Rooted in the 5E Model of Instruction (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), the curriculum provides an evidence-based approach to the facilitation of high-quality educational experiences for children in outdoor programs. The core curriculum is targeted to the developmental capabilities of most children ages 5-12; however, lessons contain modifiers to simplify or extend the content to meet the needs of children as young as 3 and older.

Each lesson within the curriculum includes:

• Background information for instructors

• Lesson objectives and associated ELG/NGSS

• Materials list

• Step-by-step guide for all activities, which may include experiments, games, art projects, and more!

• Literature recommendations

• Discussion prompts

As an outdoor-based curriculum, materials are intentionally kept at a minimum, with natural found objects and the environment prioritized for conceptualizing concepts.

Since most programs have already established their rhythm and community in the fall, this curriculum dives right into STEAM-focused lessons that focus on winter ecology, phenology, weather, snow science, constellations, and more. The curriculum scaffolds from there, blossoming into subjects and activities that support children's understanding of their local nature neighborhoods, Earth systems, and seasonal traditions.