Powassan students hold classes outdoors with unique activities to enhance learning
Grade 7/8 students at St. Gregory Catholic Elementary School in Powassan have been taking time out of their day for outdoor learning sessions.
The sessions are run by the Canadian Ecology Centre, part of a program called ‘Outdoor Ways of Learning and Sharing,’ or OWLS for short.
“Outdoor experiential learning in general has been shown to be incredibly effective,” said Canadian Ecology Centre Outdoor educator Ian Byerley.
Grade 7/8 students at St. Gregory Catholic Elementary School in Powassan have been taking time out of their day for outdoor learning sessions. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)
Tuesday afternoon, students had to work as a team to pull different strings to balance a small orange ball in the middle of it. It was meant to symbolize the ball as a resource and how stakeholders have to work together to keep the resource thriving in society for everyone to benefit.
"I think it's good to be outside a lot in the fresh air and not sitting inside the classroom all day," said Grade 8 Student Noah Green.
Noah said it’s a lot easier for him to learn in a hands-on way.
Being outdoors is not just a way for students to learn science or math. During the morning session, students were learning about the historical battles in the Seven Years’ War through a scavenger hunt using handheld GPS systems.
"It's been a lot of fun and a lot better than sitting inside a classroom,” said Grade 8 Student Kohen Aro.
“We did an outdoor scavenger hunt and learned a lot about history in the 1700s. We’ve learned the timeline and the expulsion of Acadia.”
The concept started at the school in the middle of October. The OWLS program launched as a pilot project before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
It's currently being run in more than a dozen schools in North Bay and surrounding area. Byerley said this model of teaching keeps students engaged, while helping them learn more efficiently.
"Just getting a hands-on experience and hands-on learning instead of more theoretical way really gives a different aspect to the education material," he said.
Grade 7/8 students at St. Gregory Catholic Elementary School in Powassan have been taking time out of their day for outdoor learning sessions. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)
“Plus being outside, as we all know, has an immense benefit for our mental health.”
The program at the school alternates between regular in-class schedule and outdoor learning every two weeks.
“The teachers can do their own outdoor programming with the students and then they can communicate with us as to what they’ve done,” said Byerley.
“Then I come back after two weeks and then run another two sessions.”
Grade 7/8 Teacher Shanna Nodwell said her students have been very engaged and is very happy she can have the program running in her class.
"I'll take advantage of it for as long as the ecology centre is offering it,” Nodwell said.
“It's been extremely rewarding to have this opportunity where we could take part in this kind of learning."
The Canadian Ecology Centre’s OWLS program can also be taught in French. The centre is looking at expanding it to other willing schools in hopes of enhancing the way students learn.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.