Integrating Nature-Based Lessons into Everyday Classroom Routines

This Master of Teaching Research Project is a qualitative study that looks at how elementary teachers are implementing nature-based lessons into their everyday school routine. Previous literature in the area of nature-based education speaks to how beneficial exposure to nature is in the overall development of a child and the positive impact it has on students with exceptionalities. As well there is research that depicts how currently society is seeing a decline in the amount of exposure children have to nature and how the Ministry of Education has developed new policies to be integrated into classrooms. Research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with the following research question: How is a small sample of elementary teachers incorporating the natural outdoor environment in the everyday routine of their teaching and what are some of the outcomes that they observe from their students as a result of engagement with nature? Three main themes were derived from these interviews: Participants recognized that their personal and professional experiences helped them foster nature-based lessons within the classroom. Participants recognized that in school and board resources helped them teach nature-based lessons in their classrooms. Participants highlighted that internal and external classroom factors can create challenges in implementing nature-based lessons. Implications and recommendations are made for the educational community, classroom teachers and school administrators