Learning Through Exploration Outside Of The Classroom Walls
Meet the Makers
Kendra Etter and Nicole Huguenin, Project Based Learning and Curriculum Specialist; Director of Arts Integration and Play
If you had 25 hours in a day how would you use your time?
Kendra: As a new mom to a one month old, I desperately wish I had an extra hour in the day. I would like to think I would use it for something productive, but most likely I would sleep.
Nicole: I love playing board games with my adult kids and their significant others so I’d spend my extra hour playing Settlers of Catan, Yahtzee, or Kilter with them.
What is your favorite TV show?
Kendra: It is hard for me to pick just one. My two favorite shows are New Girl and Schitt’s Creek. I have seen both of these shows at least two times and still manage to laugh hysterically every time I watch.
Nicole: Any DIY or home makeover show is entertaining to me. I also like watching The Rookie and Criminal Minds.
The “Why” behind our Making Magic
There tends to be a notion that all learning takes place within the walls of a classroom. Many people worry about a learning loss during school breaks. With summer just around the corner, we think it is important to remind families and educators that so much learning happens through observation and experiences of the world around us. We also know that inquiry-based learning outside of the classroom is an extremely impactful and important pillar in Project-Based Learning.
This Week’s Focus
Driving Question
What can we learn from exploring the world around us?
Our focus this week is all about inquiry and exploration in the world around us. Kids are naturally curious and want to learn about the things they have a chance to observe, explore and experience. This can happen in the classroom, but this can also happen on a camping trip to a national park, a trip to the water park, or even just a car ride around town. If you have ever spent time with a toddler, you know that they are incredibly curious about everything they see. They want to know about everything, and they are fascinated by everything. Children do not grow out of this curiosity as they age. A key pillar of project-based learning is fostering inquiry in our learners. This can happen in so many ways. We can take our learners on a nature walk and have them develop questions about everything they see and observe. We can…
Watch
What is a Bio Blitz?
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63 Outdoor Learning Activities that Kids Will Love
(Thank you Linda Krystek for sharing a lot of these great resources with us!)