Intro Activities to Outdoor Learning

(Let me preface this with stating, none of these ideas are my own genuine creations. As a teacher we beg, borrow, and steal from anyone with a good idea we think may work. These are off of other blogs/ Pinterest/ moms that I know/ my own childhood...etc.)

Measurement/ Classification Scavenger Hunt

Chalk number lines + imagination = a whole world of possible math thinking going on!

Here are a TON of number identification, classification, sorting, addition, subtraction starter ideas in this pic!

In the pic above, I would suggest activities like these:

• Bull's Eye- adjust the numbers inside for the learner's age. Throw the sponge and that learner must do that many jumping jacks, find that many items in the yard, count to that number, give an equation to equal the number...use your imagination!
• Sorting- this could be a great, fun scavenger hunt. Like the pic shows you could use stones OR colored plates/ bowls/ buckets/ towels, etc. They could be natural object being found or objects you've placed intentionally.
• Number lines- I love number lines! I like the bike pick above. This could be where you have a number caller and a biker/runner/ skater/ you name it-er...the number caller says a number and that person uses their mode of transportation to move over that number on the number line. 

Use found objects to create shapes...then take the simple shapes even further to create pictures. This is a fun thing for students when we learn about shapes. We will look at pictures and identify what shapes it takes to make that picture (real photos). Then using construction paper shapes students make their own pictures. They can do this with found objects in the yard as well!

Experiment.

Have fun.

Research- Pinterest is great.

I am beginning outdoor centers this week in class. Each post in this series past the intro will be from the classroom. Going to be a fun time! Check in next week!