All About Online Outdoor School
Coyote Outdoor School (COS) Online allows students to experience the wonders of nature from the comfort of their home. Through interactive virtual sessions, students will explore the outdoors, practice sensory exercises, journal about nature experiences, and immerse in the art of questioning to deepen their connection with the natural world. Our online program is synchronous and led by an experienced instructor through a Zoom classroom, field studies adapted for in-home activities, COS-provided Seesaw activities, and interactive videos. Students received a pre-made COS packet including a field study guide, beads, wood cookie, and a bandana.
Sign up your school or district for remote learning through our interest form!
At Home in the Outdoors
We created “At Home in the Outdoors” to provide an Outdoor School-like experience to students during the pandemic. This program was specifically created for fifth and sixth grade students whose Coyote Outdoor School programs were canceled due to COVID-19. However, we are publicizing the program for everyone, and you will find many activities for all ages to enjoy.
During our “At Home in the Outdoors” program, you can experience every aspect of Coyote Outdoor School, including field studies, interest groups, campfire, and more. Each daily schedule for this 5-day program can take 3-5 hours a day if you do them all. You can also choose to participate in 1-2 activities a day and spread the activities out over several weeks. When possible, we encourage family members to join in on the fun!
We invite you to get creative about how you connect with nature during “At Home in the Outdoors.” Whether we are in a yard, a local park, a grassy area outside an apartment, or even a window with a view of trees: Nature can be anywhere!
WHAT YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE
- Internet to access activities (see daily activity links below)
- Nature (remember nature can be anywhere!)
- Sense of adventure
- Nature journal supplies
- Paper, scissors, and a pen or pencil
- Optional: Paint or markers, string or twist ties, cardboard or thick paper, and glue.
Access Day 1 Activities: Welcome to At Home in the Outdoors
1. Welcome to At Home in the Outdoors! (p. 2)
Watch our welcome video before you dive in to activities! In this video, you will meet our staff, and see all the ways we can engage with nature.
2. Daily gratitude practice: What is gratitude? (p. 3)
Each day of the program, we are inviting you to start your day with gratitude! First, let us consider what gratitude is. Download or listen to the audio recording.
3. Field Study: Learning from the land – Part 1 (p. 4-7)
Field studies are the part of the day where we go outside and learn from the land like a scientist does. We practice making observations, developing questions about the world, and discussing explanations about our curiosities with others.
4. Virtual campfire program (p. 8)
Sing-a-long with our staff and laugh at silly skits. We will give you prompts to create your own skit at home. Watch campfire on our YouTube page.
5. Interest groups: Choose your own adventure! (p. 9-20)
Choose from a list of daily outdoor activities to do on your own, with a friend, or your family! Categories include nature adventure, high energy, super chill, and creative pursuits. We suggest doing interest groups before campfire, but they are at the end of this document because there are many options to choose from!
Access Day 2 Activities: Learning from the Land
1. Welcome to At Home in the Outdoors! (p. 2)
Read our welcome message and our Day 1 materials if you have not already.
2. Daily gratitude practice: Gratitude for the Earth (p. 3)
Each day of the program, we are inviting you to start your day with gratitude! We learned what gratitude is on day 1. Today, we will think about why we are thankful for the earth. Download or listen to the audio recording.
3. Field Study: Learning from the land – Part 2 (p. 4-10)
During our second day of Field Study, we will introduce you to the theme, create a nature journal, visit our daily sit spot, journal a plant, and reflect on our learning.
5. Cabin Time (p. 11-12)
Spend one hour doing screen-free activities to relax and unwind toward the end of your day.
6. Interest groups: Choose your own adventure! (p. 13-24)
Choose from a list of daily outdoor activities to do on your own, with a friend, or your family! Categories include high energy, nature adventure, super chill, and creative pursuits. We suggest doing interest groups before cabin time, but they are at the end of this document because there are many options to choose from!
Access Day 3 Activities: Land as Home
1. Welcome to At Home in the Outdoors! (p. 2)
Read our Day 1 and Day 2 materials if you have not already.
2. Daily gratitude practice: Gratitude for connection (p. 3-4)
We thought about what gratitude is on Day 1, and during our Day 2 gratitude practice, we expressed our gratitude for the earth. Today, we will focus on gratitude for connection.
3. Field study: Land as home (p. 5-9)
During our day 2 field studies, we continued learning from the land by practicing seeing the land from different perspectives during our sit spot and journaling activity. During our third day of Field Studies, we will consider how land is home. We will introduce you to the theme, visit our daily sit spot, consider who lives here, and reflect on our learning.
4. Meal time discussion (p. 10)
Eat together with others in your home and answer our meal discussion questions.
5. At-home campfire program (p. 11)
Learn new songs and create skits to host your own campfire program at home.
6. Interest groups: Choose your own adventure (p. 12-23)
Choose from a list of daily outdoor activities to do on your own, with a friend, or your family! Categories include high energy, nature adventure, super chill, and creative pursuits. We suggest doing interest groups before meal time and campfire, but they are at the end of this document because there are many options to choose from!
Access Day 4 Activities: Land in Process
1. Welcome to At Home in the Outdoors! (p. 2)
Read our Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 materials if you have not already.
2. Daily gratitude practice: Gratitude for change (p. 3)
Each day of the program, we are inviting you to start your day with gratitude. We thought about what gratitude is on Day 1, and we expressed our gratitude for the earth on Day 2. During our Day 3 program, we asked you to consider an item that you may take for granted. Today, we will focus on gratitude for change.
3. Field study: Land in process (p. 4-9)
Can you think of a place that you have watched change? Maybe you notice how the land bursts into color when flowers bloom in spring or leaves change in fall. Today, you will be studying change that occurs on every single bit of land in the world: the process of living beings turning into soil. We will introduce you to the theme of change, visit our daily sit spot, go on a decomposition mission, and reflect on our learning.
4. Class meeting (p. 10)
Pick from a few different activities to connect with a friend, classmate or your teacher.
5. Contributions (p. 11-12)
Contribute to your community at home and beyond with contributions that spread joy, kindness and support.
6. Interest groups: Choose your own adventure (p. 13-24)
Choose from a list of daily outdoor activities to do on your own, with a friend, or your family! Categories include high energy, nature adventure, super chill, and creative pursuits. We recommend completing interest groups before class meeting and contributions.
Access our Day 5 Activities: Caring for the Land
1. Thank you for participating in At Home in the Outdoors! (p. 2)
Read our Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4 materials if you have not already. Fill out our student survey to share your feedback about At Home in the Outdoors!
2. Daily gratitude practice: Celebrating differences (p. 3)
During field studies today, we will explore what it means to care for the land, and we will learn that caring for the land looks different depending on our values. So, let’s practice how gratitude can help us celebrate our differences!
3. Field study: Caring for the land (p. 4-9)
During the day 4 field study activities, we learned how the land is in process. We spent time observing decomposition in particular. At Coyote Outdoor School, we practice ROSE, which stands for Respect Others, Self and Environment. Today, we are going to use ROSE to think about caring for the land. We will introduce the theme, visit our daily sit spot, interview a species, commit to make a caring action, and reflect on all of our field study learning.
4. Closing campfire program (p. 10)
Sing-a-long with our staff and laugh at silly skits. We will give you prompts to create your own skit at home. Watch our closing campfire program on YouTube.
5. Bonus activity: Night sky exploration (p. 11-12)
Spend time outside after dark, and get to know the world beyond our planet.
6. Interest groups: Choose your own adventure
Choose from a list of daily outdoor activities to do on your own, with a friend, or your family! Categories include high energy, nature adventure, super chill, and creative pursuits. We recommend doing interest groups before the campfire program and night sky exploration.
7. Stay involved with Whole Earth Nature School!
Connect with us on Facebook & Instagram for #EverydayOutside, and continue the learning fun! Visit wholeearth.org to learn more about our other programs like summer camps and Whole Earth Academy.