Element+7--Outdoor+experiences

Hello, At the most recent KELP meeting I was assigned to the element 7 committee. Our committee discussed requiring a certain number of hours that students must spend outside during regular class hours, required overnight outdoor experiences for each grade level (elementary, middle, and high), and also compiling a "bank" of resources for schools and teachers that could help them fill these requirements. Our committee would love to hear other suggestions for this element, so please feel free to add yours, or to make suggestions about the ones we've already discussed. Thanks, Merin Roseman

A description of how the state education agency will encourage teachers and administrators to provide significant outdoor experiences for their students.

Suggested by Dorie Combs Jonides coined the term "softly fascinating environments" as well. []

Check on the resources and research at the Children & Nature Network: []

We need to partner with the school health people, Healthy Kentucky Foundation, etc. and then pull together lots of research on how outdoor time improves learning and health and take this to the legislature, the school board, KEA etc. --Jane.