Intended End User: Teacher
Age Group: Lower Primary; Upper Primary
School Curriculum: Science; Social & Environment Science; Arts
Themes and Topics: Environmental Change; Citizenship
Duration: 1 hour.
Type of Resource: Presentation
Keywords: Outdoor education, natural world, place-based learning, School Campus
Languages: English
Description
The Wild Teaching webinar offers practical advice and ideas for teachers seeking to integrate the natural world into the classroom and engage in outdoor teaching. The webinar is presented by Paul O’Donnell, a primary school principal and nature enthusiast. Viewers are guided through examples that help develop an understanding and appreciation for the natural world in students.
A section of the book “Wild Teaching” is provided, offering guidelines on how to take a class on a Nature Walk and seasonal class activities for the months of September, October, and November.
Lesson and activity ideas proposed by Paul to bring students outdoors and promote sustainability include:
- Keeping Pet Tadpoles in the Classroom
- A Mini-Beast Hunt
- Weekly Outdoor Lessons
- Growing Vegetables (using everyday waste)
- Making Wildflower Seed Bombs
- Nest Making
- Using the School Campus
The webinar advocates for place-based learning through a transdisciplinary approach to enquiry-based learning around topics rather than curricular subjects.
How to use this resource
This webinar should be used to inspire outdoor education practices that promote student appreciation for the natural world. Additional supporting resources, such as lesson plans, are available to teachers wishing to implement similar approaches in their own schools.
The resources
PDF:
A full copy of the Wild Teaching book is available to purchase from Meath County Council.
Learning Outcomes (Teachers)
- Elicit prior knowledge and further develop knowledge and comprehension of key Sustainability Citizenship key concepts, challenging established worldviews and values.
- Apply a range of suitable tools and frameworks to promote student Sustainability Citizenship
Green Competencies
- Embodying Sustainable Values: Valuing Sustainability; Promoting Nature
- Embracing Complexity in Sustainability: Systems Thinking
- Envisioning Sustainable Futures: Exploratory Thinking
- Acting for Sustainability: Collective Action; Individual Initiative
Creative Commons
The webinar was hosted and recorded by the Irish National Teachers Organisation. It is shared on the Synapses Portal with their kind permission. The Wild Teaching book and resources were written by Paul O’Donnell and printed by Meath County Council with support from the Heritage Council of Ireland.
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