Forums

I really liked how this journal included something about an outdoor lab on a schools campus. At my highschool, we have a small greenhouse and we have plenty of spaces around campus to sit under a tree or on a bench. When the class would go outside for a lesson, I was more excited and eager to learn. I think that an outdoor lab is something that all schools should consider. Last time I visited my elementary school, they had increased the amount of flowers, trees, bushes, and outdoor seating for students. I encourage all educators to explore their campus and find a spot for students. I plan to do this when I am an educator. 

I really enjoyed this! I think it is great to not only get children outside but have them doing hands on science. I believe that if students are outside learning about the environment hands on, they will care for it more and want to help it thrive. Children doing their own invesrtigating and asking their own questions helps them with their thinking. I think this was a very well, thought out way to get the students engaged, having fun, and learning! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you for sharing the article. During these unprecedented times, due to the COVID pandemic, I have had to adjust my instruction to ensure that my lessons encourage my students to social distance. In the classroom, my students are not encouraged to move around but remain at their desks or a designated area of the classroom due to contact tracing. I have always been a firm believer in flexible seating. Students can choose where they would like to sit in the classroom, move whenever they would like, and work cooperatively with different students at a table. An outdoor space where my students can engage in learning science while social distancing will give them another area to learn. As I have thought about outdoor areas at my school, I can think of at least three areas I can use as an outdoor space for learning science. I can't wait to take my science lessons outside in an area that science can connect to my students' real-life environment that they can interact with.