Spring Survival Tip #7: Give In And Go Outside

I'm linking up with the fantastic teachers at Secondary Smorgasbord for this post!

Seven more weeks (and counting) until that glorious time of year called summer break is upon us. Next week is my school system's Spring Break, so the excitement is palpable. And (minus this morning's torrential downpour) the weather is seductive.

If you've missed my Spring Survival Tips, Countdown to Summer Break, so far, check out #9 here and #8 here. They're technological in nature, but this week's tip is all about nature.

Being inside is torture when it's 70 degrees and sunny outside, and that's such a small window here in Georgia. By the time school's out, temperatures will be approaching 90 with humidity so thick that no one with air conditioning will want to go outside.

So it's important to give into the fleeting siren-call of spring while we still can and enjoy the outdoors.

Which leads me to Spring Survival Tip #7....

Give In and Go Outside!

Outside ventures lend themselves to low-tech lessons. Throughout my years as a secondary teacher, I have taught both English and social studies--both middle and high school. Here are five of my favorite outdoor activities.

In honor of National Poetry Month, coming up in April, why not have your students write poems about nature?

Picture Nature Haikus decorated with clover and blades of grass, a cinquain  composed on a five-petaled flower, Odes to Nature....You get the idea.

Grab a wiffle ball set, and head down to the baseball field (or the school's front lawn). Divide the class into two teams (this one is fun if you can combine with another class). Students must earn a turn at bat by answering a question correctly (borrow a cordless microphone from the drama department if you can, so the questions and answers can be heard by all).

Play according to the rules of baseball, except they earn a turn at bat for a correct answer and score a point each time a player crosses home plate.

I use this one in sociology for culture, groups, and socialization, but why not have students hunt for examples of their vocabulary words? Or give the students clues and hide answers to guided notes around the school campus (an entertaining way to take notes). I only use scavenger hunts with classes I can trust!


On a chart, flipbook, or foldable, have students find examples of figurative language in nature. For example, "The sun smiled warmly on me," "The flowers smell as sweet as honey," "The sky is a blue sea with tufts of white foam...." You get the idea. Take colored pencils outside, and have the students illustrate their work.


These are my favorite because they are appropriate for any subject, and they introduce students to multiple books. Take the students outside to read and discuss their books. It's as simple as that, and more engaging because they're outside.



Do you ever have class outside? What are some things you do? Leave a comment below to let me know.

I'll be taking next week off for spring break, but be sure to check back in two weeks for Spring Survival Tip #6!

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