14. Outdoor Classroom Routines and Procedures: 5 Easy Activities for Your First Week Outside

Naturally Teaching Elementary Science

It's that time of year again, where you're getting ready to practice your classroom routines and procedures with your students. You practice everyday, multiple times a day, in the hopes that your students will catch on and be set up for the school year. Your efforts are not in vain; the time you spend practicing your classroom routines and procedures will pay off and will make the rest of the year easier.

The same can be said of practicing your outdoor classroom routines and procedures. By taking the time at the beginning of the year, your students will learn your expectations and will transition from the indoor classroom to the outdoor classroom with ease.

In this episode, I describe 5 easy activities that you can use the first week you go outside to practice your outdoor classroom routines and procedures. I describe a week's schedule starting with structured activities moving to unstructured activities as the week goes on. Listen in to hear about the following activities and the routines and procedures they help your students practice:

1. Read a book
2. Go for a nature hike
3. Do a scavenger hunt
4. Explore the space
5. Play a simple game

Resources mentioned 💚

• Episode 3: Outdoor Learning Environment: 3 Things to Plan for Back to School
• Episode 11: Teaching with Phenology: How to Plan Your Science Standards Around the Seasons
• A Helpful Guide to Teaching the Season Transition to Winter
• The Four Seasons Scavenger Hunt Bundle for Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer
• Naturally Teaching Scavenger Hunts

Topics in this episode: classroom routines and procedures, outdoor education, outdoor classroom, nature hike, scavenger hunts, Going on a Nature Hike by Steve Metzger

TpT Shop: Naturally Teaching

💚 Get more tips and tricks on the website: NaturallyTeaching.com

📸 Follow along on Instagram: @naturally.teaching

💻 Check us out on Facebook: @naturally.teaching