State-funded Outdoor School for 5th and 5th grade students

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF NATURE WITH COYOTE OUTDOOR SCHOOL

Coyote Outdoor School (COS) is an unforgettable journey into the heart of nature! A program of Whole Earth Nature School, a trusted environmental education nonprofit with over 15 years of experience, Coyote Outdoor School is designed to foster a deep connection to self, community, and the land. We pride ourselves on offering a transformative experience of three to five day programs for fifth- and sixth-grade students through immersive and experiential land-based education.

At Coyote Outdoor School, students develop better scientific skills and ecological understanding but also greater self-confidence, new human and non-human friends, curiosity to discover more, and gratitude for nature’s gifts. Our overnight programs enhance students’ connection to self, community, and nature. 

Act now to secure your spot in our Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 Season! 

  • Fall 2025 Season Openings:

    • October 6th-10th : for any location & program type 
    • October 14th-17th :  Residential program at Camp Baker
    • November 3rd – 7th :  Any location & program type 

    Spring 2026 Season Openings:

    • March 31 – April 3 :  Residential at Camp Baker or Daytime at Mt. Pisgah 
    • April 6 – 10 :  Residential at Camp Baker or Daytime at Mt. Pisgah
    • April 13-15 :  Residential at Camp Baker or Daytime at Mt. Pisgah 
    • April 20 – 25 :  Residential at Camp Baker or Daytime at Mt. Pisgah 
    • June 8-12 :  Hybrid at Sky Camp or Residential at Camp Baker 

View our single-page Program Summary and our complete Teacher and Administrator Guide for 2025 -2026, to see details of our transformational program!

Complete our interest form to register

Now offering three locations! 

Choose from residential, hybrid, or day-only program options at beautiful locations across Western Oregon.

  1. Residential at Camp Baker in Florence, OR
  2. Hybrid at SKY Camp in Fall Creek, OR
  3. Day-only at SKY Camp in Fall Creek, OR or Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, OR
  4. Remote via Seesaw lessons and materials delivered to your school

Coyote Outdoor School now has a beautiful and unique site out at Camp Baker on the coast to offer as an option for overnight programs. This location offers our Willamette Valley students the unique ecology south of Florence, Oregon. For those schools that want a site closer to home, we have also partnered with Sky Camp in Fall Creek, Oregon. Overnight programs will require one parent or family member chaperone per cabin.

In addition to these incredible overnight options, we will continue operating our daytime programs and the incomparable Mount Pisgah Arboretum and can also accommodate remote programs as needed. 

Schools and Districts: Start the sign-up process for your fifth or sixth graders!

What Sets us apart? 

At Coyote Outdoor School, we provide personalized attention and optimized learning environments through training our staff in trauma-informed care, somatic mindfulness, and inclusive educational practices. Through a curriculum embedded with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) concepts and our highly-trained team, we strive to meet the unique behavioral needs of today’s students to optimize their learning and foster prosocial behaviors for the classroom. 

Our specially designed curriculum infuses wildcraft skills, evidence-based outdoor education pedagogy, and critical reflections of Indigenous education while meeting Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

 

Coyote Outdoor School services include:

  • Full-service coordination of Outdoor School program, including curriculum development, instruction, meals, lodging, training, and on-site logistics
    • School districts coordinate and pay for student transportation and teacher stipends; everything else is covered in our per student price
  • Assurance that our program prices will receive 100% state funding approved by OSU Extension for schools that qualify
  • Advice regarding Oregon State Outdoor School policies and state funding requirements
  • Overnight and day-only Outdoor School programs, ranging from 3 to 5 days
  • Student-centered, nature-centered programming that enhances student awareness, curiosity, leadership, and critical thinking
  • Hands-on experiential curriculum that meets common core and next generation science standards
  • Accessible programming for students of all backgrounds, including providing leading-edge trauma-informed and culturally responsive instruction

See Services & Deliverables for the complete list of services we provide.

Impacts of Coyote Outdoor School

We know from research on residential outdoor education programs that Outdoor School fosters student growth, confidence, and nature connection. Many students who struggle in traditional learning environments excel in experiential learning at Coyote Outdoor School. Students leave our program feeling more comfortable outdoors and ready to take on new challenges. They return to school with a greater enthusiasm to learn and a better ability to apply science to real-world situations. Teachers appreciate the opportunity to engage with their students at Outdoor School rather than leading lessons and focusing on logistics.

Have more Questions? 

Please reach out to us by email:  outdoorschool@wholeearth.org

Or by phone: (541) 843-4695