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Use of the Outdoor Classroom and Nature-Study to Support Science and Literacy Learning: A Narrative Case Study of a Third-Grade Classroom

  • Published:
Journal of Science Teacher Education

When I run into students that I’ve had a long time ago, that’s the one thing that they tell me. I remember when you took us to the woods. I remember when you did science with us.

— Susan

Abstract

A case study of an exemplary third grade teacher’s use of the outdoor classroom for meeting both state science and language arts standards is described. Data from the researcher’s field journal, teacher lesson plans, and teacher interviews document how this teacher used nature-study to bridge outdoor classroom experiences with the state science and language arts curriculum. This teacher’s early life experiences supported her strong interest in science and nature in the outdoors and experiencing it with her children. Children interacted with the outdoor classroom throughout the day as a context for science and literacy learning. All but one child successfully met Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) goals in reading at the end of the school year.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Auburn University, 5040 Haley Center, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Charles J. Eick

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  1. Charles J. Eick
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Correspondence to Charles J. Eick.

Appendix

Appendix

First Teacher Interview

  1. 1.

    How does the environment integrate into your teaching of science? How does it integrate into your use of the outdoors and outdoor classroom? What specific connections do you make with your science units?

  2. 2.

    What community connections have you made in building and supporting you in your use of the outdoor classroom? Fellow teacher connections?

  3. 3.

    What items are currently in place in the outdoor classroom?

  4. 4.

    What strengths do you perceive for your teaching in using the outdoor classroom and what difficulties do you encounter? What special skills do you find teachers need in using the outdoor classroom?

  5. 5.

    How do you see your use of the outdoor classroom impacting your special needs population of students?

  6. 6.

    How do you use the outdoor classroom across the curriculum?

  7. 7.

    How does you use of the outdoor classroom and related activities build classroom community among your students?

  8. 8.

    Is there anything else that you want to share with me that would be important to know about your classroom, students, curriculum, and use of the outdoor classroom?

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Eick, C.J. Use of the Outdoor Classroom and Nature-Study to Support Science and Literacy Learning: A Narrative Case Study of a Third-Grade Classroom. J Sci Teacher Educ 23, 789–803 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-011-9236-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-011-9236-1

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