(Curriculum Alignment Lesson Examples, Cross Subject (reading/math) & Grade Level Connections)
Overview
Outdoor learning offers endless opportunities to integrate multiple subjects, engage students, and make real-world connections. This section focuses on:
Curriculum Alignment – Lesson examples and cross-subject connections.
Outdoor Resources – Using natural elements and existing spaces for learning.
Bringing in Others – Engaging families, community members, and other classrooms.
Connecting Culture and Outdoor Learning – Celebrating diversity through outdoor experiences.
Student Leadership – Encouraging student-led activities and mentorship.
Student Voices – Insights from students on outdoor learning.
Curriculum Alignment: Lesson Examples
Outdoor learning naturally blends subjects, making it easier to connect science, math, ELA, and the arts. Outdoor learning also does not require different lesson plans, but can mean that teachers adapt what they already know to an outdoor setting. Here are some examples from educators in the Outdoor Learning Educator Program (OLEP):
- Math & Science:
- Measure fences, track patterns, assess trees, and compare objects.
- Conduct gravity-based experiments (e.g., building and racing balloon cars).
- Observe seasonal changes in shadows.
- ELA & Social Studies:
- Example: Read nature stories like Everybody Needs a Rock and connect it to cultural traditions.
- Write poetry on sidewalks with sidewalk chalk Use a senses as prompts like “I See, “I Smell”, “I Wonder”
- Lead debates or storytelling sessions outdoors.
- Science & Observation:
- Use iNaturalist to track environmental changes.
- Collect data about living and nonliving things in the schoolyard.
- Form hypotheses based on nature observations.
- Conduct chemical reaction experiments outdoors.
Tip: Use the outdoor environment as a living classroom—encourage students to reflect, ask questions, and apply what they learn to real-world settings.
For dozens of programs, lesson examples, curriculum, etc. visit:
Outdoor Resources
Outdoor spaces provide a wealth of natural and built resources for hands-on learning.
- Use natural materials: Sticks, leaves, rocks, plants, and water can support lessons in measurement, science, and art.
- Analyze shadows: Observe their length and direction across seasons.
- Track movement in the sky: Explore the position of the sun, clouds, and stars.
- Design improvements: Have students brainstorm ideas for enhancing outdoor spaces, such as gardens or seating areas.
Tip: Avoid overcomplicating things—everything around you is a learning tool!
Bringing in Others
Inviting families, other classes, and community members can enrich outdoor learning.
- Family involvement: Encourage students to interview family members about their outdoor experiences.
- Cross-class collaboration: Set up an “Outdoor Buddy” system with older and younger students.
- Community engagement: Invite guest speakers or local experts (e.g., scientists, park rangers, artists).
- Student-designed activities: Let students create outdoor learning experiences for their peers and families.
Tip: Outdoor learning builds advocacy. The more people involved, the stronger the support for outdoor education.
Connecting Culture and Outdoor Learning
Outdoor learning can be a powerful way to honor cultural traditions and encourage diversity in education.
- Student storytelling: Have students share personal or family stories related to nature.
- Guest speakers: Invite community members to discuss cultural connections to the land.
- Personalized learning: Adapt outdoor activities to reflect students’ backgrounds and interests.
- School-wide event: Organize an Outdoor Fair to celebrate different traditions.
- New Mexico social studies standards offer endless opportunities to connect the outdoors with learning.
Tip: New Mexico is culturally rich—tap into local traditions and student experiences to make learning more meaningful.
Student Leadership & Growth
Outdoor learning helps students develop confidence, responsibility, and leadership skills. After a month of consistent outdoor time, teachers have observed:
Peer mentorship – Students remind each other of outdoor expectations.
Leadership growth – Small student-led groups naturally form.
Increased comfort – Students become familiar with outdoor routines.
Student-driven learning – Students begin suggesting their own outdoor activities.
Tip: Give students choice and ownership—they will take the lead when given the opportunity!
Student Voices
Here’s what students from Belen Elementary and middle schools have said about outdoor learning:
“I feel connected and motivated to learn!”
“I never noticed how beautiful our school is!”
“Learning outside is just like recess!”
“I see the plants at my house and my school!”
“I now have a better appreciation for nature, my friends, and the learning I am doing every day outside.”
Final Thought: Outdoor learning inspires curiosity, joy, and deeper connections to the world around us.
Take the first step—get outside!
Students learning outdoors at La Promesa Elementary School: Part of the Outdoor Educator Leadership Program.
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