Outdoor School

Salem Environmental Education is the lead for the Salem-Keizer Outdoor School Coalition, providing unique and high quality outdoor school experiences for all students

We are a coalition of agencies and organizations dedicated to environmental education and conducting unique, top quality outdoor school experiences. We provide a three day-long ODS experience at three different field sites: Oregon Garden, Salem 4-H Center, and Minto Brown Park. Three elementary schools will be accepted to our program in the fall and three more schools in the spring. In a unique feature schools will rotate to a different field site each day, all within convenience distance from S-K schools.

Dates:
Fall (three schools) – October
Spring (three schools) – May
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

We provide:
• A program that is academically oriented and aligned to the state OARS (content and themes), NGSS, contains literacy components, and uses effective instructional practices
• Engaging and hands-on lessons that allow ALL students to explore and examine their environment
• Instructors and experts with years of experience in both content and instruction with additional training for working with elementary students
• Common themes and essential questions connecting all field sites together
• Social-emotional learning components to build a sense of community and a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion to make all students feel welcome and included.
• Opportunities to journal and reflect
• Support for pre- and post-learning opportunities in the classroom

The coalition is composed of the following agencies and organizations who are directly involved in providing instruction
• Salem Environmental Education
• Oregon Garden
• Oregon Forests Resource Institute
• Marion Soil, Water, and Conservation District
• Oregon 4-H Center
• Marion County Environmental Services
• OSU Extension Service
• City of Salem Public Works
• City of Keizer Public Works

Fees per student: $60. Schools can use their remaining allotment of outdoor school funds for transportation and to purchase a variety of resources from curriculum support and field studies equipment, to student supplies (boots, ponchos, etc.).

Contact Information:
Jon Yoder
joyoder73@gmail.com

Students from Keizer Elementary School learned about plants, animals, soil and water. They participated in social-emotional learning activities and had a Nature Notes student journal to collect data from field studies and record reflections of their experiences. It was a great learning experience for all.