Thinking About Planning an Outdoor Education Experience?

Four children walk in a single file line through a forest scene. They are each holding a walking stick. The first child in line is fully in focus, wearing a light wash denim jacket, dark grey striped shirt, and earrings. They are smiling at the forest in awe and have deep brown skin, brown eyes, and dark hair tied off their face with a blue ribbon. The children behind them are all slightly out of focus but have the same excited smiles.

“A growing chorus of scientists and researchers agree: time spent in nature makes us happier, healthier and less stressed...It even makes us nicer, more empathetic humans, with more meaningful relationships and increased community involvement. When students develop a keener awareness of the sounds, smells and sight in life around them they develop an appreciation of the natural world and their role in protecting it. They learn to become more aware of the safety and actions of themselves and others.” i 

There are many ways to integrate outdoor activities into your curricular program. The information provided in this Blog can assist in making outdoor activities inclusive, safe, active, and fun for every student.  

Getting Started 

Ophea has developed an Outdoor Education Toolkit for Grades 1-8 and an Outdoor Education Toolkit for Grades 9-12. These toolkits were developed to enrich and promote a culture of safety-mindedness, increase teacher awareness, confidence, and preparedness to teach students about safety practices and to increase their awareness, confidence, and preparedness to engage safely in enjoyable outdoor education experiences.  

The Outdoor Education Toolkits are a great starting point for new and experienced teachers to embed learning related to outdoor education within their program using the checklists, tips, conversation starters, and lesson plans provided.  

Planning an Inclusive, Safe and Successful Outdoor Education Learning Experience

When you are starting the planning process for an outdoor education experience there are some initial questions you will need to consider. These include:   

What school board/school policies/procedures do I need to follow? (excursion/field trip, transportation, water-based activities) 

Remember:  

  • Be aware of your school board’s policies/procedures, approvals process and the permissions required to take students on an outdoor education learning experience.  

  • Review your school board policies to be knowledgeable of the Safety Standards and procedures you are expected to follow.   

  • Communication is an important part of the planning process - make sure you have a plan to communicate with parents/guardians, principal, and school board leaders throughout.  

What grade(s)/course(s) will be included? (e.g., elementary/secondary)  

Remember:   

  • Use the Safety Standards for the grade(s) you are including in the activities.   

  • Identify how the student learning for the trip provides students with experiences to meet the curriculum expectations for the grade(s)/course(s) you are planning on taking.  

​​​What types of activities will be included?    

Remember:  

  • Select activities that are accessible, where every student in your class is included. 

  • Activities selected should reflect the age, ability level, language, and experience of students.   

  • Plan activities based ​on the students’​​​ interests and abilities, taking into consideration the specific learning needs as well as the equipment/supports students need to be successful.  

What will be the duration of your trip? (e.g., single day, multi-day)  

Remember:  

  • Being aware of how long it will take for the arrival of emergency medical assistance is an important consideration when planning and preparing for your trip. 

  • Be aware of the medical condition requirements of the students participating and how to respond in case of an incident or emergency.  

What type of trip are you planning? (e.g., camping, backpacking/hiking)? 

Remember:  

  • If you are planning to lead your own trip, you must be familiar with the area or site where the activities will take place and have the qualifications, certifications and/or experience to lead the activity/trip. Refer to the Supervision and Qualification sections to determine what is required.   

  • If you are planning on using an outside activity provider like a trip guide or camp facility, check your school board policy/procedures on working with external service provides and provide the activity provider with the relevant Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) Safety Standards for the activities planned. Ensure they can meet the Safety Standards listed on the activity page(s). 

Are you planning a watercraft trip (e.g., canoe tripping), water activities (e.g., canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding) or swimming?  

Remember:  

  • Check to make sure the water activities you are planning have Safety Standards in OPASSE and that you meet all the supervision ratios, instructor, and water safety supervisor qualifications.  

  • Ensure the proper swim test has been administered for the type(s) of activity you are planning and you have documented and communicated the results (as per your school board policy).   

  • Check with the authority who oversees the swim area to determine if the swim area is a Designated or Non-Designated Swim Area and follow the requirements provided on the Safety Standards.  

What specific skills need to be taught prior to the outing? 

Remember:  

  • Some skills for the activities planned must be taught prior to the excursion, while others can be done during the outing.

Using Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education to help keep your Outdoor Education Outing Inclusive, Safe and Successful 

Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) provides Safety Standards as well as tools and resources that can assist you in planning and providing safe and successful Outdoor Education learning experiences.  

Some tips on using OPASSE during your planning process include:  

Locate the Safety Standards for the activity(s) you plan on including. 

  • OPASSE Safety Standards can be found by clicking on the heading that applies to the grades you are teaching (i.e., Elementary, Secondary), using the dropdown menu to locate and click on the activity(s), then select Curricular. 

  • Safety Standards for Outdoor Education are listed alphabetically using the heading Outdoor Education with the type of activity listed in brackets. Specific Safety Standards are grouped under the following headings: Equipment, Facilities, Environmental Considerations, Special Rules/Instructions, Supervision, Qualifications, First Aid. 

Review and follow the Safety Standards for each activity you are planning. These include:   

Safety Standards for General Procedures:    

Safety Standards for land-based activities, that include:    

Safety Standards for watercraft activities, these can be found in:  

Safety Standards for swimming, that includes:   

Safety Standards for other physical activities can be found in OPASSE alphabetically (e.g., Elementary Curricular Relay and Tag Games, Secondary Curricular Ultimate Disc) 

Use the Tools and Resources to assist in the planning process.  

OPASSE also includes tools and resources to assist with the safe planning of Outdoor Education activities. These include:  

For addition information or clarification on OPASSE, please reach out to us at Ask Ophea.   

Also, be sure to check out Ophea’s Beyond the Walls: Activities for the Outdoors resource to support elementary and secondary educators in using outdoor spaces safely and effectively for physical activity with students across the school day. This resource provides opportunities for students to observe, explore, and appreciate nature as they reflect on the benefits of being physically active outdoors all year long and includes: 

  • A seasonal video series addressing specific topics related to outdoor physical activity, including safety considerations, dressing for the weather, and different playing surfaces and areas; outdoor connections including environmental stewardship, Land-Based Learning, and educator prompts and guiding questions; and inclusive approaches for students with cognitive and physical disabilities. 
  • Activity Cards featuring tailored activities for the Spring, Fall and Winter seasons; Primary, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions; and various physical activity opportunities throughout the school day, including Physical Education class, Daily Physical Activity, Intramurals, and Recess. 

To stay up-to-date on Ophea’s resources, professional learning offerings and supports sign up for Ophea’s e-newsletter eConnection and stay connected to us @OpheaCanada on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

References

  1. Excerpted from The David Suzuki Foundation The One Nature Challenge. (2021). Retrieved from: https://davidsuzuki.org/take-action/act-locally/one-nature-challenge/