Div 4 and 5 spent some extended time outdoors in celebration of TAKE ME OUTSIDE. I took both classes outside and played various eco-literacy games, reinforcing such concepts as food chains, predator-prey relationships, decomposers of the forest, and understanding the shared relationships and place in world among other living things.
Why did we do this?
Teachers at Maywood strongly believe that outdoor education is a vital part of a child’s growth and development. We want our students going to local places and parks to discover, explore, question, and imagine while they are immersed in a natural outdoor space. Through mindful moments, play, scientific observations, and meaningful discussions, students engage with the world around them.
What is TAKE ME OUTSIDE DAY?
In 2011, Colin Harris, founder and Executive Director of Take Me Outside ran over 7,600 kilometres (the equivalent of 181 marathons!) from St. John’s, NL to Victoria, BC. Along the way, he visited 80 schools and met with almost 20,000 students, talking about the importance of finding balance between the amount of time they spend outside and the time they are spending in front of screens. The final day of his cross Canada run was in late October. To celebrate the end of his mega-run and to continue the momentum of awareness raising on this important issue, Take Me Outside Day was established. It is a day to highlight the importance of unplugging and spending time outside, being active and connecting with nature. It’s also a time to play and have fun in the fresh air. We hope you’ll join us. http://takemeoutside.ca/tmo-day/
Below: Students play Predator-Prey, while the decomposers return the prey to the living.
Below: Who Am I, students have to guess their wildlife by asking questions, leading them to understand the different ways we can categorize living things.
