posted by Alita Spink, Support Officer, Schools and Learning

Get Outdoors!
Raising attainment through outdoor learning and pay

January 2017

Introduction / Numeracy Resources / Ideas for Topics / Diary Dates / Funding

Dear All
Happy New Year everyone – I hope you managed to get a good break. It seems as though the pre-Christmas quieter period didn’t actually happen for anyone this year and we all seem to be plunged straight back into a hectic new term with very little let up. 

We will be launching our new small grants scheme for schools very soon; more details are in the funding section of this newsletter but please also keep an eye on our website and social media.

I will be moving on from LTL to pastures new in May this year, it has been a fantastic five years and I will miss the team and our incredible partners enormously.   We will be recruiting for my replacement over the next few weeks so, again, watch out for the advert on our website and in the press.

Best wishes

Juno Hollyhock
executive director

Lesson Ideas – Numeracy:

In this newsletter we are focusing on numeracy learning resources – both free on line and some more in more specialized books:

Taking learning outdoors creates context and engages bodies as well as brains. It motivates many pupils who may find learning maths constantly inside, at a desk, a challenge. There are many simple ideas for maths outdoors. The key is choosing the ones where the school grounds or local community can offer a deeper learning experience.

Early years numeracy ideas

• size games to play
• advice on child led maths
• ideas sheets for maths outdoors – first and second ideas sheets.

Primary numeracy ideas

• shape and symmetry scavenger hunts,
• estimating distance,
• applying techniques for calculating heights or distance.

Comparing the historical “Scottish Statistical Accounts” for your area with a survey the children undertake is a wonderful learning opportunity, with numeracy, history and geography interwoven. Read how one school used them here

Secondary numeracy school

• How fast is that car?
• Orienteering where PE meets maths and technology
• Geocaching for Schools – links to an up to date Scottish project
• Navigation is a great multidisciplinary math, geography and HWB topic – and well resourced through many DofE groups.
• Measuring the size of the sun

Useful Books

Juliet over at Creative Star Learning is about to publish her new Messy Maths – a Playful Outdoor Approach. You can pre-order here.

Malke Rosenfeld and Heineman have just published ‘Math in your feet’. You can tell by the title this is an American book, however the approach and activities could see your class moving their way to better maths. You can order here

50 Maths Ideas Outdoors – an early years and lower primary focused book, useful as a complement to your own ideas. You can order here

Ideas for Topics:

FREE outdoor learning resource library. Don’t forget that you can now access our huge range of outdoor lesson ideas and resources for free using our simple search facility here.

Archeological Outdoor Learning

New from Forestry Commission Scotland – ideal if you are planning a visit to an ancient or archaeological site – Outdoor Archaeological Learning This resource also fits in with the 2017 Year of Archaeology – more at Dig It 2017

Scottish Place Names

Education Scotland has a great resource for learning about Place Names in Scotland – you can visit their pages here

Scottish Rainforest

Plantlife Scotland’s Celtic Rainforest Project has excellent resources pre-planned, as well as multiple sites for a field trip. You can find out more and visit your own rainforest here

Follow an Everest Expedition

Some field trips are a step too far – however this year you can follow an Everest Expedition live on Skype from your classroom – click here to learn more

Scottish Finest Woodlands Awards:
This year the awards return, and they are looking for learning projects based around woodlands and their benefits to us as a society. There is a £500 prize, and you can find out more here

Diary Dates:
February

you only have a couple of weeks to get involved in the Big School Birdwatch. Also in February is John Muir Award Introduction Training in Pitlochry on the 17th February – book here

March 

A one day event ‘Taking Citizen Science Outdoors to support your Teaching and Learning’, 16th March at Battleby, Perth – book here

John Muir Award Leader Training – A two-day residential course that gives a thorough introduction to the John Muir Award. 11-12 March, Wiston Lodge, South Lanarkshire – book here

May

This is a busy month, with International School Grounds Month and Empty Classroom Day on the 18th May and the annual Walk to School Week.

September –The International School Grounds Alliance Conference in Berlin is of particular interest to Landscape Architects, artists, other designers or anyone interested in developing school grounds for natural play.

Funding:

Local School Nature Grants Scheme This is our new grant scheme to provide an assortment of nature equipment and training’ up to the value of £1000. The application process is quick and straight forward.  The programme launches in late January 2017 and will be go live on our website here. The project is funded by Postcode Local Trust, which receives funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. All schools in England, Scotland and Wales are welcome to apply.

Tesco Bags of Help continues to fund many school and nursery projects across Scotland. You can apply here, however it is worth looking at the map of projects and seeing what has been successful in Scotland.

Greggs Community Foundation – Environmental Grant Offers grants to improve the physical environment to improve peoples lives – and schools are encouraged to apply.

Outdoor and Woodland Learning Scotland – Have supported schools in many ways over the years. As an organisation, they can help like-minded educators network and train together, as well provide some small grant assistance to those taking part. You can read more about OWL here and apply here

Finally, Juliet at Creative Star Learning has updated her funding list, and that is worth a good look through here