Outdoor Education Commons^™

A Magical Garden For Children, Jane L. Taylor

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

The mission of the 4-H Children's Garden is: To promote an understanding of plants and the role they play in our environment and daily lives; to nurture the wonder in a child's imagination and curiosity; and to provide a place for the enrichment and delight of children.

News Briefs, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains multiple brief news items related to conservation, environment or outdoor education. Some topics in this issue include: sport fishing, junk mail, and a federal spending bill that allows killing fish-eating birds.

Professional Opportunities, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section included numerous opportunities for professional development related to outdoor education and environmental or conservation education. Some of the options included workshops at Aurora University and Scholarships for Ecological Studies at Schumacher College.

From The Editor, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Gardening in February may seem like a stretch for some of our readers. But even those in the northern climes have but two or three months before the season will be upon us. Actually, gardening is a teaching tool that educators can use year-round to add zest and reality to classroom instruction.

This special issue of Taproot features three articles related to children and gardening. All three pieces stem (no pun intended) from a national Children's Gardens symposium co-sponsored by State University of New York at Cortland and Cornell University. Held on the Cortland campus, several hundred participants enjoyed seminars …

Affiliate News, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains updates from the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors as well as news about related organizations across the country. This issue included the articles "Campbell Creek Science Center, Anchorage, AK", "Millions Served (Birdseed)! Project Feederwatch Begins a Second Decade", and others.

Building Connections, Bruce E. Matthews

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

AIan Gussow suggests that a place is a piece of the environment claimed by our feelings. In outdoor and environmental education we often talk about the importance of building a sense of place, because we believe that building a sense of connection with places ultimately leads to the valuing of and consequent caring for these places. I'd suggest also that we need to extend the concept of building this sense of connectedness to include people, and communities of people, and particularly communities of people in their places.

Professional Opportunities, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section included numerous opportunities for professional development related to outdoor education and environmental or conservation education. Some of the options include:

Skipping Stones Honor Awards--Skipping Stones is a multicultural nature magazine that aims to connect "people and nature" as well as "cultures and generations."

Wild Food Adventures--Wild Food Adventures and director John Kallas offered workshops on edible wild plants.

Thoughts On Virtual Education, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section explores different perspectives and opinions on virtual reality and technology in the classroom in response to the article "Thoughts on "Virtual Education". The articles featured are as follows:

"Virtual Reality vs. Real Experience: Critical Thinking and Outdoor Education" by Curt Schatz

"Technology and the Influence of American Culture" by Susan Schaefer

Affiliate News, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains updates from the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors as well as news about related organizations across the country. This issue included the articles "U. S. Forest Service" and "Center for Environmental Education Workshops".

Resources, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains a listing of teaching resources of all types for those who work in outdoor education field at time of publication.

Some items highlighted include:

Roadside Reforestation (America's Treeways Organization)

Multiculturalism (Tales Alive! by Susan Miord is a book of multicultural tales and activities for cultural awareness)

Conference Calendar, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section provides a list of conferences in the field of outdoor education including:

ACA (American Camping Association)

Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario

The Dandelion War, Brian L. Bell

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

"The Dandelion War" is a poem by Brian L. Bell that uses the dandelion and different perspectives on so-called weeds to look at societal expectations vs. environmental needs.

Reviews, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section features the review "Environmental Protection: A Challenge Bigger Than All Outdoors" by Sue Schaefer. This review is about the National Issues Forums. This section also includes some corrections to a previous issue.

News Briefs, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains multiple brief news items related to conservation, environment or outdoor education.

Some titles include:

Learning Disabilities and Delinquency

Lyme Disease

Fertilizing with Sludge

Contents, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

The Coalition for Education in the Outdoors is a non-profit network of outdoor and environmental education centers, nature centers, conservation and recreation organizations, outdoor education and experiential education associations, institutions of higher learning, public and private schools, fish and wildlife agencies, and businesses that share a mission the support and furtherance of outdoor education and its goals.

Come Out And Play With Me Poem, Elizabeth Jane Gorman

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

"Come out and play with me" is a children's poem by Elizabeth Jane Gorman in which the narrator asks a friend to play outside on a nice day.

Envisioning Environmental And Outdoor Education, Charles Yaple

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Cliff and some other seasoned veterans see no problem with the multiplication of terms being used to describe the many shapes and forms of environmental and outdoor education and view it "as a sign of health and great opportunity." Others worry about the splintering effect of so many differently named attempts to foster an ecological conscience and commitment to environmental stewardship in a critical mass of humans. What does our movement lose when the general public lacks understanding and a clear vision of what we do? Does confusion about the meaning and objectives of each other's programs hinder collaborative efforts …

Conference Calendar, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section provides a list of conferences in the field of outdoor education including the AAHPERD (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) and AALR (American Association for Leisure and Recreation).

Reviews, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section reviewed a mixture of lesson plans, educational videos, and books. These reviews include:

Zebra Mussel Mania (lesson plan reviewed by Patricia MacDonald), and

Nature and the Human Spirit: Toward an Expanded Land Management Ethic (book reviewed by Dr. Curtis Schatz)

Contents, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

The Coalition for Education in the Outdoors is a non-profit network of outdoor and environmental education centers, nature centers, conservation and recreation organizations, outdoor education and experiential education associations, institutions of higher learning, public and private schools, fish and wildlife agencies, and businesses that share a mission the support and furtherance of outdoor education and its goals.

Environmental And Outdoor Education For The 21st Century, Charles Yaple

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

As we rapidly approach a new century it seems appropriate to assess the status of environmental and outdoor education and seek direction for the future. One way to do this is to ask counsel of professionals in the field. Taproot editor Charles Yaple interviewed one of the nation's leading environmental and outdoor educators: Dr. Clifford Knapp, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Outdoor Teacher Education at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Knapp has authored more than 100 articles and several books including Just Beyond the Classroom and Lasting Lessons: A Teachers Guide to Reflecting on Experience. His teaching and scholarly …

Resources, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains a listing of teaching resources of all types for those who work in the outdoor education field at time of publication. Some items highlighted include:

Soil and Water Stewardship-- an annually themed curricula for elementary school teachers. This theme focuses on what citizens can do to "...promote and practice positive stewardship."

1997 Native Education Directory-- an expanded directory on American Indian and Alaska Native education from ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools.

Environmental Computer Products-- "Geosoft: The Company Ltd. offers environmentally-conscious products as well as information for "the green computing community."

Factoids, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains environmental and conservation facts. Some topics include deforestation, migratory birds, and the benefits of mint.

From The Editor, Charles Yaple

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section summarizes the literature and literature reviews featured in this issue. Literature topics include nature and spirituality, wilderness survival stories, and the need to go beyond materialism to re-connect with nature.

Employment Sources, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section lists employment sources such as Association for Experiential Education (AEE Jobs Clearinghouse) and Natural Resources Career Office (Colorado State University).

Affiliate News, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Contains updates from the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors as well as news about related organizations across the country. This issue included the articles "Environmental Education Alternatives", "Shooting Sports Industry Growing", and "Volunteers Care for Access Sites".

Professional Opportunities, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section included numerous opportunities for professional development related to outdoor education and environmental or conservation education. Some of the options included:

The 6th World Wilderness Congress

The Institute for Deep Ecology

Spotlight, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section highlights the article "Norwegian Crosses Antarctica", which describes how Boerge Ousland became the first person to successfully solo-trek across Antarctica and the only trekker to have reached both poles at the time of publication.

News Briefs, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains multiple brief news items related to conservation, environment or outdoor education.

Employment Sources, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section lists employment sources such as the Association for Experiential Education (AEE jobs Clearinghouse) and The New Complete Guide to Environmental Careers (Publication).