This is a great time of year to take learning outdoors! Learning outdoors can and should happen all year long, but in my neck of the woods, the sun is finally shining. It is springtime, and at last comfortable enough to be outside without 3 under layers and a snowsuit.

So let's take learning outdoors! This post offers strategies, tips, and activities for outdoor learning. Get kids that would otherwise be cooped up indoors learning out in the sunshine instead!

Spring is the perfect time of year for citizen science! It's warming up outside, students are getting antsy and exhausted, testing is underway, and breaks are badly needed. On top of that, things start to get active in the world of wildlife, especially in temperate regions like Minnesota. Animals emerge from hibernation, migrating species begin their long journeys to their summer sanctuaries, and it's breeding season for many organisms. ​

'Tis the season for road trips! Whether it be a spring camping trip with students, a summer road trip with your own children, or a cross country trip with just you and your dog, take full advantage of learning activities for road trips along the way.

​Learning is powerful beyond the walls of a classroom. Hitting the road opens doors to learning experiences that couldn't be achieved in a classroom.

What are some examples of self-directed learning activities? This is a popular question among educators that have an interest in student-directed learning, and know the benefits, but aren’t sure about semantics.

Before getting into great self-directed learning activities, let’s review what student-directed learning is and why this blog post is worth reading.

I often get asked about tips for helping self-directed learners independently self-direct in the classroom. Teachers commonly enter the world of student-led learning inspired and confident but quickly discover that many of their students are not able to self-direct, and that can be really frustrating. 

Your excitement is squashed and you are disappointed because it didn’t unfold the way you expected. So now what? Call it a day and get back to teacher-directed learning? Or mentor and train learners to self-direct effectively? The strategies in this blog post are to encourage you to choose the latter.

I have been an experiential science educator for almost 15 years. I have a background in field ecology but eventually left the career to teach high school science in an experiential classroom, which is where I’ve been for the bulk of my professional life. But what does that mean?

Are you in need of inspiration or examples of project-based learning activities for Earth Day?

​Earth Day is just around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about how your students can not only learn about Earth Day and the Earth itself but also examine and act upon the role that they play in keeping a clean and healthy planet.

Project-based learning is a great way to do that. Here are 10 examples of project-based learning activities for Earth Day that challenge your students to protect, conserve, and preserve the Earth for generations to come.

Are you a parent, teacher or student looking for some plant science fair ideas that are easy and engaging for everyone involved?

It doesn't have to be hard, it doesn't have to take a ton of time, and no one has to be a professional scientist or even a trained science teacher to do these plant science experiments and projects.

Check out some of the plant science fair ideas here to make your lives a little easier. Build a plant science experiment or a research project around the ideas offered here while still making them your own! 

A student-led learning classroom environment looks different than a traditional learning setting, including the teacher's role.

​But what does that look like?