Throughout this unit students will be able to gain an understanding of the importance of protecting the environment. This will be done through a series of mini projects that will focus on the various facets of the environment from a variety of lenses. This unit will change the focus from the personal level to a more global level.

Throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries tribal nations and Indigenous communities have continued to assert their right to self-governance and sovereignty despite numerous efforts to force them to assimilate. By extension, the purposeful erasure of Indigenous peoples as a living and thriving presence in the current, modern-day world also remains a reality.  Tribal sovereignty predates the existence of the U.S. government and the state of Oregon. Tribalgovernments are separate and unique sovereign nations with the power to execute their self-governance to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens and to govern their lands, air, and waters. One of the ways Indigenous communities have been embodying their right to sovereignty is through the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Indigenous Peoples’ Day serves as a reminder of the contributions, both past and present, of Indigenous communities and tribal nations. In this lesson, students will explore the concepts of tribal sovereignty and self-determination and learn about efforts by tribes and other entities to promote and support the celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This lesson is meant to be used with its companion lesson: Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an Act of Sovereignty Part II.

Vocabulary proficiency plays a crucial role in academic success and language development. Providing opportunities for students to use vocabulary in different contexts can lead to increased engagement, retention, and acquisition of new words.  This professional learning activity aims to provide teachers with strategies and resources to create an environment that encourages the use of vocabulary in various contexts. 

Students will read the provided complex text about erosion and use the outdoor space to verify or deny the content of the text in the real-world setting.

Students will read the provided complex text about erosion and use the outdoor space to verify or deny the content of the text in the real-world setting.

Students will read the provided complex text about erosion and use the outdoor space to verify or deny the content of the text in the real-world setting.

Students will understand that everybody is a writer, that writing is a tool for communication, and that it is an ongoing process. Students will create a beginning writing piece that could be made into a class book.

Using a student-generated paragraph about observations in their outdoor classroom, students will be able to distinguish facts and opinions.

Once upon a time are four words most children are familiar with when reading a fairy tales. They are a great way to learn the literary elements of reading and writing. In this lesson, students will create their own fairy tale character using materials they will collect around the outdoor learning lab. This lesson supports all types of fairy tales and can be used with a variety of learners and readers.

Once upon a time are four words most children are familiar with when reading a fairy tales. They are a great way to learn the literary elements of reading and writing. In this lesson, students will create their own fairy tale character using materials they will collect around the outdoor learning lab. This lesson supports all types of fairy tales and can be used with a variety of learners and readers.

Students will explore the outdoor classroom finding objects and determining how to form different letters using them.

Each year, students conduct research focussed on a chosen topic related to Frankenstein and the 1800s. They watch each others' presentations before we begin our novel and this allows them to begin the novel with a lot of background knowledge!

Each presentation includes pictures with citations, a works cited, voice narration or background music, and a brief summary on their chosen topic. Enjoy!

Several full course OER offerings in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, Fine Arts

This lesson focuses on the chapter “Chinatown” from Laurence Yep’s memoir, The Lost Garden.  Students will consider the factors that contributed to Yep’s struggle to find a sense of belonging with his peers and in his community.  Students will determine in what ways the essential question (In what ways does our need to feel a sense of belonging conflict with our individuality?) is relevant to Laurence Yep’s experience as he describes it in “Chinatown”.

Students will read the provided complex text about habitat in the outdoor classroom and explore the area to make connections to the content in the text.

Students will read the provided complex text about habitat in the outdoor classroom and explore the area to make connections to the content in the text and draw inferences from the text.

Students will read the provided complex text about habitat in the outdoor classroom and explore the area to make connections to the content in the text and draw inferences from the text.

Students will use the short, informational text provided to guide them in examining the animal and insect habitats in their outdoor classroom. They will then be able to use their experience to summarize the information from the text.

This problem based learning (PBL) activity allows students to become educated on how excess waste can harm the environment. This activity then has the students form a plan on how their school can limit trash output in their cafeteria, and then sending a letter to their principle describing their plan.

Students will read the complex text on pest damage and use the outdoor space to verify or deny the content of the text in the real-world setting.