Take Me Outside Day at Drummond Central Public School (October 24th, 2018)

Laurie Lynn Clark
Oct 27, 2018
2 min read

Take Me Outside Day: Learning Through Nature at Drummond Central Public School

We celebrated Take Me Outside Day by gathering in the Garden Classroom at Drummond Central Public School, where Kindergarten to Grade 6 students, teachers, and educators began the day together in a Knowledge Sharing Circle. Using a talking stick, each participant shared their gratitude for nature and for the opportunity to spend time learning outdoors. This simple restorative practice helped set the tone for a day of curiosity, connection, and exploration.

From the garden, we followed the woodland trail to observe the many signs of autumn. Along the way, students discovered animal trails and burrows, deer bedding areas beneath an old apple tree, squirrel dreys, tree burls, fungi, mycelium, colourful autumn leaves, animal scat, and evidence of seasonal change. Conversations naturally emerged about the cardinal directions, tree identification, forest ecology, and the interconnected relationships that make up a healthy ecosystem.

One of the most memorable moments of the day came during our group sit spot. Sixty children and five teachers paused together in complete silence, standing still to listen and observe nature's classroom. For a few quiet minutes, the forest became the teacher. Without human disturbance, students experienced the sounds, rhythms, and peacefulness of the natural world in a way that words alone could never teach.

We then continued along the trail for a solo sit spot, where every child and adult found a place to quietly sit alone in the forest. It was inspiring to witness the entire school community fully engaged in the experience—listening, observing, and connecting with nature through all of their senses. The calmness and comfort that emerged during this time reflected the powerful role natural spaces can play in supporting children's well-being and attention.

Returning to the Garden Classroom, we prepared the gardens for winter by planting garlic, collecting seeds, mulching the beds, and tucking the garden in for the season. We raked leaf after leaf, creating rich natural mulch for the soil—and, of course, no autumn gardening day would be complete without children joyfully jumping into the leaf piles.

As we harvested the final vegetables of the season, students weighed the produce and compared this year's yields with those of the previous year. Together, we explored how differences in weather, climate, soil conditions, and growing environments influence plant growth, connecting real-world observations to science, mathematics, and environmental learning.

Experiences like these demonstrate the endless possibilities that diversified outdoor classrooms provide. Nature invites children to investigate, question, create, collaborate, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the living world around them while naturally connecting learning across curriculum areas.

My sincere thanks to the Drummond Central Public School community for embracing outdoor education and providing opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom walls. I look forward to continuing this journey as we expand the Outdoor Classroom project with the planting of trees and the ongoing development of the school grounds.

Project Outdoor Classroom… to be continued.