R. (2010). How to Grow a School Garden: A Complete Guide for Parents and Teachers. Timber Press. 

Striniste, Nancy. (2019). Nature Play At Home: Creating Outdoor Spaces that Connect Children with the Natural World. Timber Press. 

Stone, M.K. (2009). Smart by Nature. Watershed Media.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2015). Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide: A Planning Guide for Creating Schoolyard Habitat and Outdoor Classroom Projects.

Warden, C. (2012). Fascination of Water: Puddles. Mindstretchers. 

Warden, C.H. (2015). Learning with Nature: Embedding Outdoor Practice. SAGE Publications Ltd. 

White, J. (2019). Playing and Learning Outdoors: The Practical Guide and Sourcebook for Excellence in Outdoor Provision and Practice with Young Children. Routledge. 

Young, J., Haas. E., & McGown, E. (2010). Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature. Owlink Media. 

Curriculum

If your school or district has made the decision to use the outdoor environment as a lens and context for learning and to use instructional time on subjects ideal for outdoor learning, such as science or environmental literacy, there are many existing resources from which to draw. The vast outdoor and environmental education, school garden, and green schoolyard fields have many curricular resources to share. Listed below are numerous links to existing curricula in various subjects that teachers can use, adapt, or get inspiration from. Some resources linked here require a purchase, are part of a larger program, or require a sign-in, but most are open source and ready to use.

Grades PreK-8: Outdoor Curriculum

Mixed Subject Matter and Searchable Databases

Food and Eating

Science, Sustainability, and Math

Social Emotional Learning

Grades PreK-8: Outdoor Activities

Grades 9-12: Curriculum and Activities

Cooking Outside with Students

One of the best and quickest ways to engage students in learning and sensory development is cooking outside. Cooking provides opportunities to bring to life subjects such as math, social studies, English language arts, and more. Many programs have years of experience cooking with students in school gardens and have developed some tips and tricks. Please note that special precautions will need to be taken due to COVID-19 to ensure that health and safety are paramount during this type of learning experience. Please refer to the current guidelines from the CDC: Considerations for Outdoor Learning Gardens and Community Gardens.

"Edible Schoolyard: Searchable Resource Library" 
— Edible Schoolyard

"Best Practices for Cooking Outside"
— Education Outside

"Recipes for Cooking in the Outdoor Classroom"
— Education Outside

"Essential School Garden Cooking Supplies"
— Education Outside

"Learn from Home" (includes cooking in the garden)
— EnrichLA

"FoodCorps: Program Guide"
— FoodCorps

"FoodCorps: Resources and Recipes"
— FoodCorps

"Hand Washing Station Set-Up"
— Minnesota Cooperative Extension 

"School Garden Support Organization Network and Online Forum"
— SGSO Network

USDA Food Safety in the Garden
— USDA Food and Nutrition

Outdoor Classroom Management

Here you’ll find links to resources for how to create an outdoor classroom routine, and how to deal with natural phenomena like wind.

"Best Practices for Teaching in the School Garden: Building Classroom Culture and Best Practices Rubric"
— Education Outside

"Building Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Outdoor Classrooms"
— Education Outside

"Managing an Effective Outdoor Classroom"
— Life Lab

"School Garden Support Organization Network and Online Forum"
— SGSO Network

"Teaching Outside 101" 
— Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center

"Tips and Tricks for Outdoor Classroom Management"
— Boston Schoolyard Initiative

Tips for Creating a Positive Outdoor Experience for Students

"Bee Aware"
— PITSCO Education

"Don’t Kill the Bees, Please! What to tell kids about bees."
— Kids Out and About

"The Bug Chicks: Educational Resources"
— The Bug Chicks
Learn about bugs and overcome fears

Bixler, Robert D. & Floyd, Myron F. (1997) Nature is Scary, Disgusting, and Uncomfortable. Environment and Behavior. 29(4) 443-467.

Garber, Stephen W., Garber, Marianne Daniels, & Spizman, Robyn Freedman. (1993). Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood Fears: Helping Your Child Overcome Anxieties, Fears, and Phobias. New York: Villard Books.

Kellert, Stephen R. and Edward O. Wilson, eds. The Biophilia Hypothesis. (1993). Washington, DC: Island Press.

Russ A. (Ed.). (2015). Urban Environmental Education. Ithaca, NY and Washington, DC: Cornell University Civic Ecology Lab, NAAEE and EECapacity. Chapter 14: Fostering Comfort in Nature Among Urban School Children pages 78-81.

With People in Mind: Design with Everyday Nature Kaplan et. al.

Outdoor Infrastructure, Supplies, Maintenance

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative has a section of this website dedicated to the broad discussion of outdoor infrastructure. The resources below were created prior to the pandemic and provide a few quick places to start and find inspiration.

"Annual Care with Students in the Outdoor" Classroom
— Education Outside

“Basic Construction Plans for School Garden Infrastructure"
— Education Outside

”Building Your Outdoor Classroom: The Top 10"
— Education Outside

"Creating and Sustaining Your School Garden"
— CSYSG

"Designing Outdoor Classrooms for Effective Teaching"
— Education Outside

"Inside Outside Network: Getting Started" 
— Inside Outside

"Learning Outdoors Teacher Toolkit" (video)
— Out Teach

“Outdoor Classroom Design" (educator training overviews)
— Education Outside

"School Garden Support Organization Network and Online Forum"
— SGSO Network

"Tools & Publications/How to Guides"
— Evergreen

Professional Learning Resources

There are numerous opportunities for teachers to find and receive professional learning related to teaching outside. There are many programs and we do not mention all of them here, but those listed provide a place to begin. We recommend that you contact your local zoo, museums, aquarium, botanical garden, environmental education center, local or national park, or university as these institutions will likely have relevant teacher professional learning opportunities. 

BEETLES at the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley

Discussion Strategy Videos: There are six short videos that model and describe how to lead meaning making discussions in the outdoors.

Encouraging Student Discussion and Productive Talk: This resource provides essential guidance for leading meaning making discussions, and even argumentation, in the outdoors.

Environmental Education and the Next Generation Science Standards: These web pages explain how teaching science outdoors allows teachers to address many aspects of the Next Generation Science Standards more effectively than they can in classrooms.

How to Teach Nature Journaling: This comprehensive guide by John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren describes how to use nature journals with students to unlock wonder, curiosity and attention. The book includes 31 activities, instructional videos and plenty of support for teachers. Buy hard copies here or download for free.

Model Field Journal pages: Field journaling is a central strategy that enhances science learning while also improving students writing, drawing and facility with informational text. This resource provides some journal page templates you can use with your students.

Supporting Social Emotional Learning in Outdoor Science: This resource describes the unique and powerful ways that learning outdoors can help students to develop their social and emotional skills to be reflective, calmer, more focused, and more connected to nature.

Teaching materials: what’s in our backpack: These web pages provide simple tips for what portable materials teachers can carry with them to enhance student learning in the outdoors.

Ecology Project, Science Teacher Fellowships

Edible Schoolyard, Webinars

Exploratorium, San Francisco, California

Families in Nature, Austin, Texas and Online

Green Teacher Magazine, Canada

Jeffers Foundation, Plymouth, Minnesota

Life Lab, Santa Cruz, California and Nationwide

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Nationwide

New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

North American Association for Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence

San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California

Teton Science Schools, Jackson, Wyoming

The Outdoor Classroom Project, La Canada, California (early education)

OutTeach, Nationwide

Regional Support and Model Programs

There are numerous environmental education programs and centers in each state, and likewise many school garden programs across the country. We recommend doing a search to find local or regional organizations that can support your teaching outdoors. The list below is not exhaustive, but provides some connections you may find helpful.

National Hubs

North American Association for Environmental Education

School Garden Support Organization Network and Online Forum

American Forest Kindergarten Association

Regional

Boston Schoolyards Initiative, Massachusetts

California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

Common Ground High School, Connecticut

Duluth Nature Play Collaborative, Minnesota

Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools

Environmental Charter Schools, California

Environmental Education Exchange, Arizona

Hawaii Island School Garden Network

Inside Outside, New England

Islandwood, Washington

Juniper Hill School, Maine

Maine School Garden Network

Minneapolis Nature Preschool

Montana Farm to School

New England Environmental Education Alliance

New Hampshire School and Youth Garden Network 

Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network

Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance

TeachOutdoors! Minnesota

The Forest School of Minnesota

Vermont Farm to School Network

Wisconsin School Garden Network

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