Outdoor Lessons, Plan for Success: Teaching and Learning Outdoors

1. Teaching
and learning
Outdoor lessons – outdoors
plan for success schools
Taking learning outdoors can transform lessons. Don’t be daunted –
plan for success, follow a few key strategies and you will be inspired to Be prepared
take children outdoors even more. • Check the outdoor area you wish to
use will be free when you need it.
Learning outdoors brings teaching alive – especially for practical
learners. Fresh air and natural light stimulate the brain. Noisy
• Collect together all the extra
resources you may need and check
behaviour and making a mess is allowed. The relationship between you have enough of everything.
teachers and children changes, and concepts that are abstract theories
in the classroom can be brought to life. The outdoors is also a free • For written work supply clipboards
and pencils (easier to write with if
resource with huge potential – offering many and varied teaching and
there is a shower) and take spares.
learning opportunities.
Making learning outdoors a success means planning activities that • Depending on where you are setting
are as fun, stimulating and active as possible while ensuring they are your boundaries, you may need a
manageable and relevant. By maintaining the children’s interest and distinctive noise maker (such as a
engagement in the activities they will be more likely to stay on task and whistle, duck caller or small bell)
less likely to become distracted by others or their surroundings. to gather the children back.
• Take a phone/watch for keeping
Make yourself heard! an eye on the time.
• Check that outdoors the children • Be prepared with extra activities
will be able to hear you. If, for example, outside for quick workers.
the field is being mown, or there is an • Decide in advance who will take
outdoor performance practice, will it be the equipment out and how the
too noisy for you to be heard? equipment will be collected and
• Position yourself so the children have brought back in.
their backs to the sun when they look • Ensure everyone (children and adults)
at you, and so your voice travels is prepared for all weather – sun
downwind. cream and hats if it’s hot; rain coats
• Avoid the tendency to call or talk too and wellies in case of rain etc.
loudly to the children. • Have a contingency plan in case the
• Praise the children who are showing weather really is too bad to go out.
that they are listening to you.
Learning through Landscapes May 2011

2. Top tip
Be brave – the
best sessions will be
those where you are
trying new things
and breaking new
ground
10 steps to running a great activity
There is no right way to run all outdoor activities but here are
some guidelines that will help make it a success for everyone.
Once outdoors
7 Define the space the children can use For some, general
instructions (for example, stay on the field) may be good enough;
Before you go out for others you may need to use markers such as rope lines or PE
1 Organise your groups Doing this in advance will help ensure markers. If the children need to work away from the main gathering
challenging children are supported either by their peers or adults. point, agree a signal for calling everyone back together.
Keeping such children close to an adult will provide them with the 8 Give each member of a group a specific job They could
security and support they need to remain on task and get the be a note-taker, photographer, collector, sketcher etc. Giving
most out of the experience. younger children a sticker stating their job title will help them
2 Devise a reward and sanctions system If the children are feel more responsible and everyone will be clear as to their role.
used to receiving points or merits in the classroom, this can easily If other adults are available make sure they also have a clearly
be continued outdoors. Or why not ask the children to design a defined role which may involve working with a particular
certificate which could be awarded to the most sensible or hard group or supervising a designated area.
working individual or group? 9 Gather the children back together at regular intervals so
3 Give clear expectations for behaviour If these rules have that you can share their work, praise them, re-affirm the rules
been negotiated with the children and reflect the normal class and boundaries and set new challenges. This will help to refocus
rules, there is a greater chance that the children will have a sense the children and keep them on task.
of ownership over them, understand them and follow them. 10. When getting ready to move back inside ask the children
4 Share objectives and outcomes Making the purpose of the first if they can remind you of the expectations of appropriate
session very clear will ensure that the children see the trip outside behaviour to ensure a calm transition.
as a learning opportunity rather than playtime.
5 Decide on procedures for toilet trips as well as taking a And don’t forget... to share your work
break, emergencies, etc. Ensure that all the children and adults If possible, find an opportunity to share the work you did outdoors
are aware of these. Some schools use a band or token system to with the rest of the school via a display or assembly. This will help
help keep track of children’s movements. to illustrate the learning that has taken place. If you can involve
6 Explain the timetable of events Outline where you will (and your more challenging children in this it will give them a greater
will not) be going while outdoors and what you will do when you sense of ownership and they are more likely to be highly motivated
get there so the children know in advance what to expect. and stay on task on the next visit outdoors.
‘Gather the
children back at
regular intervals
to praise... and
set new
challenges’
May 2011 Learning through Landscapes

3. Consider comfort...
Keep children on task and focused outdoors construct temporary shelter for protection
by making sure they can work in comfort. from a cold wind, rain or sunshine.
This means they need to be wearing
suitable clothing, have somewhere to sit
• Parasols are good for small groups;
marquee style tents and gazebos are
when necessary, and somewhere to shelter easily and safely erected and can be
from the sun, wind or rain. packed down for convenient storage.
Clothing • Fabric or plastic netting, available from
Ideas galore! Schools are often put off going outdoors garden centres and haberdashers, can
be stretched over a frame between
Every school has a range of features – because of the uncertain nature of the
weather. Being prepared for all eventualities vertical posts or between walls and
boundaries, trees, tarmac, fields, open
will prevent outdoor lessons being covered in twigs, grass, flowers,
spaces, small spaces, buildings,
cancelled at short notice. pieces of fabric.
surfaces, ponds, natural areas (even
the weather!) – that offer a wealth of Keep plenty of appropriate clothing • Trees and tall shrubs in containers
opportunity for learning and supporting readily available – wellies and waterproofs thatcan be wheeled about (using,
the whole curriculum. Indeed, your for when it’s wet, sun hats and suncream for example, a janitor’s trolley) can
outdoors, in whatever condition, for when it’s hot. provide shade and shelter where it’s
provides opportunities simply not most needed.
Seating
available in the classroom. And the Somewhere for children to sit is always
children deserve fresh, new ideas – as do useful when teaching outdoors, whether
you! But where to start? Think about: you need room for a whole class to sit
• using existing features for study. down together and listen to instructions
These could include natural features and explanations, somewhere where
such as hedges, ponds and trees or written work can be done, or simply a
man-made features such as surfaces, base for children to return to.
buildings and boundaries. Either use existing seating in the school
• using your grounds as a setting. grounds or if dry, an area of grass. If the
Open spaces are ideal for exhibitions, ground is wet consider bringing out mats
performances, re-enactments and or benches to sit on.
processions as well as exploring
Shade and shelter
scale and speed. They also offer
Unless you are lucky enough to have an
great opportunities for loud and
existing outdoor classroom, awning or a
messy activities including science
tree with a large canopy, you may need to
experiments and art work.
• creating something new for your
grounds. Even small spaces offer
opportunities to get growing
FAQ How can I school value the work that takes place
outdoors and regard it as ‘proper’ work,
(container gardening and climbing get my colleagues they will sense this and behave
plants), encourage wildlife (log piles,
bird feeders etc), create artwork
on board? appropriately. If, however, outdoor
A school that has a positive approach lessons are rare and undervalued by
and create a storytelling area.
to outdoor learning provides a stream adults, the children are less likely to see
For our ever-expanding library of its value and the likelihood of poor
of messages to its adults and children
inspirational outdoor activities behaviour increases.
that learning outdoors is vital and
supporting the curriculum visit If you are teaching in a school that
valued. This might be through curriculum
www.ltl.org.uk/resources. has not yet developed outdoor learning,
opportunities, providing resources to
support outdoor learning, displays you have the power to influence not only
celebrating outdoor activities or simply your class but your colleagues too.
through the emphasis that is given to Through sharing ideas and success, you
maintaining and/or developing the will have a positive impact on how others
school grounds. view the use of the outdoors as a
And if children are learning in an classroom. And by making it work for
environment in which all the adults in the you, others are sure to follow.
Learning through Landscapes May 2011

4. ‘Thinking about
the risks/benefits
...doesn’t have to
be long-winded
or onerous’
Risk management
Many teachers feel reluctant to make the doesn’t have to be long-winded or onerous
most of the outdoors – often because of but you should consider:
concerns about poor behaviour and worries
about how to manage a class outside.
• where you will be working. How will
the boundaries be set and will the
Common problems raised by teachers children always be visable to adults?
range from ‘how can I set boundaries?’
and ‘how can I be hear and be heard?’ to • whether you have sufficient supervision
for the group. Could additional adults
‘what if we disturb other classes?’ and or older children help out?
‘what if the children misbehave?’.
Managing behaviour outdoors is really • which children are most likely to need Did you know
no different to indoors. Creating an orderly
additional supervision. How can they
best be catered for?
outdoor lessons...
and purposeful atmosphere is important, • help pupil motivation and
as is being consistent and fair with an • what risks are associated with the understanding
emphasis on praise and reward to influence activities? How can they be managed?
• encourage collaboration between
the children’s responses and interactions. • in the case of an emergency or children and teachers
Before leading your class outdoors it is problem, what help will be available –
important to ensure that you have thought and how will you get it? • develop children’s interpersonal skills
about the risk/benefits in a similar way to For more help on assessing risk see • give children increased responsibility
when you take children off-site. This ‘Further resources’. • offer more opportunities to use
different teaching and learning styles
• are generally considered more
interesting, varied and relaxed
• reduce behaviour and class
management problems
• increase engagement and
enthusiasm for learning
• give greater pupil pride and
ownership of accomplishments
Further resources • For an ever-expanding range of
outdoor activity ideas see the resources
• Groundnotes Design and technology section of our website www.ltl.org.uk.
in the school grounds, Outdoor maths,
Exploring history in your school grounds,
Teaching with trees, Exploring science
in the school grounds, Environmental
art, Exploring language and literacy in
your school grounds, Ponds, All about © This resource was originally created as part of the
boundaries, Exploring geography in membership scheme from the national school grounds
your school grounds, Health and safety charity Learning through Landscapes
in the school grounds. All available to operating in Scotland as Grounds for Learning
download from the member services Registered charity no. in England and Wales 803270, in Scotland SCO38890
pages of our website www.ltl.org.uk. To find out more about membership call
01962 845811 or visit www.ltl.org.uk
May 2011 Learning through Landscapes