Spotlight64 | Take Me Outside: Learning Beyond the Classroom

"Take Me Outside Day" leads to wonder and discovery as students and educators learn from the places they call home.

Spider webs, forest forts, farm animals, and a splash of yarn graffiti brought plenty of adventure to learning as Gulf Islands students headed outside for Take Me Outside Day!

On October 21, 35 classes joined the celebration, bringing more than 700 students and over 50 educators outdoors. Every school in the district had classes participate. It was a inspiring show of enthusiasm for learning beyond classroom walls.

The day put curiosity, creativity, and connection to place at the heart of learning. From exploring local habitats to tackling challenges in teams, students discovered just how much their island surroundings have to offer. 

Small Wonders, Big Learning

SSE learns about farm lifeAt Salt Spring Elementary School, learning about life on the farm offered students a chance to discover the important role animals play in the world. Weekly forest adventures also bring learning to life as students explore local habitats, discover wildlife, and build forts through teamwork and creativity. There is plenty to investigate when the forest becomes a learning space!

Outside Letter HuntAt Fernwood Elementary School, Ms. Heidi’s class became keen-eyed web detectives. Students explored different types of spider webs and how their designs relate to the spiders’ strategies, then set off on a web hunt to identify their discoveries. Some webs held insects or spiders, and one web found inside the school greenhouse captured a butterfly which became a memorable highlight.

The outdoor fun continued with an ‘Outside Letter Hunt’ in Ms. Curtis’ class, while Ms. Hingston’s class embraced a variety of outdoor activities and learning lasting from morning until afternoon.

Mayne Island School students made a whole day of it at Dinner Bay Park. House challenges brought students together to solve problems as a team. Also enjoyed were yarn bombing, also known as yarn graffiti, and learning activities in the Japanese Garden.

More Than a Day Outside

French Immersion outsideTake Me Outside Day ties directly into a district invitation to learn with and from place. Nineteen classroom teachers have accepted the Gulf Islands School District Place-Based Learning Challenge, with participation from Fernwood, Saturna, Salt Spring Elementary, Mayne, Fulford, Pender, and StrongStart.

The challenge invites educators to take their classes outside for at least 30 minutes each week for six consecutive weeks, connecting outdoor experiences to curricular and core competencies. Students demonstrate and share their learning, while both students and educators reflect on what they have learned, why it matters, and what comes next. The aim is not simply to change the scenery, but to make the places students know part of how they learn.

Growing Connections

Yarn graffiti - Mayne Island SchoolThese outdoor experiences bring the Board’s Strategic Direction to life in everyday learning. They give students meaningful opportunities to connect with one another and with the lands and waters that sustain their community (BE). Explorations and creative challenges provide space to wonder, engage, and deepen their learning (UNDERSTAND). As students notice and value local habitats, they also explore what it means to care for the places around them. That connection between discovery and responsibility echoes the Board’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability (DO). At the heart of place-based learning is a simple idea: feeling connected to a place nurtures a sense of responsibility to care for it.

Across the Gulf Islands, students and educators are showing that big discoveries can begin with small steps outside. And that every spider web, forest walk, and shared adventure adds something special to the learning journey!

Hats off to all the educators who embraced the challenge to “Take Me Outside.” Their creativity, care, and enthusiasm opened the door to new discoveries and meaningful connections and deserves celebration. Thanks to their efforts, learning across the Gulf Islands continues to grow beyond classroom walls!

Spiderweb discovery - Fernwood