Teaching Comes Alive Outside with Elizabeth Rayl

Have you ever wondered what to do with dandelions for learning activities? In the spring, Dandelions are everywhere! The dandelion life cycle is a great way to teach the concept of life cycles, the importance of dandelions, and get your students outside and engaged in learning.  Dandelions are such an important food for our Bees and butterflies and a wonderful learning tool! I am going to break down how dandelions can pack a big punch and hit a ton of standards while getting kids excited about learning. In this episode, I will chat about...10 Fun Dandelion Facts The awesomeness of the Dandelion life cycle How you can use dandelions in your centers and learning this week I hope this episode sparked some ideas for you to incorporate a little dandelion love into your lessons this month.  If you couldn’t take notes fast enough and want the done-for-you version of this info head over to my Teacher Pay Teachers store and grab your dandelion and spring resources.  Dandelion Literacy ActivitiesDandelion Life Cycle ActivitiesNature In Spring Activity Pack Spring Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt and Information CardsIf you haven’t gotten your Free Outdoor Blueprint Video series head over to my website, www.teachingcomesaliveoutside.com to gain access.  I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or Facebook!Stay well and go get outside!

The Easiest Outdoor Spring Activity For Kids that will give you endless sparks for learning is the art of turning over rocks and rolling logs! I will give you 5 simple tips for making each outing an adventure and a success.  I take the guesswork out by giving you kid-friendly facts that will give you the confidence to guide your class or kids on your spring nature walk.  If you want your own spring nature walk scavenger hunt to spark learning with your kids or students grab your own copy here. Grab your Free Outdoor Learning Blueprint Series!Similar Resources:Visit My Teachers Pay Teachers Store, Teaching Comes Alive OutsideForest Animal Habitats Scavenger Hunt and Information CardsBirding With Kids Bird Cards and Scavenger HuntOutdoor Scavenger Hunt-Spirals in Nature Scavenger HuntGratitude Lesson With a Nature Scavenger Hunt PrintableI'd love to connect with you on Instagram or Facebook!

Spring is here and it is a great time for outdoor learning activities for kids!   In this episode, I will share the 3 things to do on a Spring Nature Walk that are great outdoor learning activities for kids. This can be in the city, suburb, or the country.  You don’t need to be deep in nature to get outdoors to learn and get connected to nature.Grab your Free Outdoor Learning Blueprint Series! Visit My Teachers Pay Teachers Store, Teaching Comes Alive Outside, to check out the Forest Animal Habitat Adventure Pack.I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or Facebook!

We are talking about backyard birds, as I call them Bird Feeder Birds, and how to get started birding with kids. Adding a bird feeding station to your outdoor space or outside your window is an instant way to bring nature to you no matter where you live! Birding with kids provides so many lessons and will ignite kids' excitement for learning and birds! Let's start birding with kids!#1 Let's create a bird feeder station #2 How to get kids involved?#3 What is a good bird guide?Visit My Teachers Pay Teachers Store to check out the Bird Feeder Adventure Cards and Adventure hunt. I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or Facebook!

Feeling stuck with how to manage learning outdoors during the winter months? I am going to share the 5 learning tools I always have on hand for outdoor learning activities in the winter.  You probably already have some of these items lying around your house or classroom.  So listen up and see which tool is right for you!Visit My Teachers Pay Teachers Store to check out Winter Bundling Resource to help your kids get dressed independently.I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or Facebook!

I am sharing my simple way to make big impact on our children and our future if we can teach them this one thing, gratitude!Grab your free Gratitude Adventure hunt here at www.elizabethrayl.com Check out my resources at my Teachers  Pay Teachers Store:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teaching-Comes-Alive-Outside 

I am  sharing the S.P.A.R.K  that is the missing piece to the education puzzle.  How can nature and discovery spark our the love for learning and drive our instruction. We are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup Check out Teaching Comes Alive Outside Online Course and other information at  https://www.elizabethrayl.com    

This is part 3 of How To Bring Literacy To Outdoor Learning. I share my literacy tips and how I help my outdoor learners become better readers, writers, and thinkers. In this episode, I talking about with our early writers, what it looks like to write outside, and simple tips for manage it all. We are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup Check out Teaching Comes Alive Outside Online Course and other information at  https://www.elizabethrayl.com  

This is part 2 of How To Bring Literacy To Outdoor Learning Series where I share my literacy tips, and  how I help my outdoor learners become better readers, writers, and thinkers while getting outside and developing the whole learner.  In this episode, I am focusing about learning letters and words while outside.  We are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup Check out Teaching Comes Alive Outside Online Course at  https://www.elizabethrayl.com   

In this episode, I share how I  help my outdoor learners become better readers, writers, and thinkers while getting outside and developing the whole learner.  This is part one of a series on bringing literacy outdoors. Todays focus is Phonemic Awareness. Phonemic Awareness is a vital foundation for everything literacy, check out how I easily incorporate this instruction and allow students to explore literacy while exploring nature. We are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup Check out Teaching Comes Alive Outside Online Course at  https://www.elizabethrayl.com   

"There is No Bad Weather just bad clothing!" Is the quote we adapted from Sir Ralph Fiennes. Here are my practical tips for all the gear that will keep your kids comfortable so they can learn all year outside in any weather! It is important to keep them comfortable so they can focus on learning. 

Where can you start when you don’t know the nature things?  I have found everyone feels better outside, but everyone has different comfort levels.  A lot of people are hung up with not knowing things. Don’t let that stop you. I  am going to share the tricks, hacks, and resources that I use to learn the basic nature things.  You don’t have to know everything when you go outside. I will give you my secrets!We are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup Check out Teaching Comes Alive Outside Online Course at  https://www.elizabethrayl.com   

I share a few things that helped with a smooth transition back to school for teachers and families.I will give you my simplest tip that spring board most of our learning and drives my instruction when we head outside.  We are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup Check out Teaching Comes Alive Outside Online Course at  https://www.elizabethrayl.com   

I am so pumped to have Stephanie Mckinstry as a guest! She is the owner of The Caterpillar Clubhouse Childcare where my 3 year old attends. We chat about her childcare, being a mom, and how outdoor learning has changed her focus.  We touch on how...her appreciation for nature has evolvednature has brought her joy to teaching againbeing a mom of an outdoor student opened her eyesher childcare space has transformed how anyone can get started with outdoor learning at any ageI so enjoyed hearing how to get toddlers outside to learn!Check her out at mycaterpillerclubhouse.com 

I am going to get raw and real and talk about my beginning plans for creating my Covid Classroom. Back to school in general is a stressful, exciting, exhausting, and exhilarating time.  But this year it is heavy.  It feels heavy with all the unknowns, new regulations,  and constant changes. I have brainstormed where I am going to start. So here are my three ways I am going to try to limit contact tracing and social distancing.  Don't forget to join our Free Facebook Group for more ideas, pictures, and support as you navigate teaching or parenting outdoors! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup After you listen, head over to https://www.elizabethrayl.com and grab my free favorite gear guide while it lasts!  

We are continuing our “Let them series”  and going to dig into why we let kids climb and how to do it safely! I will dig into...The top 10 reasons why we should let kids climbTeaching them how to keep themselves safe. My climbing expectations for my kids and classWe are continuing the conversation over at our free Facebook Group.  Head over and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup 

We are diving into why we should let kids spin and roll and the big work they are doing.  Kids brains are messy, growing, and making connections. I am going to break down what it is and how we can trust our kids and grow their brains.We are going to touch on...How to observe play and how it translates into learningHow to name and recognize behavioral schemaHow to enhance rotation schemaI am going to basically show you why we need to get out of the kids way and let them learn!Don't forget to join our Free Facebook Group for more ideas, pictures, and support as you navigate teaching or parenting outdoors! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup 

We are going to dive into getting dirty and why kids need this now more than ever!  When given the choice, kids will jump in puddles almost every time.  I'll break down...The science supporting that dirt helps keep us healthy. The side effects of kids getting out and getting dirty at school and at home.  Don't forget to join our Free Facebook Group for more ideas, pictures, and support as you navigate teaching or parenting outdoors! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup 

We are going to dive into 5 easy ways for anyone to create an outdoor learning space with any budget.  Every space offers something, so you can get outside either in your back yard, balcony, outside your classroom, or somewhere in between with today's tips you can get outside and learn!!! Don't forget to join our Free Facebook Group for more ideas, pictures, and support as you navigate teaching or parenting outdoors! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup 

We are going to dive into 3 easy ways anyone can connect learning to nature.  There are many levels of outdoor learning and there is a level for everyone. So pick out what you like from my list and tweak it to make it work for you class or your family.  There is no one way, but I will give you my tips for how I make it work and where to start.Grab my Free Favorite Gear Guide while is lasts! www.elizabethrayl.com Don't forget to join our Free Facebook Group for more ideas, pictures, and support as you navigate teaching or parenting outdoors! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachingcomesaliveoutsidegroup