Professional Learning Goals

• Acquired and shared professional knowledge and understanding related to integrating outdoor learning into the social studies curriculum
• Worked collaboratively to create authentic learning opportunities that involve the use of technology
• Adapted daily teaching practice to include elements of outdoor learning in social studies learning activities
• Made effective use of technology to network with other educational professionals

Activities and Resources

• Six days of co-planning (one for each of the learning challenges)
• Review best practices using curriculum resources and school-based and online sources (in-school outdoor learning library, Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) Connecting the Dots document, Legacies of Ancient Egypt (Critical Challenges Across the Curriculum))
• Student engagement and understanding survey
• Reflection and documentation of previous challenge(s)

Unexpected Challenges

This year our school was part of our board’s accommodation review process and was recommended for closure in September 2017. At times, motivation to work on a project that was driven by our proximity to nearby nature was difficult to muster. This provided a different perspective to us. We adjusted our thinking to look at how it would be possible to undertake the planned activities in other, less ideal, school locations. Ultimately, our unique location (adjacent to an urban conservation area that has been described as one of the most ecologically diverse spots in Canada) and our commitment to integrating this amazing resource into our daily teaching practices resulted in a transformation to an alternative program for the upcoming school year.

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

Engagement – create a sense of curiosity and interest in learning

Leadership – develop specific leadership skills as students take on specific roles in the learning process

Confidence – create success through better understanding of their community

Stewardship – instil a reverence for the natural world and adopt habits of mind that are respectful of the environment

Thinking – foster higher level thinking skills through inquiry

Communication – communicate knowledge and understanding across the curriculum (e.g., media works, reflective journals, artistic works, oral presentations)

Sharing

• Learning challenges will be posted and updated on our website (www.themudlakeproject.ca) with an opportunity for online dialogue
• Shared with other teachers within our district through environmental networking opportunities and at professional development days (participation in a nature-based research study involving the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, the Ottawa Forest and Nature School and the University of Ottawa Faculty of Education)
• Provided after-school professional development (presented workshops to other interested school staffs and to teachers taking additional qualification courses)

Project Evaluation

Overall, we feel that our project was a success. Despite some unexpected obstacles, we worked collaboratively to create six integrated learning challenges (one for each of the social studies strands) that we will continue to use, update and share with other educators. Any opportunity to carefully examine the curriculum with your peers is very valuable. To have several days to review and adapt existing learning resources, to create new learning activities, and to document this work was essential to the successful completion of the project.

As we got deeper into our project, we realized the potential scope of the task. Perhaps choosing one social studies strand for each of the grade levels would have been a more manageable goal for the project. In the end, we were very satisfied with what we accomplished. We have a much deeper understanding of the curriculum, especially how it supports combined grades, and feel more confident that we are maximizing learning opportunites for our students.