Sometimes, as Leo found on his field trip to Bald Mountain Recreation Area, some of the best classrooms aren’t bound by four walls.

Through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Nature Awaits program, fourth grade students are connecting their classroom learning to the natural world through a 90-minute guided field trip to one of more than two dozen Michigan state parks.

For many students, especially those from urban and low-income communities, the trip is also their first visit to public lands or one of the Great Lakes — places central to Michigan’s outdoor heritage.

Since the program’s start two years ago, Nature Awaits has helped over 60,000 students get more comfortable outdoors, supported their academic engagement and, hopefully, sparked the start of a long-term love for our lands, waters, fish and wildlife.

A group of students is shown gathered around a tree with a Michigan Department of Natural Resources educator to discuss their observations. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

Moving the classroom outside

Spending time in nature isn’t just for fun — it improves students’ learning and helps them thrive. Research has shown outdoor experiences can improve their focus, behavior and academic performance.

“When students learn outdoors, they aren’t just hearing about science — they are actively doing the work of scientists,” said Leanne Weber, science education consultant for the Michigan Department of Education. “Hands-on exploration gives them the opportunity to investigate real phenomena, make sense of what they observe and build authentic scientific understanding that is aligned with Michigan’s three-dimensional science standards.”

One way to create these experiences is through nature-based education, which has been practiced around the world for more than a century. Studies show nature-based education helps children strengthen their observation skills, investigate their surroundings by using their senses and develop confidence while they build stronger relationships with their peers.

Teachers participating in Nature Awaits have noticed this firsthand.

“The best part of the field trip was having the students interact with nature and learn about the outside world around them,” said Erin Hardy from Tekonsha Elementary School in Calhoun County. “Some of my students struggle in the classroom, but they have extensive knowledge about nature, so this field trip gave them the opportunity to shine.”

Outdoor learning is especially valuable because many students spend large amounts of time indoors or on digital devices. Time in nature gives them an opportunity to safely balance this lifestyle.

“I loved seeing the curiosity and joy from my students during the field trip, especially those who have not spent much time outside,” said Barbara Hutchinson from Bean Elementary in Jackson County. “One of my students, who spends most days inside and on a gaming system, had the biggest smile during our nature walk. After the trip, he said to me that he really likes nature now.

“When I asked him what made him enjoy it so much, he said that being outside made him feel calm. He said he couldn’t wait to spend more time outside. That right there made me believe in the power of this program.”

Supporting learning goals

Despite the proven benefits of outdoor learning, barriers often stop it from happening in many schools. Funding is one of the biggest challenges that schools face, with outdoor learning requiring additional resources, lesson plans and transportation. Nature Awaits eliminates these barriers by providing classroom resources and transportation reimbursement for public schools.

Another challenge that exists is the amount of curriculum content that teachers must cover throughout the school year. Fourth-grade teachers are expected to address well over 100 academic standards across multiple subject areas each year. With a typical 180-day school year, that would average roughly one new standard every one to two days.

Nature Awaits is infused with more than a dozen academic standards throughout its curriculum, supporting teachers’ guidelines and offering students new, creative ways to access and reinforce information.

For example, program activities help students:

— Discover how human choices shape the natural landscape around us.

— Investigate Michigan’s native species and the invasive plants and animals that threaten local ecosystems and economies.

— Explore civic responsibility and recognize that our state parks belong to everyone in Michigan.

— Strengthen observation, literacy and discussion skills through inquiry-based learning.

“The best part is that Nature Awaits aligns to fourth grade standards,” said Paula Holland, a teacher from Unionville Sebewaing Elementary School in Huron County. “Students start learning in class about what they saw on the trip and can connect their in-class learning to the hands-on approach at the field trip.”

Nature Awaits also helps students learn more about their local communities. Many of the kids wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience nature in this immersive way.

“It was great to see our students out in nature, talking about nature,” said Maren Holcomb, a teacher from Sycamore Elementary School in Ingham County. “Our students spend so much time indoors and are unaware of the beautiful parks that are so close to where they live. We would not have been able to visit the park without this program.”

The program’s transportation grant plays an essential role for many public-school teachers. A post-field trip survey of 372 schools showed how limited field trip opportunities are for many students. Ten percent of the schools reported that Nature Awaits would be their students’ only field trip that year, and 36% said they could afford to attend only one additional field trip beyond Nature Awaits.