Outdoor Education in
Montgomery County
“ Nothing is real until it is experienced”
“Providing opportunities
for all students in Montgomery
County to engage in authentic
learning outside of the four
walls of the classroom”
Introductions
• Karin Wade, 6th grade Team Leader, math
teacher and SMS Outdoor Education
Coordinator
• Joan Shane, 6th grade Team Leader, math
teacher and SMS Outdoor Education
Coordinator
• Marion Finkbinder, 6th grade Administrator
Dates
• December 3-5
• December 5-7
**Details to come regarding your child’s date.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Overview
• What is outdoor
education ?
• What are the program
components and how
does this work to support
MCPS curricular goals ?
• Nuts and Bolts of
Outdoor Education for
your child
• Question/Answer Time
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Questions?
• If we do not answer your question during the
presentation, PLEASE write the following
information on an index card:
– Your question
– your name
– child’s name
– email or phone number so we may contact you
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
When you hear Outdoor
Education, what do you
think of ?
• The word “camp”
• Campfires, games
and singing
• Kids sharing meals,
doing k-p, crafts, etc.
• Kids having fun
• Recreational activities
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
While these occur,
they are not the
major focus of the
program...
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
What is Outdoor Education ?
Using the outdoors as
a natural classroom to
provide students with
authentic learning
opportunities and
applications of
classroom skills.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Major goals of
the program
• Make the students’
educational
programs more
meaningful by
applying the
knowledge and
skills acquired in the
classroom
to real-life situations
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Major goals of
the program
• Provide students
with many direct
experiences
in using scientific
processes including
observing, measuring,
classifying, hypothesizing
and predicting
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Major goals of the program
• Engage students
with performancebased, authentic
learning
opportunities and
experiences
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Major goals of
the program
• Begin the cultivation of
students’ awareness,
knowledge,
appreciation, and
concern for their natural
environment
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Residential Outdoor
Education
• Supports and extends the
enduring understandings for
science
• Provides applications of the
scientific inquiry method
• Uses appropriate technology
( GPS units, data bases,
Automated Weather Systems )
• Supports use of mathematics
as a tool to solve everyday
problems
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Residential Outdoor
Education (continued)
• Provides practice with
proportions, data and statistics,
measurement and geometric
concepts
• Provides students with
opportunities to address the
four processes of balanced
literacy program: listening,
speaking, reading and writing
• Facilitates student collaboration
• Provides leadership
opportunities
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Outdoor education learning
opportunities correlate highly to
performance-based learning...
• Outdoor Education...
• Is multidisciplinary
• Combines independent and
cooperative learning
• Emphasizes authentic learning
experiences
• Increases students’
background knowledge
• Involves prediction, application
and extension of classroom
knowledge
• Provides authentic
assessment opportunities
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Outdoor education learning
opportunities correlate highly to
performance-based learning
(continued)
• Performance based learning ...
• Integrates all disciplines:
reading, writing, science, math
and social studies
• Combines independent and
cooperative activities
• Emphasizes authentic problem
solving and solutions
• Provides content and assesses
student skills and critical thinking
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Your Children will be BUSY!
• Day Classes
• Evening Classes
– Watershed Study
– Night Hike
– Predatory Prey
– Campfire
– Student Service
Learning
– Pictionary
– Craft
– Confidence Course
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Watershed Study
• Students explore the
meaning of the
watershed and learn
their place in it
• Collect and analyze
data to determine
stream health at
outdoor education
• Apply the techniques
and knowledge to study
their local stream
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Predator/Prey
• Students will research
predator/prey
relationships
• At outdoor education
students will participate
in a simulation activity
and collect data based
on their experience
• Students will analyze
the data to better
understand the roles of
animals in the food
chain
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Student Service Learning
• All students must earn
75 service learning
hours to graduate from
an MCPS high school
• Students are supposed
to earn 10 hours in 6th
grade.
• Part of the 10 hours will
be earned at Outdoor
Education by doing
various service projects
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Confidence Course
• Each center has a
confidence course
comprised of mentally
and physically
challenging events.
• All activities are
designed to increase
confidence, promote
teamwork, and improve
human relations.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Forest Community
• Students will increase
their awareness and
appreciation of the total
forest community
• During forest
exploration the students
will study unique trees,
identify trees, explore
leaf and soil samples.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Wildlife
• Students will be involved in
a series of outdoor activities
focusing on various aspects
of the wildlife community.
• These might include
simulation games, hikes
observing evidence of
wildlife, surveys, and
studies of animal
adaptation.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Weather
• Students may collect
authentic weather data
at a variety of locations
at each outdoor
education site.
• Students will gain
experience using
weather-related
instruments, interpreting
data, and making a
weather forecast.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Outdoor Education
Preparation
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
What to Pack
• Sturdy shoes (2 pairs)
• Hat
• Gloves or mittens (cold
weather)
• Jacket
• Sweatshirts
• Sweaters
• Long pants or jeans
• Pajamas
• Shirts
• Socks (lots!)
• Underwear
• Waterproof raincoat or
poncho
• Sheets and blanket or
sleeping bag, pillow
• Toiletry items
• Bag lunch for day 1
(no glass bottles)
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
What You Might Pack
• Disposable (recycling)
camera
• Slippers
• Lip balm, sunscreen
• Flip-flops or sandals for
shower use
• Insect repellant (nonaerosol)
• Blow dryer (one per
cabin)
• Shower cap
• Stationary and stamps
• Pen or pencil
• Watch
• Book to read
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
What NOT to Pack
• Electronic devices
(including CELL
PHONES)
• Aerosol Sprays
• Curling Irons
• Firearms
• Matches
• Money
• Glass bottles
• Gum, candy, or food
• Knives
• Flashlights
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Forms Needed:
Permission
Medical
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Permission
Slip due by
11/9/12
Don’t forget
tetanus shot
date and
dietary
restrictions
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Cost of trip is $76
• Includes food (except for Day one lunch which can
be bought from SMS cafeteria), lodging, and
insurance
• Payment plans (3 payments, 2 payments, etc.)
• If this fee creates a financial hardship, PLEASE fill
out the financial aid form in the packet
• Chaperones are free
• No child should be excluded from Outdoor
Education because of financial issues.
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Medication
Form—Due
to SMS
Nurse with
medication
by
November
30
(One form
for EACH
medication)
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Outdoor Education at
the Smith Center
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Smith Center Info
•(301) 924-3123
•5110 Meadowside Lane
Rockville, MD 20855
•SMS, Child’s Name,
Science Teacher’s Name
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
CABINS (Boys and girls in separate
cabins separated by driveway)
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Cabin Interior
Classroom
Bunks (10 bunk beds in each cabin)
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Bathrooms
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Dining Hall
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Nurse’s Office
MCPS Nurse 8AM-5PM,
“Night Nurse” 5PM-8AM
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Staffing
• On site Coordinator
• Vice Principal
• Team Leader, SMS Teachers
• Parent Volunteers
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
We NEED Parent Volunteers!
(Fill out the Parent Volunteer Form)
• Spend the day
• Spend the night and help chaperone a cabin
• Help with night activities (campfire, craft, etc.)
• Load and unload luggage bus at SMS
• Donate money to buy supplies
• Donate supplies
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Donations Needed: (We prefer
money so that one person can
shop)
•
•
•
•
Permanent Markers
Masking Tape (to label luggage)
Sandwich-sized Ziplock bags
Marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate bars for
smores
• Thread and gimp to make friendship bracelets
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Day of Departure
• Drop off child at SMS at 8:45 AM (meet in
cafeteria)
• Cannot take the MCPS bus to SMS that day
(not enough room for luggage/nobody to
chaperone until 8:45)
• Label luggage (one bag of clothes, one bag
of bedding, one bagged lunch)
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
Day of Return
• Students will arrive back at SMS around 1:00pm
• They will NOT be allowed to go into SMS
• PLEASE be at SMS to pick up your child or make
arrangements.
• There will be nobody to chaperone your child after 2
PM on the day of return.
• We will need help unloading the luggage bus and all
of our supplies
• Your child (and the teachers) will be tired. 
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”
“ Americans have long thought
that nature could take care
of itself-or that, if it did not,
the consequences were
someone else’s problem.
As we know now, that
assumption was wrong,
none of us is a stranger
to environmental problems.”
-Jimmy Carter, 39th president
“Nothing is real until it is experienced”