Nature-Based Education in the Age of COVID and Beyond: Aligning – Using VELS to Support Outdoor Learning Deb Norris January 15, 2021

Spending time outside benefits academic, social-emotional, and physical learning. Join experienced outdoor educators Joan Carey and Emma Hallowell as they strengthen our understanding of why nature-based learning is crucial, especially during the pandemic. Participants will gain inspiration and strategies to put immediately into place. This webinar examines how the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) provide an excellent structure for aligning and assessing student learning and growth - academically, socially, and emotionally - to support outdoor learning. Participants will: o Explore ways to use VELS to inform curriculum development o Integrate project-based and thematic learning o Connect math and literacy concepts to outdoor play o Learn how nature journals are a great tool for connecting standards-based lessons to outdoor learning