Benefits of Outdoor Education

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St. James students in grades 5-8 take part in outdoor education at Walcamp located in Kingston, Illinois. During our three days at camp, students participate in activities that enhance our curriculum, build community, connect them to nature, and engage them in active stewardship.

Outdoor education supports and enhances the middle school curriculum. Students participate in activities that focus on ecosystems, poetry, biology and physics. They witness wildlife interactions, write about nature while sitting in a tree, and study animal behavior patterns.

Students particularly enjoy the Boat Physics activity. Applying the engineering strand of the STEM approach to learning, students receive a problem to solve as a team. Using the available supplies on hand, the challenge is to construct a boat which can travel down the nearby Kishwaukee River. Then, they study their results and discuss how to modify and improve on their plans. This approach is excellent preparation for the increasingly rigorous instruction and subject matter students will encounter in future high school settings. The tasks that lie ahead for them will soon be daunting. However, having learned to problem-solve while functioning as a team will relieve their anxiety and equip them for the coming challenges.

Building community is another important aspect of outdoor education.  The Walcamp experience provides opportunities for teachers and students to build strong relationships. For this reason, our Walcamp trip is a bonding experience strategically scheduled early in the school year. Included are many teamwork activities that promote friendship, trust and interdependence. Basic learning opportunities such as cleaning the mess hall after a meal, straightening the bunk house, and interacting with teachers, camp staff, and other campers help shape students as they prepare for the world beyond St. James. At Walcamp students are seen laughing , smiling, and making memories that last beyond their middle school years.

Students also participate in exciting activities that bring them closer to nature. They canoe in the lake, hike through the forest, practice archery in the fields, and build shelters from forest resources. Kids apply their problem-solving talents while learning about survival skills. Most importantly, students connect to the outdoors and appreciate the valuable resources found in nature. As city kids, they develop an investment in God’s creation that extends far beyond what they experience on a daily basis in our urban setting. Comments like “Can’t we stay longer?” remind us of the value of getting away from it all and enjoying God’s creation.

Stewardship is another reason St. James middle-schoolers participate in outdoor education. Students engage in devotions and other activities that focus on caring for one another and for God’s “stuff.” While surrounded by beautiful trees changing colors in the fall, or huddling around the campfire in the cool of the evening, our kids learn to value what God has given us and recognize our role in maintaining His works of wonder.

Walcamp provides ample opportunity for students to achieve curriculum goals, build community, connect to nature, and engage in stewardship. Outdoor education is a successful means of engaging students and motivating learning outside the classroom.  It is a critical part of our middle school experience designed to address the needs of the whole child.

St. James students in grades 5-8 take part in outdoor education at Walcamp located in Kingston, Illinois. During our three days at camp, students participate in activities that enhance our curriculum, build community, connect them to nature, and engage them in active stewardship.

Outdoor education supports and enhances the middle school curriculum. Students participate in activities that focus on ecosystems, poetry, biology and physics. They witness wildlife interactions, write about nature while sitting in a tree, and study animal behavior patterns.

Students particularly enjoy the Boat Physics activity. Applying the engineering strand of the STEM approach to learning, students receive a problem to solve as a team. Using the available supplies on hand, the challenge is to construct a boat which can travel down the nearby Kishwaukee River. Then, they study their results and discuss how to modify and improve on their plans. This approach is excellent preparation for the increasingly rigorous instruction and subject matter students will encounter in future high school settings. The tasks that lie ahead for them will soon be daunting. However, having learned to problem-solve while functioning as a team will relieve their anxiety and equip them for the coming challenges.

Building community is another important aspect of outdoor education.  The Walcamp experience provides opportunities for teachers and students to build strong relationships. For this reason, our Walcamp trip is a bonding experience strategically scheduled early in the school year. Included are many teamwork activities that promote friendship, trust and interdependence. Basic learning opportunities such as cleaning the mess hall after a meal, straightening the bunk house, and interacting with teachers, camp staff, and other campers help shape students as they prepare for the world beyond St. James. At Walcamp students are seen laughing , smiling, and making memories that last beyond their middle school years.

Students also participate in exciting activities that bring them closer to nature. They canoe in the lake, hike through the forest, practice archery in the fields, and build shelters from forest resources. Kids apply their problem-solving talents while learning about survival skills. Most importantly, students connect to the outdoors and appreciate the valuable resources found in nature. As city kids, they develop an investment in God’s creation that extends far beyond what they experience on a daily basis in our urban setting. Comments like “Can’t we stay longer?” remind us of the value of getting away from it all and enjoying God’s creation.

Stewardship is another reason St. James middle-schoolers participate in outdoor education. Students engage in devotions and other activities that focus on caring for one another and for God’s “stuff.” While surrounded by beautiful trees changing colors in the fall, or huddling around the campfire in the cool of the evening, our kids learn to value what God has given us and recognize our role in maintaining His works of wonder.

Walcamp provides ample opportunity for students to achieve curriculum goals, build community, connect to nature, and engage in stewardship. Outdoor education is a successful means of engaging students and motivating learning outside the classroom.  It is a critical part of our middle school experience designed to address the needs of the whole child.