Programming
Daily Activities at Nature's Classroom
Sample Schedules
Schedules vary for each group based on their specific needs and requests. As an overview of our program, we have included a sample schedule for both a 5-day and 3-day trip to Nature's Classroom. For descriptions of the activities, please see sections below.
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Field Group
Field Groups consist of 12 students, the composition as determined by the schoolteachers. These groups remain consistent during the week and are assigned a Nature's Classroom teacher who will be their Field Group leader for the duration of their stay. Field Group occurs each morning and is a chance for the students to explore the natural environment and engage in outdoor activities that interest them. Each day the Field Group will focus on different topics and activities; they might investigate a stream or pond one morning to learn about aquatic ecosystems, another morning might focus on building stronger interpersonal relationships and self-confidence through team-building exercises. Spending each morning with their Field Group offers students the exciting opportunity to learn a great deal about the world and people around them.
Special Interest Classes
Each afternoon there are one or two class periods with several different classes offered. Each Nature’s Classroom teacher presents a different class and students get to choose a class that interests them. Each of our classes involve a hands-on activity or experience that help to illustrate the topic and make it more memorable. We collaborate with classroom teachers ahead of time to ensure our classes align with in-school curriculum and the goals of the trip. Examples of our most popular classes include: basics of physics illustrated by launching water rockets, anatomy classes with an animal dissection, math and geometry through building a geodesic dome, introductory yoga and meditation. Specific classes offered depend on the expertise and background of our teachers, as well as varying environmental factors.
Evening Activities
After dinner each night we facilitate a large group activity in which all of the students get to participate together. We have many different activities teachers can choose from, depending on your specific goals and expectations. The topics that can be covered vary greatly and include science, team-building, cultural acceptance, positive communication, social studies, and acting. Some of our most popular activities include: "Science Fair" during which students learn about general science through demonstrations; "Night Hike" where students explore nocturnal adaptations and how their senses work in the dark; "Quest" where students are timed to complete team challenges; and an "Oregon Trail" simulation in which students learn about Westward Expansion.
