Educational Programs

Beyond the Classroom

START Metric #2:

Outdoor Programs

START Student Hub: Ideas & Resources

“We cannot protect something we do not love; we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see, or hear, or sense.” - Richard Louv

Outdoor programs provide students with invaluable opportunities to connect with nature, fostering well-being, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the environment. This START metric emphasizes encouraging activities like camping, hiking, stream cleanups, and outdoor summer camps. Schools can support outdoor engagement by offering information about or access to these programs, and eventually requiring participation to ensure all students benefit from these experiences.

By immersing students in natural surroundings, outdoor programs promote sustainable, nature-conscious mindsets, cultivating future environmental stewards while enhancing physical and mental health. These programs also serve as a practical extension of classroom learning, demonstrating the real-world importance of environmental care and conservation.

Ideas for Developing and Promoting Outdoor Programs

NOTE: This is not a prescriptive list; rather, it offers ideas to inspire action and can be tailored to fit the unique needs of each school.

  • Partner with Local Organizations

    • Collaborate with parks, conservation groups, or outdoor education organizations to access resources and expertise.

    • Use these partnerships to offer field trips, guided hikes, or joint cleanups.

  • Host School-Led Outdoor Activities

    • Organize regular outdoor events such as camping trips, gardening days, or stream cleanups.

    • Use these events to teach students about biodiversity, ecosystems, and conservation practices.

  • Incorporate Outdoor Learning into the Curriculum

    • Integrate outdoor activities into existing lessons, such as studying local flora and fauna in science or mapping topography in geography.

    • Use outdoor spaces as living classrooms to make lessons more engaging and hands-on.

  • Promote Nature-Based Clubs and Groups

    • Establish student groups like hiking clubs, gardening clubs, or an outdoor adventure society to foster regular engagement with nature.

    • Provide resources and support for students to organize outings or projects.

  • Require Participation in Outdoor Programs

    • Gradually introduce mandatory outdoor activities, such as an annual camping trip or a day dedicated to environmental service.

    • Ensure these programs are inclusive, accessible, and adaptable to different interests and abilities.

  • Offer Information About Existing Programs

    • Create a directory of local outdoor programs, such as summer camps, conservation projects, or park volunteer opportunities.

    • Share these resources with students and families through newsletters, websites, or orientation sessions.

  • Use Outdoor Spaces on Campus

    • Develop or enhance on-campus outdoor areas, such as gardens, forests, or ponds, to facilitate outdoor learning and exploration.

    • Provide seating or pathways to make these spaces inviting and accessible.

  • Organize Nature Challenges

    • Create challenges like biodiversity scavenger hunts, bird-watching competitions, or tree-planting drives.

    • Use these challenges to engage students and make outdoor activities fun and competitive.

  • Involve Families in Outdoor Activities

    • Host family-friendly events, such as weekend hikes or outdoor movie nights, to strengthen community ties.

    • Use these opportunities to demonstrate the importance of outdoor engagement beyond school hours.

  • Promote Environmental Stewardship

    • Incorporate service-oriented projects like trail maintenance, invasive species removal, or community garden creation.

    • Use these programs to teach students the importance of caring for their natural surroundings.

  • Leverage Technology for Outdoor Learning

    • Use apps or tools for activities like plant identification, stargazing, or mapping hiking trails.

    • Balance technology use with unplugged experiences to encourage direct engagement with nature.

  • Ensure Accessibility and Inclusion

    • Design programs to accommodate all students, including those with physical or sensory challenges.

    • Provide alternative activities or supports to ensure equitable participation.

  • Celebrate Achievements in Outdoor Engagement

    • Recognize student participation and achievements, such as completing a hiking trail or contributing to a cleanup effort.

    • Use awards, certificates, or school-wide announcements to highlight their contributions.

  • Connect Activities to Global Issues

    • Use outdoor programs to teach about global challenges like deforestation, climate change, or water scarcity.

    • Emphasize how local actions contribute to broader environmental solutions.

  • Collaborate Across Subjects

    • Work with teachers from different disciplines to integrate outdoor programs into art, science, literature, or physical education.

    • Use outdoor experiences as inspiration for projects or assignments, such as nature journaling or environmental studies.

  • Host Overnight Outdoor Experiences

    • Organize camping trips or overnight stays at nature reserves to deepen students’ connection with the environment.

    • Include educational components like stargazing, wildlife tracking, or team-building activities.

  • Provide Financial Support or Subsidies

    • Offer scholarships, fundraising opportunities, or sliding-scale fees to make outdoor programs accessible to all families.

    • Partner with community organizations or sponsors to offset costs.

  • Incorporate Reflection and Feedback

    • Encourage students to reflect on their outdoor experiences through journaling, discussions, or creative projects.

    • Use their feedback to refine programs and ensure they meet students’ needs and interests.

‘How To’ Guides

  • How to Encourage Students to Engage in Outdoor Programs

    A GSA guide to help you engage in outdoor programs, with a focus on communications ideas and student activation.

  • PreK-5 'Learning in Places' Program

    Resources for field-based science education in outdoor places, including gardens, for children in pre-kindergarten to 5th grade (and beyond) and their families.

  • Youth Conservation Corps (Ages 15-19)

    The United States Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a youth employment program that engages young people in meaningful work experiences at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and fish hatcheries while developing an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility.

Schools hold the key to a healthy, sustainable and regenerative future.

They are role-models and incubators that that nurture, educate and prepare each generation for adult life.

Schools have a unique opportunity and profound responsibility to become part the transition to a sustainable, regenerative future in which people and planet can thrive.

But how do we get there?

START: Sustainability Tracking, Analytics & Roadmap Tool was created by schools, for schools, to help them develop comprehensive programs for step-by-step progress towards sustainability, regenerative practice, and student empowerment.

START provides a Roadmap for School Sustainability:

It breaks down school sustainability into clear actions (‘metrics’), such as Minimizing Waste, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and supporting Sustainable Transportation options.

However, research shows it’s not enough for a school to simply reduce its environmental impact.

Students and staff also need to learn about sustainability, and practice it in day-to-day activities, because this impacts their attitudes and behaviors when they leave school. That’s why START includes metrics like Sustainability Events for Students, Sustainability Course Content, and Sustainable Purchasing Practices.

How sustainable is our school now?

Schools use START to measure how sustainable they are now. A school’s START team investigates how their school currently operates to find their ‘sustainability baseline’ for each metric. For example, is our school a beginner, intermediate or advanced in sustainable water use? START enables schools to benchmark, track and visualize their current sustainability levels, as well as hard data around their waste, water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions.

Where should we go next, and do we collaborate for success? 

What do we need to do to ‘level up’ in each metric?  Once schools have their baselines, START helps them to set goals and plan for progress. START provides a central hub for school members to collaborate, document, and plan their school’s sustainability journey.

START is a subscription-based Whole School Sustainability dashboard.

It requires at least one adult school member to create a school’s START account, but it will need a team (students, teachers and staff) to grow a Whole School Sustainability program.

Interested schools can sign up for a demo or apply to set up an account.

Learn more about START here, and consider sharing the brochure with your school.

Let’s create a better future, one school at a time.

Contact us at guides@greenschoolsalliance.org if you have a free resource to contribute or recommend that can help schools take action around this specific sustainability metric.