This class is for children who are not ready to be on their own yet but still want the experience of being outdoors with the support of a group and a guide. This class is an introduction to nature based outdoor immersion learning.

Parents and children socialize with other families as they learn, grow and discover the wonders of the natural world.

Class Time:

Roslyn 10-11:30

Ellensburg 10-11:30

Program Focus:

Learning a routine, multi-sensory (sight, sound, touch, smell) child led learning inspired by nature, songs, stories, art projects, listening and speaking, developing fine and gross motor skills, develop confidence and resilience.

This class is for children that are ready to be on their own for an extended amount of time. They can manage their toileting and dressing and undressing with little help, and can carry their own backpack. Minimum of 2 days a week with an option of the half-day mixed age exploration on Friday.

Class Time: 8:30-12:30

Program Focus

Social Emotional:

This program is primarily child led and encourages children to develop and follow their own interests and imaginations within the structure of a daily routine. The daily routine encourages children to follow guidelines and abide by rules to keep us safe. Children build and develop relationships with peers and adults. Children are encouraged in self expression and learn and practice strategies to manage social challenges such as taking turns, taking breaks and sharing.

We celebrate and learn about our similarities and differences and embrace diverse perspectives, experiences, family structures, languages and traditions.

Physical:

Develop and improve gross-motor skills through hiking, climbing, balancing and other actions required to maneuver in our ever changing natural environment. We develop fine-motor skills through practical activities such managing our own gear: opening and closing backpacks, snack boxes, food packaging, mittens/gloves, hats, boots; along with utilizing art materials such as pencils, crayons, markers, paint, and scissors.

Cognitive:

Multi-sensory exploration and inquiry using all our senses to learn from nature in a variety of weather and seasons.

Math:

Sort materials by various quality, size, shape, color.

Expand counting skills (from 0 working towards 10 then 31 and beyond ) with various games and materials such as the calendar, hide and seek and counters such as stones, pinecones, sticks, and begin recognizing written numbers and practice writing them. Work to recognize a set of 4 items without counting and be able to combine sets and beginning addition.

Use spatial awareness and problem solving through cooperative activities in nature, i.e. forts, dens and working with natural materials and classmates in realistic situations

Language:

Expand vocabulary through speaking and listening. Learn new words in a variety of languages including Indigenous and family languages represented in the class. Listen to stories, make predictions, become aware of the structure of how language is represented in writing (left to right top to bottom). Bring awareness to words that begin with the same sound and rhyming words though games and hand play.

Begin to develop awareness of letter sounds and blending sounds together through written print, games and activities. Begin writing to represent ideas first as shapes that represent written language moving towards learning to form letters in their name and other letters in the alphabet.

Science:

The natural world ignites curiosity and children are encouraged to ask questions, make predictions and identify ways to find answers. They use tools such as magnifying glasses, binoculars, shovels, sticks, containers, tape measures, shadows, compass, clocks and more to observe, build, measure, and record findings and observations. Students are encouraged to go deeper when our interest is peaked and we want to know more about something we have observed or experienced.

Social Studies:

Explore our connection to family and place. Explore family relationships and traditions of our own, the communities we are a part of including the natural world. Begin to express own feelings and beliefs.

Washington Outdoor School utilizes the Since Time Immemorial Curriculum to gain an understanding of our connection to the place we live from the perspectives of the Native people of the Pacific Northwest who have lived on and stewarded the lands on which we live since time immemorial.

Become familiar with landmarks, sun, shadow and directions to navigate local areas and favorite spots.

Arts: (Visual and Performance):

Children are exposed to various art mediums. Songs with movements, story telling, dances, and dramatic play, cutting, pasting, sticking, painting with a variety of materials. Children are given great freedom in this area to express themselves and to develop their own interests.

When Washington Outdoor School is approved as a licensed Outdoor Nature Based Program, we will be allowed to offer a full-day program.

Families will be able to choose a 2 or 4 day option.

This is a weekly class focusing on nature-based Inquiry exploration for students in Preschool through 5th Grade.

It is a perfect opportunity for homeschool families to connect with others in an organic group that is reflective of community learning.

Families can choose this as an independent class or opt to add it to a Preschool or K-2nd program schedule.

Class Time: Friday 8:30-12:30

Program Focus

Social Emotional:

We utilize the Plant Teachings for Growing Social Emotional Skills, Cultivating Resiliency and Wellbeing with Northwest Plants curriculum.

We explore ways of being, acting, and reacting, inspired by Coast Salish Indigenous teachings of plants that help us learn to live a balanced life that embraces and celebrates diversity and gives us strategies to manage life's challenges.

Curriculum Overview

Physical:

Continued physical development and stamina to improve gross-motor skills through hiking, climbing, balancing, bending, twisting reaching and other actions required to maneuver in our ever changing natural environment. Games and activities that require throwing and catching, dodging, and striking (with bat/stick) to develop aim and accuracy and agility.

We develop fine-motor skills as we manage our own gear- opening and closing backpacks, snack boxes, food packaging, mittens/gloves, hats, boots, along with using art materials such as pencils, crayons, markers, paint, and scissors.

Cognitive:

Multi-sensory exploration and inquiry using all our senses to learn from nature in a variety of weather and seasons.

Social Studies and Science:

Through exploration and project based learning in the natural world, we will use various lenses of Social Studies and Science. We will utilize the Since Time Immemorial curriculum along with inquiry concepts: form (what is it?) , function (how it works?), causation( why is it like that?) connections, responsibility and reflection.

Upper County: Programs will take place in the Roslyn Urban Forest. Our drop off point for most of our programs is at the Episcopal Church in Roslyn. At times we may meet in other areas for special events or field trips. We hike and explore the areas in and around the Roslyn Urban Forest.

Lower County: Programs will take place in Ellensburg City Parks, McElroy or Paul Rogers Wildlife Park and a new location in the Manastash Canyon.

0-4 w/Caregiver (Covers one caregiver and a maximum of two children from the same household ages 0-4)

2 Days a Week (Upper County): $90/month September-June

1 Day a Week (Ellensburg): $68/month September-June

Preschool (Per Child)

2 Days a Week 1/2 Day (Upper County and Ellensburg): $330/month September-June

4 Days a Week 1/2 Day (Upper County): $630/month September-June

Mixed Age Exploration AM: $180/month September-June