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Let Nature Be Your Teacher: Integrating Nature-Based Learning in the Elementary Classroom advocates for a transformative shift in elementary education through incorporating nature-based learning into the curriculum. In an era dominated by indoor education and heightened screen time, Louise Ammentorp and Helen M. Corveleyn respond to the urgent need to reconnect children with nature. This book aims to gray the boundary between indoor and outdoor learning, bringing students outdoors as well as bringing nature inside. Supported by a growing body of research in a flourishing movement for nature-based learning, this book highlights ways to incorporate authentic experiences across content areas. Each chapter offers vetted lesson and activity ideas that can be adapted to any classroom. Let Nature Be Your Teacher aims to inspire educators, parents, and administrators and equip them with the tools and knowledge to prioritize nature-based learning, fostering a generation that values and protects our natural world.

This edited volume illuminates how intimate relations with place can transform early childhood pedagogy by presenting a diverse range of situated place stories. The book begins to answer big questions facing the early childhood education community, including:'What is situated, locally responsive education?', at a time when both researchers and educators grapple with their responsibility (and response-ability) to initiate and inspire alternative environmental ethics and anticolonial approaches that invite active participation from children. Chapters will include work from Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and educators who center the role of place in cultural identity, community building, and anticolonial projects throughout their work and teaching.

This book draws together theories, research, and practice on knowledges and pedagogies of place across educational settings.Using empirical research on learning across education systems, each chapter highlights different concepts of place in various contexts such as environments, understandings of place like those experienced by communities and opportunities for embedding place in learning. Chapters are co-constructed by authors working collaboratively across different contexts, tackling key themes such as justice, mobilities, changes, and sustainability, through place.The book indicates how educators can apply creative approaches to teaching within, through and about place in education and will therefore be of relevance to a wider range of academics, teachers and practitioners working in early years settings, schools, universities and other educational context.

Following the acclaim for Learning Outside the Classroom in 2012, this latest book more deeply explains how well constructed outdoor learning experiences can benefit children and young people's academic development and health and wellbeing.Outdoor Learning Across the Curriculum outlines the theory and practice to enable preservice and experienced primary and secondary school teachers to systematically incorporate meaningful outdoor learning opportunities into their daily teaching activities, in a range of environments and with diverse groups of students. Six of the chapters are substantially re-worked versions of the 2012 book, two are completely re-imagined, and four are entirely new. Topics for developing learning and teaching outdoors include: Inclusive educational design Learning for sustainability Community-based learning The role of student curiosity and wonder Evidencing learning Developing a whole school approach Place-responsive education Integrating digital technology With practical and engaging chapters containing aims, case studies, and guidelines for practice, this timely book provides teachers the tools with which they can integrate outdoor learning into their daily timetable. It will also be a valuable resource to other professions which use the outdoors for educational purposes.

This text presents a variety of ways for students to meet traditional instructional goals in writing while also learning how writing can help them become stewards of the natural world and advocates for their own communities. Built on a foundation of emerging research and theory and grounded in the lived reality of teachers, this book explores the material and virtual worlds as places that can be equally productive as sources for authentic writing. Readers will find place-based writing activities, lesson ideas, and samples of student work in every chapter. With practical and classroom-tested ideas, Place-Based Writing in Action is a useful text for preservice and in-service English teachers, as well as any educator who wants to move the act of writing beyond the four walls of the classroom.

Understand the impact a sense of place has on education, culture, and community. The authors share seven place-based learning design principles to help educators implement projects smoothly, from start to finish. With their project-planning tools and community asset map, teachers, school coaches, and leaders will be equipped to empower students and promote equity for all. Grades 4–12 teachers, Iinstructional designers and school leaders will: Learn the seven place-based learning design principles and apply them Understand what role maps and countermapping have in establishing a sense of place and how to map community's assets Build meaningful community partnerships with students using collaborative projects Empower students to confront inequitable societal structures Reflect on key takeaways and consider chapter-ending questions to further their place-based learning practice Contents: Foreword by Lisa Delpit Introduction Part One: Understand Place-Based Learning Design Principles Chapter 1: Elevate Ways of Knowing Chapter 2: Facilitate Purpose-Driven Inquiry Chapter 3: Build Authentic Community Partnerships Chapter 4: Empower Student Ownership Chapter 5: Engage in Feedback, Revision, and Reflection Chapter 6: Create an Authentic Community Product Chapter 7: Embed Culture in Teaching and Learning Part Two: Designing Place-Based Journeys Chapter 8: Liberate Teaching Practices and Decolonize Curricula Chapter 9: Unpack Biases and Assumptions and Uncover Community Assets Chapter 10: Pathways to Liberatory and Decolonized Assessment Practices Chapter 11: Plan Place-Based Learning Projects Part 3: Supporting and Sustaining PBL Implementation With an Equity Lens Chapter 12: Sustain Place-Based Learning Through the Practitioner's Round Chapter 13: Dismantle the Barriers to Place-Based Learning Chapter 14: Monitor and Assess the Efficacy of Place-Based Learning and Build Capacity Epilogue Appendix References and Resources Index

Educating Children Outdoors is a resource for educators interested in spending extended periods of time in nature with their students. Bringing over two decades of experience working outdoors with teachers and students, Amy Butler offers curricular guidance on nature-based lessons that align with K–12 education standards and build on the innate curiosity and wonder children have for the natural world. This book will help the educator:- Learn successful routines and practices to make learning outdoors safe and engaging- Understand protocols for real and risky play- Draw inspiration from real-life stories from other teachers about learning in nature- Meet NGSS and Common Core standards outdoors with seasonal lessons that are child-centered- Be part of the movement to support children in becoming reconnected with the natural world and the places they call homeWith twenty-five lessons in five units of study spread out across a seasonal school year and appendixes that offer templates for learning, Educating Children Outdoors is essential for educators looking to harvest the benefits of a nature-based curriculum.

The connection between place and education has always been complicated and in recent decades has mostly been ignored during the standardization era of education. This book provides a different lens to view this connection between place and education as one that is not optional, but inherent to all education. Furthermore, place is looked at not as an ingredient in educational practice, but as an outcome of education. Instead of merely considering how communities and landscapes can be incorporated into teaching practices, The Worlds Educators Create explores how educators can contribute toward the creation and meaning of the places themselves. By incorporating lenses from many fields of study, this book aims to create a unifying perspective of place beneficial for educators across content areas and grade levels. In so doing, educators are able to see the true impact of their work in shaping the places around them. Ultimately, The Worlds Educators Create calls for education to not merely occur in places, but contribute toward making the places themselves more just and equitable.

Learn how to facilitate scientific inquiry projects by getting out of the classroom and connecting to the natural environment—in your schoolyard, or in your community!Providing a contemporary perspective on how to do scientific inquiry in ways that can make teachers'lives easier and students'experiences better, this book draws on authentic inquiry, engaging with communities, and teaching through project-based learning to help students design and carry out scientific inquiry projects that are grounded in their local places. This accessible guide will help you to develop skills around facilitation, team building, and learning outdoors in schoolyards and parks, acting as a go-to toolkit for teachers to help build confidence and skills in these areas. Written according to the Next Generation Science Standards, this book supports teachers in fostering community engagement and a justice-first classroom. The approachable resources included in this book will help teachers with all levels of experience succeed in empowering students grades 3–12 in their science learning.Additional support materials including template documents for student use and for teacher planning, as well as examples of real student work, are available online at www.routledge.com/9781032434155.The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license

Today's youth find themselves navigating an uncertain terrain marked by shifting societal foundations. History, tradition, and geopolitics, were once steadfast guides, but now seem elusive or ineffective. The pandemic, identity crises, and environmental upheavals have blurred the lines of reality, leaving younger generations in pursuit of sustainable futures. The social bonds that once held us together are weakening, and established socio-political and religious frameworks no longer offer clear direction. We are at a crossroads, faced with a pivotal question: can we provide the necessary guidance for future generations to navigate this tumultuous era and forge a brighter future? Youth Cultures, Responsive Education, and Learning, emerges as a timely and thought-provoking compass for understanding and addressing the challenges confronting today's youth. Rather than prescribing a singular'correct'path forward, it offers a diverse and comprehensive exploration of the past, present, and future of youth culture. Drawing from individual experiences, research, art, literature, and the collective wisdom of global elders, this book offers a holistic perspective on the intricate tapestry of youth in our changing world. With engaging discussions spanning topics from the historical evolution of youth cultures to the complexities of post-capitalism and emerging global powers, this book equips readers with the knowledge and insights required to confront the pressing issues of our time. It challenges established norms and encourages innovative pedagogical responses. In a landscape of uncertainty, Youth Cultures, Responsive Education, and Learning serves as a guiding resource of diverse perspectives that ignite creativity, intellectual curiosity, and forward-thinking solutions. We invite you to embark on this journey with us to shape a world that is more resilient and harmonious for the next generation. This book is indispensable for academic scholars and researchers seeking a thorough examination of the dynamic landscape of youth cultures, responsive education, and learning. It serves as a valuable resource for those dedicated to understanding and addressing the intricate challenges that confront our youth in an ever-evolving world.

This book offers an innovative framework and set of pedagogical pathways for deepening college student learning through critical engagement with place.Though the what and how of teaching and learning rightly take center stage in research of best practices, this book argues that the where of education deserves increased attention. Drawing from interviews and case studies with college and university educators in the United States and Canada, Learning on Location highlights pedagogies-in-action and identifies programmatic models for embedding location-based learning within specific courses, majors, curricula, and campus-wide initiatives. Chapters provide a mix of theoretical framing and practical application, with three key practices grounding the text: writing on location, walking on location, and engaging the civic on location.This resource is an invaluable guide for higher education faculty, leaders, and practitioners seeking to enhance student experience through attention to location, support identity-conscious student success, and use reflection and praxis to move toward more inclusive and equitable learning experiences. Supplemental resources—including example assignments, discussion questions for reading groups, and more—are available at www.centerforengagedlearning.org/books/learning-on-location.

Dominant assumptions about place tend to be defined in relation to urban communities. To assume a singular construction of urban places misrepresents the experiences, perspectives, and identities of urban children, making their identities become invisible to researchers, educators, and curriculum developers. Sharing a wide range of perspectives, The Role of Place and Play in Young Children's Language and Literacy sheds light on language and literacy learning in play-based early childhood settings where place plays an important role in teaching and learning. Drawing on geographic contexts, including northern rural and Indigenous communities, and giving voice to educational leaders in Indigenous professional learning contexts, as well as speech-language pathologists, this book joins forces with literacy and early childhood education researchers to create an interdisciplinary collage of theory, research, and practice. Bringing play and place together, a concept Shelley Stagg Peterson and Nicola Friedrich call playce-based learning, this book provides new and compelling ways to think about equity and educational opportunity in the language and literacy development of young children, and offers spaces for them to construct their own identities in positive ways.

What changes in education, when it is not just humans whose teaching is sought and acknowledged? And how can educational research be accountable to the voices and agency of such more-than-human teachers, interlocutors, and kin? These have become pressing questions in an era of soaring interest in forest and nature schools, place- and land-based education. Ecoportraiture offers theoretical and practical guidance into an emerging methodology with deep roots in the anti-racist, emancipatory research tradition of portraiture initiated by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot and Jessica Hoffman Davis. Bracketed by the editors'wide-ranging introductory essay and a closing critical conversation, five inspiring chapters take readers deep into the thinking and action that characterize ecoportraiture research. Ideal for researchers at all levels who want to explore more deeply how human learning is shaped and informed by the more-than-human, this book also invites a wider audience into the artful practice of close listening to the many voices of the natural world. Ecoportraiture seeks to evoke and to guide journeys of knowing that are both profoundly ecological and profoundly personal. This is an open-ended and transformative methodology: one that is less about finding answers than about asking better questions—about learning to participate more deeply, as student, teacher, parent, community member, and/or co-researcher, in the conversations of the Earth.

Place, Pedagogy and Play connects landscape architecture with education, psychology, public health and planning. Over the course of thirteen chapters it examines how design and research of places can be approached through multiple lenses – of pedagogy and play and how children, as competent social agents, are engaged in the process of designing their own spaces – and brings a global perspective to the debate around child-friendly environments.Despite growing evidence of the benefits of nature for health, wellbeing, play and learning, children are increasingly spending more time indoors. Indeed, new policy ideas and public campaigns suggest how children can become better connected with nature, yet linking outdoor space to pedagogy is largely overlooked in research. By focusing on three themes within these debates, place and play; place and pedagogy; and place and participation, this book explores a variety of angles to show that best practice requires dialogue between research disciplines, designers, educationists and psychologists, and a move beyond seeing the spaces children inhabit as the domain only of childhood professionals.Through illustrated case studies this book presents a wider picture of the state of childhood today, and offers practical solutions and further research avenues that promote a more holistic and internationally focused perspective on place, pedagogy and play for built-environment professionals.Chapter 12 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

This book explores how educators can realize the potential of critical place-based pedagogy. The authors'model leverages the power of technology through strategies such as mobile mapping so that students can read the world and share spatial narratives. The same complexity that makes spaces outside the classroom ideal for authentic, purposeful learning creates challenges for educators who must minimize students taking wrong turns or reaching dead ends. Instructional design process is key and the authors offer exemplars of this from multiple disciplines. Whether students are exploring a local community or a natural environment, place-based inquires must include recognition of privilege and the social dynamics that reinforce inequalities. Concluding with a discussion of the changing social context, the authors highlight how contemporary events add a sense of urgency to the call for a critical place-based pedagogy—one that is more inclusive for all students.

Art education has a definite impact on artists'sense of place and their spatial relations. Exploring where and why artists choose to locate is the first step in describing an art scene ethnographically. This research considers coming to and going through art school as a crucial inter-subjective learning environment. Artists learn not just to engage with place through spatial and relational practices, but gain a sense of mobility and transnational flows in a globalized art world.This book is the first time the art school has been studied this way in the nascent field of art geography, blending the tool kits of human geography and urban studies. This is timely against the backdrop of worldwide university closures of physical space and cost intensive fine art courses as a triumph of managerialism and business-case over education. This volume helps highlight how investment in this form of education has an important capacity for nurturing art scenes and feeding into the community at large.

This edited volume explores 21st century stories of hunting, foraging, and fishing for food as unique forms of place-based learning. Through the authors'narratives, it reveals complex social and ecological relationships while readers sample the flavors of foraging in Portland, Oregon; feel some of what it's like to grow up hunting and gathering as a person of Oglala Lakota and Shoshone-Bannock descent; track the immersive process of learning to communicate with rocky mountain elk; encounter a road-killed deer as a spontaneous source of local meat, and more.Other topics in the collection connect place, food, and learning to issues of identity, activism, spirituality, food movements, conservation, traditional and elder knowledge, and the ethics related to eating the more-than-human world. This volume will bring lively discussion to courses on place-based learning, food studies, environmental education, outdoor recreation, experiential education, holistic learning, human dimensions of natural resource management, sustainability, food systems, environmental ethics, and others.

'Place: it's where we're from; it's where we're going.... It asks for our attention and care. If we pay attention, place has much to teach us.'With this belief as a foundation, The Power of Place offers a comprehensive and compelling case for making communities the locus of learning for students of all ages and backgrounds. Dispelling the notion that place-based education is an approach limited to those who can afford it, the authors describe how schools in diverse contexts—urban and rural, public and private—have adopted place-based programs as a way to better engage students and attain three important goals of education: student agency, equity, and community. This book identifies six defining principles of place-based education. Namely, it 1. Embeds learning everywhere and views the community as a classroom. 2. Is centered on individual learners. 3. Is inquiry based to help students develop an understanding of their place in the world. 4. Incorporates local and global thinking and investigations. 5. Requires design thinking to find solutions to authentic problems. 6. Is interdisciplinary. For each principle, the authors share stories of students whose lives were transformed by their experiences in place-based programs, elaborate on what the principle means, demonstrate what it looks like in practice by presenting case studies from schools throughout the United States, and offer action steps for implementation. Aimed at educators from preK through high school, The Power of Place is a definitive guide to developing programs that will lead to successful outcomes for students, more fulfilling careers for teachers, and lasting benefits for communities.

Sow the seeds of science and wonder and inspire the next generation of Earth stewards The School Garden Curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive framework, enabling students to grow their knowledge throughout the school year and build on it from kindergarten to eighth grade. From seasonal garden activities to inquiry projects and science-skill building, children will develop organic gardening solutions, a positive land ethic, systems thinking, and instincts for ecological stewardship. The world needs young people to grow into strong, scientifically literate environmental stewards. Learning gardens are great places to build this knowledge, yet until now there has been a lack of a multi-grade curriculum for school-wide teaching aimed at fostering a connection with the Earth. The book offers: A complete K-8 school-wide framework Over 200 engaging, weekly lesson plans – ready to share Place-based activities, immersive learning, and hands-on activities Integration of science, critical thinking, permaculture, and life skills Links to Next Generation Science Standards Further resources and information sources. A model and guide for all educators, The School Garden Curriculum is the complete package for any school wishing to use ecosystem perspectives, science, and permaculture to connect children to positive land ethics, personal responsibility, and wonder, while building vital lifelong skills. AWARDS FINALIST | 2019 Foreword INDIES: Education