Jay/Westfield Elementary School Outdoor Learning Area
In concert with modern child development research findings, the concept of the Outdoor Learning Area is built upon the premise that children are complex beings. To nurture the whole child, early childhood education needs to follow the fundamental principle that children are learning everywhere and all the time. Instead of developmentally inappropriate early academics, children need a broad variety of learning experiences and opportunities to grow in areas such as gross and fine motor development, social-emotional development, language development, and creative expression. Mastery of the skills associated with these areas is critical for healthy development as well as later academic success, and requires an educational format that is very different from a traditional elementary classroom. The Outdoor Learning Area evolves from the real needs of children, offers activities that are personally meaningful to them, and fully embraces developmentally appropriate practices in early care.
The goal of this initiative is improving children’s health and fostering generations of children who care for and protect nature. Study after study is revealing that experiences in nature are vital to the health mental, emotional and physical development of children. This Outdoor Learning Program will allow children to experience nature up close. By providing opportunities to explore natural habitats, children will be able to connect to the plants and animals that live in their area. Students who learn through hands-on outdoor lessons better retain ad understand scientific concepts. Out hope is that these early experiences with nature will inspire them to become supporters and stewards of the environment as they grow into adults and become parents.
The main purpose of our project is to enable a more integrated inclusion of environmental factors into student learning. The pillars of 21st century learning, “The Four C’s” – critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication will be enhanced as students participate in group learning. (i.e., PreK: Mud Kitchen), student-led lessons (i.e., Grades 1-2 and 3-4 inventory and placard making about 4 season flora and fauna), and project-based work (i.e., 3-6 Grade-Tree House planning and construction). Teachers and administrators see the need and benefits of non-traditional learning spaces. “When students are bounding off the walls, REMOVE THE WALLS!” as one teacher paraphrased author Angela J. Hanscom. Outdoor Learning Areas operate under rain-or-shine policies, sessions are loosely structured allowing both teachers and students to see what nature will teach them that day.
The Jay/Westfield Elementary School (JWES) is a key partner and leader in this project. The teachers are contributing their time and expertise around curricular planning, integration and implementation of the various aspects of outdoor learning areas. Their ideas are our blueprint.
The JWES is the first Outdoor Learning Area in our region for elementary school children. Students suffer from emotional and behavioral problems preventing them from accessing curricular in a meaningful way. School Board, teachers and administrators recognize the need to reorganize school days to meet the needs of students. The staff at JWES is known for creative thinking—incorporating yoga and meditation as accepted practice to include in the Outdoor Learning Areas.
Connecting kids to nature, engaging students in personalized, active, educational experiences in which they apply classroom learning to outdoor learning, will help them socially, developmentally, emotionally and academically as they become engaged students, stewards of the environment and physically active and involved citizens.
The benefits of an Outdoor Learning Area are:
• An increase in physical development, capability and activity
• Setting up patterns for an active, healthy lifestyle
• Fewer children suffering from diseases such as obesity, diabetes and ADD/ADHD
The cognitive benefits are:
• Stronger language, problem solving, and communications skills through projects and group activity
• Developing an interest in science and math through connecting with nature
• Fostering learning through self-initiation, control and personal responsibility
With our Outdoor Learning Area collaboration, we anticipate 80 students and teachers 2 times per week for 30 weeks of the school year. This means approximately 640 additional visits per month.
Other local schools use the Jay Community Recreational Centre, and we expect to engage them in the future. The teachers of 3 surrounding elementary schools have expressed an interest in integrating our Outdoor Learning Areas into their curricula.
Help us help others! With today’s ever growing financial changes and challenges, the need for contributions to help support our local community is even more crucial. Your sponsorship will join with the efforts of OUR volunteers who devote thousands of hours supporting the Jay area community efforts and organizations.
The goal of this initiative is improving children’s health and fostering generations of children who care for and protect nature. Study after study is revealing that experiences in nature are vital to the health mental, emotional and physical development of children. This Outdoor Learning Program will allow children to experience nature up close. By providing opportunities to explore natural habitats, children will be able to connect to the plants and animals that live in their area. Students who learn through hands-on outdoor lessons better retain ad understand scientific concepts. Out hope is that these early experiences with nature will inspire them to become supporters and stewards of the environment as they grow into adults and become parents.
The main purpose of our project is to enable a more integrated inclusion of environmental factors into student learning. The pillars of 21st century learning, “The Four C’s” – critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication will be enhanced as students participate in group learning. (i.e., PreK: Mud Kitchen), student-led lessons (i.e., Grades 1-2 and 3-4 inventory and placard making about 4 season flora and fauna), and project-based work (i.e., 3-6 Grade-Tree House planning and construction). Teachers and administrators see the need and benefits of non-traditional learning spaces. “When students are bounding off the walls, REMOVE THE WALLS!” as one teacher paraphrased author Angela J. Hanscom. Outdoor Learning Areas operate under rain-or-shine policies, sessions are loosely structured allowing both teachers and students to see what nature will teach them that day.
The Jay/Westfield Elementary School (JWES) is a key partner and leader in this project. The teachers are contributing their time and expertise around curricular planning, integration and implementation of the various aspects of outdoor learning areas. Their ideas are our blueprint.
The JWES is the first Outdoor Learning Area in our region for elementary school children. Students suffer from emotional and behavioral problems preventing them from accessing curricular in a meaningful way. School Board, teachers and administrators recognize the need to reorganize school days to meet the needs of students. The staff at JWES is known for creative thinking—incorporating yoga and meditation as accepted practice to include in the Outdoor Learning Areas.
Connecting kids to nature, engaging students in personalized, active, educational experiences in which they apply classroom learning to outdoor learning, will help them socially, developmentally, emotionally and academically as they become engaged students, stewards of the environment and physically active and involved citizens.
The benefits of an Outdoor Learning Area are:
• An increase in physical development, capability and activity
• Setting up patterns for an active, healthy lifestyle
• Fewer children suffering from diseases such as obesity, diabetes and ADD/ADHD
The cognitive benefits are:
• Stronger language, problem solving, and communications skills through projects and group activity
• Developing an interest in science and math through connecting with nature
• Fostering learning through self-initiation, control and personal responsibility
With our Outdoor Learning Area collaboration, we anticipate 80 students and teachers 2 times per week for 30 weeks of the school year. This means approximately 640 additional visits per month.
Other local schools use the Jay Community Recreational Centre, and we expect to engage them in the future. The teachers of 3 surrounding elementary schools have expressed an interest in integrating our Outdoor Learning Areas into their curricula.
Help us help others! With today’s ever growing financial changes and challenges, the need for contributions to help support our local community is even more crucial. Your sponsorship will join with the efforts of OUR volunteers who devote thousands of hours supporting the Jay area community efforts and organizations.
2018 COMPLETED PROJECTS
GAZEBO and a 2-STALL COMPOSTING PRIVY with 1 STALL ADA COMPLIANT
The goal of this project is improving children’s health and fostering generations of children who care for and protect nature. Study after study is revealing that experiences in nature are vital to the health mental, emotional and physical development of children. This Outdoor Learning Program will allow children to experience nature up close. By providing opportunities to explore natural habitats, children will be able to connect to the plants and animals that live in their area. Students who learn through hands-on outdoor lessons better retain ad understand scientific concepts. Our hope is that these early experiences with nature will inspire them to become supporters and stewards of the environment as they grow into adults and become parents.
Our Outdoor Learning Program is established for all 4 seasons under any weather conditions. As such, shelter from rain, wind, cold and snow is essential for these elementary school children. Our plan was to build a 12’ gazebo for such shelter, with protective screening on the open portions, in order to provide a barrier from the winter wind and snow.
To ensure the sanitation and health of our visitors, the beauty and health of the land and its flora and fauna, it is essential to construct an outhouse for proper sanitation of the property. In order to effectively teach within the JCRC Outdoor Learning Area, proper sanitation, particularly among young school children is a basic need, wherein we strive to ensure procedures follow best hygiene practices.
BY OCTOBER 2018 - WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE BOTH PROJECTS - THE GAZEBO and PRIVY PROJECT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED!
Our Outdoor Learning Program is established for all 4 seasons under any weather conditions. As such, shelter from rain, wind, cold and snow is essential for these elementary school children. Our plan was to build a 12’ gazebo for such shelter, with protective screening on the open portions, in order to provide a barrier from the winter wind and snow.
To ensure the sanitation and health of our visitors, the beauty and health of the land and its flora and fauna, it is essential to construct an outhouse for proper sanitation of the property. In order to effectively teach within the JCRC Outdoor Learning Area, proper sanitation, particularly among young school children is a basic need, wherein we strive to ensure procedures follow best hygiene practices.
BY OCTOBER 2018 - WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE BOTH PROJECTS - THE GAZEBO and PRIVY PROJECT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED!
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Beginner Mountain Bike and Progression Park Trails
Part of the trail system at the Jay Community Recreational Centre is 3.71 miles of old “roads” on a former Christmas Tree farm. Although these “roads” are counted as part of our 4-season, multi-use trails, they are used mainly in the winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. They are less user-friendly in the summer, as some trails are rutted, rocky, and grassy. The trails are annually brush hogged. The other 6.3 miles of the “upper” trail system is used for hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing as well. These trails are very technical in nature, and as such are not “beginner” friendly for any of the afore-mentioned sports. A mountain biking skills progression park accessed by smooth, easy trails will increase JCRC access to beginner bikers and exercisers, and encourage and enable them to exercise in our beautiful natural habitat.
With this project, we have created a progression park on the lower trails, including berms and whoop-dee-doos, and incorporated beginner versions of natural features encountered along the more technical trails.
With this project, we have created a progression park on the lower trails, including berms and whoop-dee-doos, and incorporated beginner versions of natural features encountered along the more technical trails.
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2017-2018 "NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE" INITIATIVE - THE BEGINNING .....
Our 2017-2018 goal for the "NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE" INITIATIVE is to be able to provide the teachers and students of the Jay/Westfield Elementary School an "outdoor learning area." This project and method of teaching is an award winning and nationally recognized environmental education program for teachers. Besides learning how to engage students in nature study, the program enhances critical thinking, problem solving, and effective decision making skills.
There are many aspects of this Program: Growing Up Wild: A nature based early childhood program for 3-7 year olds. This curriculum connects young children through developmentally appropriate activities that include cognitive, as well as physical, social and emotional aspects. Growing Up Wild curriculum provides various sections for multidisciplinary approach and flexibility. Some of those sections include a Take Me Outside, Home Connections, Math Connections, Language and Literacy Connections. All these activities promote play, scientific inquiry, healthy kids and creativity.
There are many aspects of this Program: Growing Up Wild: A nature based early childhood program for 3-7 year olds. This curriculum connects young children through developmentally appropriate activities that include cognitive, as well as physical, social and emotional aspects. Growing Up Wild curriculum provides various sections for multidisciplinary approach and flexibility. Some of those sections include a Take Me Outside, Home Connections, Math Connections, Language and Literacy Connections. All these activities promote play, scientific inquiry, healthy kids and creativity.
Jay/Westfield Elementary School Outdoor Learning Area-Conclusion of the 2017-2018 School Year
The JCRC Committee would like to thank "Ms. Julie" and all of the teachers and students of the Jay/Westfield Elementary School for making the vision of an Outdoor Learning Area at JCRC a reality! We thank you for your support and wish all of you a very safe and pleasant summer holiday. We look forward to welcoming you back for the 2018/2019 school year.
Before 24 July 2017 After 24 July 2017
Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights
Every child should have the opportunity to:
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