High School Curriculum Integration

Physical Science

• • Physical Science classes are going outside (weather permitting) to have a seminar discussion on our worldview and looking at science, creation, etc. with our worldview in mind.

Biology

• • During our Science of Biology/Chemistry of Life Unit, students have gone outside to look for characteristics of life… evidence of growth and development, use of materials and/or energy, evidence of responding to the environment, etc.

Chemistry

• • Students studied the various areas of chemistry by going outside to discover, connect and come up with examples in God’s creation that we would use each of the areas of chemistry.

  • Students examined matter and change outside by identifying the various types of matter, the states of matter, and using the air and creek and soil to examine types of mixtures.

  • Scientific measurement (volume, temperature, etc.) and computations were done outside using creek water.

Physics

• • Physics lab outside on Friction. The students engaged in an experiment to calculate the coefficient of static friction for various objects/materials on four different ramp materials. They used trigonometry and the incline angle of the ramp to calculate the friction coefficient.

Geometry

• • The students used the lines in the parking lot and on the buildings along with the Geometry iPad app to determine if the lines are parallel.

  • Students took pictures of angles outside, measured and classified them using the Geometry Pad app.

English

• • The students are utilizing the great outdoors as an extension of their classroom to engage in creative writing, journaling, and also discussion in outdoor Socratic seminars.

  • Poetry writing outside for Young Southern Writers

  • Peer reviews outside

  • Nature writing during Transcendentalism unit

  • Nature writing during Transcendentalism unit

  • Poetry writing when studying pastoral poetry

Bible

• • The students engaged in the following: Alone time in prayer, quiet observation, and journaling on the application of biblical truths in their lives.

  • Class discussion of related text in the Bible, in a nature setting.

  • The students illustrated the impact of the curse on all creation by going outside and looking for evidence of decay in nature.

  • Students were asked to take pictures with their devices to record the evidence they find and then they discussed their findings as a class.

  • The students illustrated the improbability of spontaneous undirected evolution by going out and viewing the great variety and complexity of nature. Students were asked to document their findings and then discussed whether or not it makes more logical sense that all these things spontaneously evolved or that an intelligent creator designed them.

Economics

• • Students chose an object from the outdoors and pitched its value to the class. Then they traded items and used that activity to explain productivity.

World Civilization

• • Students collected outdoor materials for a presentation on Native American civilizations.

U.S. History

• • The class has been conducted outside a few times each month

  • Students would go on study walks before assessments.

  • Students took quizzes outside when the weather and schedule permitted.

Latin I

• • The students read a translation about girls’ reading\writing outside, and then read their translations outside, like the characters in the story.

  • The students engaged in vocabulary games and they learned “outdoor” vocabulary words and played the vocabulary games outside.

  • Students identified objects in nature and then looked up the scientific Latin name for the objects. Students provided a brief presentation of the object they discovered, the scientific name, whether the Latin being used was new or classical. Students also determined English derivatives for the scientific terms.

  • Students have played games, translated stories, participating in a creative writing activity, etc. This semester we used the outdoors as an extension of the classroom.

Latin 2 and 3

• • Students read Latin readers in groups outside.

  • Students read Latin readers as a whole class outside.

  • Students listened to Roman history podcast individually; then discuss as a whole class outside

German 1-3

• • Read German readers in groups outside

  • Read German readers as a whole class outside

  • Listened to German podcast individually; then discuss as a whole class outside

  • Identify, name, and describe objects outside in German (in composition book).

Spanish

• • Keeping in mind that outdoor learning is foundationally experiential learning where the learner does best by learning, we have added the component of “shadowing” to the curriculum units. Shadowing is a language learning technique developed by the American Professor Alexander Arguelles. The basis of the method is audio in the language that you are learning. While listening, you attempt to repeat -- to "shadow" -- what you hear as quickly as you hear it. It is most beneficial to be walking swiftly at the same time to maximize alertness and oxygenation.

  • Students are given a unit specific dialogue to listen and repeat while walking. They walk for about 20 minutes and then the teacher checks them individually to listen to their pronunciation. Learning takes place through while walking, peripatetically, like in the ancient school of Athens.

Technology

• • Students took outdoor pictures that they will use for a background for their favorite Bible verses to use for PowerPoint or Hawk Talk. This can include the creek, sky, flowers, etc. Tools used: iPad camera, computer, Photoshop, PowerPoint

  • Students downloaded free plant identification apps from the App Store and wrote a review on Google docs on its pros and cons.

  • Students tested their apps outside, while utilizing their notes. Tools used: I-pad, computer, Photoshop, PowerPoint, Docs, notes app

  • Students participated in the Army PT Test: Are You Army Strong? Using Google spreadsheets (Excel), students timed how fast they can run .5 mile, and then they multiplied by 4 to get their 2-mile run-time. Students recorded how many push-ups and sit-ups they can do in 2 minutes respectively. Students who are interested on working towards becoming Army strong will monitor their progress twice a week. Tools used: I-pad, computer, Google spreadsheets, shortcut to Army PT Calculator online (students will learn how to create a shortcut on their phone/I-pad), tape measure or GPS watch/app to measure 88 yards.

Music Appreciation

• • Students learned what items they used to create musical instruments, how these instruments and music notation have been preserved, and the difficulties of practically reproducing what music would have sounded like in the past.

  • Time outdoors was spent learning to listen to the sounds that surround us in everyday life and how we can use those sounds, or imitate them, to create music of our own.

HS Choir

• • In preparation for our upcoming Madrigal dinner in December, students used an outdoor setting to duplicate the chapel stage dimensions, in order to block the movements of actors and singers, rehearsing the program in the same approximate space as the room where it will be performed. This inspired performers to better “travel back in time” by being in a natural setting.

Art

• • The students have gone outside regularly to paint objects found in nature, such as leave, the creek, flowers and landscape.

Health and PE

• • Teach students the scientific data regarding the health benefits of being in the outdoors.

  • Trail runs and hikes

  • Outdoor Fitness, using natural objects and surrounding

  • Teach students how to manage outdoor risks

  • Used heart rate monitors to teach students about variables such as weather and humidity that influence heart rate.

  • Team-building and leadership games

• Natural objects scavenger hunt game