Kindergarten students at Westwood PS learn to be in nature
October 26, 2020
GUELPH, Ontario – Students in Kindergarten at Westwood Public School have been spending a lot of time in nature as a way to get outside but also to learn.
Westwood PS Kindergarten team Amy Martin and Jelena Nosalj-Koprivica said they have always enjoyed taking learning outdoors as students learn differently from the concepts of outdoor vs. indoor learning.
Some of the benefits of outdoor learning that Martin and Nosalj-Koprivica have noticed in students include:
- Gaining confidence in their bodies through running, climbing, balancing, lifting “heavy” things like logs and branches, shaking the trees.
- Noticing and investigating aspects of the natural world and seasonal changes firsthand.
- Strengthening fine and gross motor skills.
- Having authentic experiences with curriculum concepts.
- Finding time for slow and quiet moments in the fresh air
The Westwood Kindergarten team said they have noticed so many changes in students after starting outdoor learning, including a student who used to be afraid of bugs and now is quite happy being inquisitive outside.
This fall, students really enjoyed searching for and collecting small items such as flowers, berries, and moss for their class’s natural alphabet, whereas others enjoyed the gross motor challenge of managing long tree branches to compare the size.
Much of the outdoor learning at Westwood PS is thanks to one of the schools ECEs Melissa Kooiman, who coordinated with the City of Guelph and some local arborists about constructing an outdoor classroom in the nearby forest.
Martin and Nosalj-Koprivica said that they plan to continue the outdoor learning with kindergarten students as the winter approaches but will adapt it for these little learners.
Martin said that as a team, “We believe in fostering the connection with the earth and the seasons using all our senses. We want [students] to take these genuine experiences from Kindergarten with them throughout their lives.”
We look forward to seeing on social media all the adventures that this classroom will continue to take.
Categories: News Tags: UGLearnGreen