By LeAnn Schmitt
Getting kids into the outdoors at a young age is the key to them staying engaged with the outdoors as they grow older. With this in mind, last year the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) added the elementary version of their Outdoor Adventures (OA) in-school program. As of now, the elementary version of the Outdoor Adventure program is the fastest-growing segment of Outdoor Adventures which is now implemented in more than 1,300 schools across 48 states and Canada. More than 130,000 kids annually receive a comprehensive outdoor education that includes topics such as hunter education and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation to name a few.
The Outdoor Adventure course is usually taught as a physical education class. The standards for an elementary version are completely different than the standards for middle and high school students for obvious reasons. Now both versions of Outdoor Adventures are fully aligned to be taught in any public or private school in the US or Canada. Elementary OA includes eight units: fishing, orienteering, hiking and backpacking, camping, NASP archery, wildlife conservation, survival skills, and paddle sports.
The middle and high school version of the Outdoor Adventure curriculum contains all of those units plus more than 30 other units that are fully customizable depending on the geographic region.
“Offering students K-5 the opportunity to learn outdoor skills, ensures a well-rounded, interactive, and all-inclusive physical education program. Research supports improvement in the overall health and well-being of a child when outdoor natural environments and free play are incorporated into education. Students learn real-life skills that will stay with the child for the rest of their life giving them the knowledge and ability to have an impact on their family and community. The Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation’s Elementary Outdoor Adventures program embraces the whole child and fosters a love and appreciation for nature and wildlife education.”—Scot McClure, OTF Director of Education, and Tari Garner, OTF Outdoor Adventures Coordinator.
The attached photos are from the Outdoor Adventures class at Sappington Elementary School in St. Louis, Missouri.