Outdoor classrooms are assets to elementary and high schools alike. Whether you have a dedicated space for outdoor learning or not, you can still use these websites in almost any outdoor space. Alternatively, you can use these top 5 best websites in your regular classroom and still reap the benefits of using them. Like saving paper! You’re about to find out the best websites for outdoor classrooms!
Best Websites for Outdoor Learning #1: Flipgrid
Flipgrid.com is one of the best websites for outdoor classroom for several reasons. Students can access on any device by logging into the website to complete their grid work.
Teachers can set up an account and create a grid and students can work within in. You can choose which ever topic you like, create a prompt and students respond in short-video format. Students can respond to each others videos as well.
You can ask students to:
- Do a reading response
- Share their number talk response
- Record a story
- Create a journal
Choice #2: Plickers
I love plickers! Plickers is one of the best websites for outdoor classrooms also! Here’s why. All you need is a device (phone, tablet) and a set of plickers cards. You set up an account and create a set of questions. Students receive a printed out card. I laminate the student cards for durability outside. Then you share the question and the students hold up their card.
The way it works is simple. Students change the orientation of their plickers cards to indicate their response to a multiple-choice question. The next time you are heading out to your outdoor classroom, grab your set of plickers cards!
MUST-HAVE #3: Canva
This is SO great for all ages…..Canva!
Canva is also on the best website list! It allows its users to create products and designs using a wide range of tools. Think photos, shapes, backgrounds, music and videos. Students can create an account on Canva and then start designing. You can have students create a title page for a new subject, or a poster for an upcoming play. The website is user-friendly and allows for so many project ideas. It really gets students thinking about design.
Teachers can have students design garden plots or an outdoor game. Designing and creating infographics is one of my favourite projects to do with my third-graders.
You Probably Know About #4 (but just in case): EPIC Books
EPIC Books is the best collection of digital books for elementary aged students. Let me tell you why! EPIC Books has a wide range of topics and reading levels. It also has a feature called “Read-to-Me” Audio books.
Get this….when I do my Daily 5 rotations, when students do the “listen to reading” portion – they do EPIC Books. As students listen to their book choice, the words are highlights and the students can follow along. This feature alone makes it a worthy contender for best website!
Whether you are indoors or out, students can read, listen to and view books of all sorts on EPIC Books. Teachers can create book lists and assign them to students as well. You can choose books on birds, weather, clouds and so much more! Have you used EPIC Books? Let me know in the comments below.
The Last “Best Websites for Outdoor Learning” #5: Jamboard
Jamboard is a whiteboard app that you can add to your Google apps collection.
Here’s something we both can agree on.
The easier something is to use, the more likely it is to get used. This is true for Jamboard. You can create a “jam” and add many things to it.
You can add sticky notes for text and photos for discussion. The possibilities are endless.
If you use Jamboard in the outdoor classroom, you might have students working in small group, adding their thoughts and ideas to the shared Jamboard.
Since not all outdoor classrooms have a board per se, using Jamboard opens up the ability to share between individual students, small groups and whole groups as well.
Okay, those are my best websites to use in the outdoor classroom. Because I tend to prefer to be as efficient as possible when working in the classroom, I like to use websites that will be useful wherever I am teaching.
If you’re a teacher and you’re looking to bring your students outside more often but you’re not sure where to start, then you have come to the right place. Why not try a drama game outside with your students?
If you’re trying to immerse yourself in nature you may also like the digital calendar with a nature theme. If you’re not sure where to start, then sign-up for The Cactus Class newsletter for all good things for learning outdoors. You will also get 3 activities to try with your class – when you sign up!
