Nature as Your Classroom: Outdoor Education

DESCRIPTION

As EU schools embrace the European Green Deal and sustainable development goals, educators have a unique opportunity to revitalize learning through nature.

This course will unlock the transformative power of outdoor education, equipping teachers to spark curiosity, combat student disengagement, and align with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.

Participants will design lessons that turn parks, urban spaces, and schoolyards into dynamic classrooms, blending formal curricula with adventure-based learning.

Through immersive activities and cross-border collaboration, educators will gain tools to foster resilience, environmental stewardship, and lifelong curiosity—proving that the world beyond four walls is the ultimate teacher.

COMPETENCES

  • Design EU-aligned outdoor curricula that meet core subject standards (STEM, humanities).

  • Lead group activities fostering teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving in natural settings.

  • Integrate sustainability education with the European Sustainability Competence Framework.

  • Adapt urban spaces for nature-based learning in low-resource schools.

  • Create “green classrooms” that reduce dropout rates through hands-on engagement.

  • Build Erasmus+ partnerships for cross-border ecological projects.

METHODOLOGY

Aligned with the EU’s Pathways to School Success initiative, this course emphasizes:

  • Experiential Learning: Forest school principles, survival skills workshops, and ecological reflection sessions.

  • Peer-to-Peer Design: Co-creating outdoor lesson plans with educators from diverse EU regions.

  • Adventure Challenges: Orienteering, nature journaling, and urban scavenger hunts to model active learning.

  • Ecological Literacy: Analyzing case studies like Sweden’s Skogsmulle model and Germany’s Waldkindergärten.

  • Holistic Reflection: Daily debriefs linking outdoor activities to formal assessment frameworks.

  •  9:00–9:30: Welcome & Nature-Based Self-Introduction
    9:30–10:30: Icebreaker: Ecosystem Role-Play
    10:30–11:00: EU Policies Driving Outdoor Education
    11:00–11:15: Coffee Break
    11:15–12:30: Workshop: Auditing School Grounds for Learning Potential
    12:30–14:00: Group Task: Mapping Local Natural Resources

  •  9:00–10:00: Survival Skills for Team Building (Shelter Building, Knot Tying)
    10:00–11:00: Urban Nature Challenges: Transforming Concrete into Classrooms
    11:00–11:15: Coffee Break
    11:15–12:30: Case Study: Finland’s Forest Schools
    12:30–14:00: Design Sprint: Cross-Curricular Outdoor Lesson

  •  9:00–10:30: Workshop: Climate Education Through Citizen Science
    10:30–11:00: EU Green Competences Framework Deep Dive
    11:00–11:15: Coffee Break
    11:15–12:30: Nature Journaling for Reflective Learning
    12:30–14:00: Peer Feedback: Outdoor Activity Prototypes

  •  9:00–10:00: Orienteering & Geocaching for STEM Integration
    10:00–11:00: Role-Play: Overcoming Resistance to Outdoor Learning
    11:00–11:15: Coffee Break
    11:15–12:30: Co-Creation: Erasmus+ Ecological Partnership Pitches
    12:30–14:00: Simulation: Securing School Admin Buy-In

  •  9:00–10:30: Workshop: School Garden Projects for Social Inclusion
    10:30–11:00: Showcase: Portugal’s Clube da Natureza Success
    11:00–11:15: Coffee Break
    11:15–12:30: Finalizing Green Lesson Plans
    12:30–14:00: Peer Presentations & Iteration

  •  9:00–10:30: Outdoor Action Plan Presentations
    10:30–11:00: Advocacy Strategies for Policy Change
    11:00–11:15: Coffee Break
    11:15–12:30: Pledges: Commitments to EU Sustainability Goals
    12:30–13:30: Certificate Ceremony & Resource Exchange
    13:30–14:00: Closing Circle: Sharing One Nature Promise

RESULTS

  • A Personalized Outdoor Action Plan for immediate school implementation.

  • Strategies to boost attendance and motivation through 10+ nature-based activities.

  • Skills to lead EU-funded projects like school gardens or climate action clubs.

  • Enhanced ability to assess social-emotional growth in outdoor settings.

  • Confidence to advocate for green infrastructure changes in school policy.

Course Format

  • One-week length: two weeks or other formats are available on request.

  • 4-5 hours per day: from Monday to Friday, with excursions planned during the training.

  • Fully fundable: Meeting the Erasmus+ KA1 budget criteria.

  • Flexible: change courses, locations, or dates without fees.

Audience and requirements

Courses are structured around the collective sharing of participants’ experiences, therefore all courses are in English. For participants with a very low English level, we advised to come with a translator in the team.

We provide tailored courses for school roles like teachers, principals, and staff, as well as for different levels of IT skills. Our programs are designed to meet the unique needs of professionals such as adult educators, language teachers, youth workers, and social workers, ensuring they have a meaningful impact in education and social work.

€80/ day

Our services include:

✔ Infopack about the location

✔ Pre-arrival information.

✔ Tuition & training materials.

✔ Coffee break.

✔ Training Certificate.

✔Europass Certificate.

✔ Admin & organisational costs.

Additional Services:

✔ Accommodation options, including hotels and self-catering apartments

✔ Half-day and full-day trips

✔ Cultural experiences and local activities

✔ Airport transfer services

✔ Local transportation arrangements

Our Pricing:

100% funded by the Erasmus Plus Program

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