Reimagining Arabic As A Foreign Language Learning Through Place: Teachers’ And Students’ Perspectives On Pbl,
2026
The American University in Cairo AUC
Reimagining Arabic As A Foreign Language Learning Through Place: Teachers’ And Students’ Perspectives On Pbl, Hebatalla Salem
Faculty Journal Articles
This one-cycle design-based research study aims to explore the perceptions of both teachers and students toward place-based learning. To achieve this, interviews were conducted with teachers, and questionnaires were administered to students who were directly engaged in place-based learning. The findings indicated positive outcomes, demonstrating that place-based learning offers multiple benefits, particularly in engaging learners in authentic experiences that enable them to apply what they learn in class within meaningful, community-based contexts. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on place-based learning by providing design principles that can support teachers in the design, development, and implementation of place-based learning …
Outdoor Learning In Rural Schools: Lessons From A Positive Outlier Case Study,
2026
University of Maine
Outdoor Learning In Rural Schools: Lessons From A Positive Outlier Case Study, Lauren E. Jacobs, Christiaan G. Abildso, Adam J. Daigneault, Jessica E. Leahy, Christopher J. Nightingale
The Rural Educator
This study explored the barriers and facilitators to outdoor learning and outdoor activities in a small K–12 case school in rural Maine. The case school was a positive outlier (PO), providing significant outdoor learning and activity opportunities to all students during the school day. Outdoor learning and outdoor pursuits in school settings can increase student physical activity, provide opportunities for students to reap the mental and emotional benefits from time in nature, and help them make important connections to local culture. The positive outlier methodological approach sought to uncover reasons for the case school’s PO status and find practical strategies …
Audubon Society Minutes,
2026
University of North Alabama
Audubon Society Minutes, W.A. Ginham
Documents
Minutes of the Audubon Society--October 7, 1931, in Wesleyan Hall. The second part of the meeting was noted on November 4, 1931.
Bulletin Of The State Normal School-Student Activities,
2026
University of North Alabama
Bulletin Of The State Normal School-Student Activities, State Normal School
Documents
Quarterly Publication for State Normal School- Student activities and Campus Life
Slow Education, Sit Spot, And Holistic Well-Being: A Narrative Case Study In Secondary Science Education,
2026
Clemson University
Slow Education, Sit Spot, And Holistic Well-Being: A Narrative Case Study In Secondary Science Education, Steph Dean, Jim Lane, Paul Bocko, Albert Gilbert, Devan A. Jones
Publications
The demands of a test-dominant education system point towards the need for students to have opportunities for unhurried learning engagements, a movement known as slow education. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term influence of Sit Spot–a recurrent, structured time to reflect outdoors–on students’ holistic well-being. Using a narrative case study approach, we interviewed a secondary field ecology teacher and seven of his former students to understand the impact of high school Sit Spot experiences during a semester-long science class. Three primary outcomes emerged: (1) enduring impact on the whole person, (2) engagement with affect, and (3) …
The Voices Of Play- Understanding Children’S Perspectives Of Naturalized And Forested Outdoor Play Environments,
2026
University of Guelph
The Voices Of Play- Understanding Children’S Perspectives Of Naturalized And Forested Outdoor Play Environments, Kimberly Squires, Kim Barton, Madi Stubbs, Mandy English
IALS Journal
is qualitative participatory study explored young children's perspectives of naturalized and forested outdoor play environments at an early learning laboratory school in Ontario, Canada. Drawing on the Mosaic Approach, photo-elicitation, and the Reggio Emilia concept of the hundred languages of children, researchers invited preschool children to communicate their perspectives through photography, drawing, and discussion. Findings revealed that both naturalized and forested environments supported meaningful connections with nature, although children engaged with each setting in distinct ways. Forested environments encouraged broader and more action-oriented interactions with natural materials, while naturalized environments fostered more diverse and specific connections with environmental features. The …
Brambles: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Brambles: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Drew Vogt
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps preservice teachers engage with their region’s environment of the MSUM Regional Science Center. This lesson uses inquiry-based learning through exploration of bramble plants. Students' activity engages in their learning through hands-on exploration, observation, and curiosity. Students observe the structure and function of bramble plants and their relationship with the surrounding environment. This lesson encourages curiosity and critical thinking skills to drive learning to better understand how plants interact with their environment.
Grass: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Grass: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Riley Schaefer
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive place-based learning experience that helps preservice teachers engage with their resources and design an inclusive place-based learning plan. Connecting to the MSUM Regional Science center where these resources will be made for. They are subject to change for other regional centers like the MSUM Regional Science Center.
Adaptation In The Tallgrass Prairie: The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Adaptation In The Tallgrass Prairie: The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel, Katherine Sikorski
OER Materials
The goal of this lesson was to design an immersive, place-based learning inquiry for students to observe and learn about animal adaptations influenced by the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. By exploring the MSUM Regional Science Center, students engage with the natural phenomenon of camouflage, specifically analyzing how the physical traits of the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel and the Prairie Pocket Gopher are influenced by their environment. Through a combination of hands-on "phenomenon walks" and argumentative journaling, this lesson empowers students to construct evidence-based arguments regarding how survival is tied to habitat-specific traits.
Shooting Star Flower: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Shooting Star Flower: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ava Bauch
OER Materials
The lesson plan engages fourth-grade students in a hands-on field experience at the MSUM Regional Science Center located in Moorhead, Minnesota focusing on the Shooting Star flower with the scientific name Dodecatheon meadia. Aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 4L.4.1.1.1, the lesson emphasizes how environmental conditions influence the traits and survival of living organisms. Students begin by observing an image of the flower and generating questions and predictions to spark curiosity. Then explore the natural environment to locate the plant and record observations about its surroundings, structure, and survival strategies. Through guided discussion, students learn how the Shooting Star adapts to …
Prairie Clover Phenomenon: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Prairie Clover Phenomenon: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Emma Kress
OER Materials
This place-based learning lesson engages third grade students in scientific inquiry through direct observation of prairie clover at the MSUM Regional Science Center. Students participate in a curiosity/phenomenon walk where they explore a native prairie plant and its role within a tallgrass prairie ecosystem. By observing, recording, and generating questions, students practice thinking like scientists while developing an understanding of plant characteristics, pollinators, and ecosystem relationships. The lesson emphasizes inquiry-based learning aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 3.1.1.1 and supports student curiosity, critical thinking and environmental awareness. Differentiation strategies and formative assessments ensure accessibility for diverse learners while fostering engagement with …
How Plants Grow: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
How Plants Grow: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Regan Braun
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that is based on natural phenomenon in the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center. Placed-based learning is to establish the connection between the classroom to the local community and the environment. The natural phenomenon is focused on how plants grow in different environments. This will zero in on how the plants grow in reaction to different soil, water access, and direct or indirect sunlight. Students will then be on a phenomenon walk that will help them develop their own curiosities and wonderings. Developed in their own curiosity, …
Life Cycles Of Living Organisms: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Life Cycles Of Living Organisms: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Thea Kunka
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to create an immersive, place-based learning experience centered on a natural phenomenon for the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center in Glyndon, MN. Place-based learning involves establishing a connection between the classroom and the local community or environment. The natural phenomenon focused on is life cycles in living organisms, emphasizing how, despite the variety of living organisms (e.g., birds, animals, plants), their life cycles are quite similar. Students will explore this by taking a phenomenon walk, making observations to spark curiosity and questions, and ultimately developing a model of life cycles. This also briefly …
Grasshoppers: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Grasshoppers: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Brooklyn Partlow
OER Materials
This submission is a curiosity and place-based science lesson designed for elementary students. It centers on observing grasshoppers during a field experience at MSUM’s Regional Science Center. The lesson engages students by making observations, asking questions, and recording data through a structured curiosity walk. By interacting within a natural phenomenon, students develop a deeper understanding of habitats, ecosystems, and animal adaptations such as camouflage and movement. The significance of this lesson lies in its emphasis on experiential, inquiry-based learning which promotes curiosity and scientific thinking. Additionally, the lesson incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing. Including this into my submission teaches students …
How Plants Get Nutrients: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
How Plants Get Nutrients: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Cami Mayo
OER Materials
The goal of this lesson is to engage students in learning how plants get the nutrients they need in order to survive. Further, this lesson is focused on fifth grade students but can be adapted to other grades. This lesson takes a place-based learning approach. Place-based learning is an approach that uses locations, environments or topics that are related to the community and incorporates it with the curriculum that is being used in the classroom. Specifically, this lesson is based on Clay County in Minnesota and is supposed to be used in tandem with the Regional Science Center in Glyndon, …
Indian Grass: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Indian Grass: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Michaela Barthel
OER Materials
This submission presents a 4th-grade science inquiry lesson focused on the role of Indian grass in preventing erosion, aligned with Minnesota Science Standard 4E.1.2.1.1. The lesson is designed to immerse students in a hands-on, field-based investigation in which they observe, sketch, and record measurements of Indian grass and surrounding soil conditions. Through direct engagement with a natural environment, students examine how vegetation contributes to reducing erosion caused by environmental forces such as wind and water, while also recognizing patterns within the landscape. Throughout the lesson, students are expected to make detailed observations and collect evidence, including soil stability, root depth …
Animal Survival: Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Animal Survival: Place Based Lesson Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Clara Paleen
OER Materials
The goal of this assignment was to design an immersive, place-based learning experience that helps preservice teachers engage with natural phenomena at the Minnesota State Moorhead Regional Science Center. Place based learning is to establish the connection between the classroom and the local community/environment. The natural phenomenon focused on is how animals survive the different seasons in Minnesota. Students will be on a phenomenon walk to develop their own curiosity and wonderings.
Buffalo River: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Buffalo River: Place-Based Learning Plan For The Msum Regional Science Center, Ryanna Thorson
OER Materials
This submission presents a place-based curiosity walk lesson designed to engage 5th-grade students in investigating how the Buffalo River shapes the land and supports like through processes such as water flow, erosion, deposition, and riparian ecosystem interactions. Using the bridge as a safe observation platform, the lesson engages students in documenting seasonal indicators such as snowmelt runoff, rising water levels, sediment movement, and ice breakup; phenomena that parallel Minnesota’s long-standing practice of tracking lake “ice-out” dates. By integrating scientific observation with Indigenous ways of knowing, the lesson emphasizes the ecological and cultural significance of understanding river cycles and …
Wild Rice Life Cycle: An Integrated Science, Social Studies, And Ela Lesson,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Wild Rice Life Cycle: An Integrated Science, Social Studies, And Ela Lesson, Rhett Zima, Lily Deming
OER Materials
This lesson is designed to deepen students’ understanding of wild rice, a plant native to Minnesota, by integrating life science concepts such as structure, function, life cycles, and seed dispersal with prior knowledge from English Language Arts and Social Studies. Using the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), students participate in a structured, inquiry-based learning experience. They begin by connecting to prior knowledge and generating questions, then investigating the life cycle and growth patterns of wild rice through hands-on exploration. As students build their understanding, they analyze how the plant’s seed dispersal supports its survival and reproduction. …
Plant Phenomena Nature Walk: Msum Regional Science Center,
2026
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Plant Phenomena Nature Walk: Msum Regional Science Center, Abigail Kor
OER Materials
The goal of this inquiry-based lesson plan is to provide teachers and students with a place-based learning experience focused on exploring natural phenomena in the world around them. The lesson was established to provide learners with an experience to observe nature in Minnesota, by exploring the grounds at the MSUM regional science center. This lesson can be adapted to suit other outdoor learning environments. The primary goal of this lesson is to provide students with a cross-curricular, hands-on learning experience that takes place in their community and environment.
