To have students be more in tune with their lessons, some teachers are merging learning and the outdoors together for their classes.
Teachers and students discuss the advantages that this addition to the curriculum has brought to their education and experiences.
Classes such as Environmental Science run by science teacher Ian Burley and Outdoor Adventure and Fitness run by wellness teacher Mike Bergey specialize in planning for more outdoor focused lessons for the students.
According to junior Kaydence Martinez who is enrolled in Outdoor Adventure and Fitness, having the outdoors be a part of her daily routine at school is helpful to her mood as well as her ability to absorb skills learned during lessons.
“Whenever I am at school, I really look forward to the end of the day where I can just relax outside,” Martinez said. “I also think I understand and take more from the lessons since they are outside.
Martinez also mentioned the lack of outside activities in classrooms.
“When we were young we always got to go outside,” Martinez said.
The Outdoor Adventure and Fitness class went on a field trip recently to Lake Nockamixon to paddleboard, receiving positive feedback from the students.
“Going paddleboarding was really fun,” senior Jake Godshall said. “I got a lot out of the trip and learned a lot.”
Additionally, senior Valery Mariscal said it’s important to be outside.
“I feel like if it weren’t for us going outside for a lot of lessons, the class wouldn’t be the same,” Mariscal said. “I didn’t realize how important it was.”
Burley said his reasoning for incorporating the outdoors more in his classes has to do with learning new things.
“It is very good for people to get outside,” Burley said. “The experiences you gain are important towards learning.”
Burley includes various types of outdoor activities for students in his lesson plans.
“I will sometimes take my Environmental Science classes on small, local trips to nature-based areas,” Burley said.
Moreover, Burley believes that experiencing learning outside is better than inside the classroom.
“Instead of sitting down in a chair for the entire class, I try to get students outside,” Burley said. “Experiential learning is deeper and more fulfilling.”
Mariscal hopes to experience more outdoor adventures in the future.
“I really do hope that schools begin taking students outside more,” Mariscal said. “The advantages are amazing.”