Meredith Nickerson's Portfolio - Outdoor Environmental Education

Over the course of my 19-year career in education, I have been driven by a passion for outdoor environmental education (OEE). After teaching and directing in an OEE program for the first five years of my career, I brought my passion for getting students out of classroom and into the outdoors in a public school setting as well. Below are examples of my past and ongoing work in the field of outdoor environmental education.

Geocaching with 3rd and 4th Grade Students

In an effort to get students active, engaged, and utilizing technology outside of the classroom, I have taught the skill of geocaching to my 3rd and 4th grade students for several years. Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt that utilizes technology and observational skills. Through our geocaching unit, students have explored local landmarks, created their own official geocache, and have followed trackable "class pets" on their journeys around our country and world. This teaching unit best embodies my passion for both technology and the outdoors, and both students and staff in the Dexter community have embraced the hobby of geocaching beyond my own classroom.

Curriculum Design Consultant for YMCA Storer Camp's Outdoor Environmental Education Program

In the Summer of 2019, I was asked to help YMCA Storer Camps update their outdoor education curriculum. Over the course of this project, I realigned Storer's course offering to both Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Michigan and Ohio Social Studies Standards, Michigan's Social-Emotional Competencies and Indicators, and Ohio's Social and Emotional Learning Standards to better meet educational expectations of the teachers and students who attend Storer's outdoor school program. Below is an example of the standards alignment work done for Storer Camps.

Storer Standards Allignment

Dexter Community Schools Outdoor Environmental Education Initiative

In the Fall of 2016, I created the Dexter Schools Outdoor Environmental Education initiative. This group was created in effort to inspire and support other teachers in Dexter Community Schools who have and interest in outdoor education. Through groups meetings, participants discussed available resources, lesson and program ideas, and supported one another in our efforts to create learning experiences in an outdoor setting.

Dexter OEE Intro Letter

6th Grade Winter Survival Day Program

During my first year teaching for Dexter Community Schools, I created a Winter Survival Day program for my 6th grade students. Over the following 6 years, this program expanded to include all 10 classes of 6th graders at Creekside Intermediate School. During Winter Survival Day, students were taught the skills of fire-building, orienteering with compasses, first aid, signaling, team-building, and shelter-building. Each activity was linked to social studies, science, and mathematics standards and was taught by certified teaching staff. In additional to creating, organizing, and teaching in this program, I built a large parent volunteer program to help support this event, which became a popular annual activity for my students.

6th Grade Outdoor Education FLEX Class

At Creekside Intermediate School, 5th and 6th grade students are given the opportunity to particpate in "FLEX" classes once a day. These classes serve as both an elective for students and a passion-driven teaching opportunity for staff. During my four years as a 6th grade classroom teacher, I created an Outdoor Education FLEX class, in which students were able to explore the school's outdoor lab while exploring various topics from our science curriculum.

Directing an Outdoor Environmental Education Program

From 2006-2010, I had the opportunity to serve as a Program Director for YMCA Storer Camp's Outdoor School. Though this role, I directed groups of up to 300 students and their teacher on everything from planning their experience to ensuring that each group had a successful trip. I was responsible for training and managing up to 25 program educators a season, and developed new courses around GPS technology, solar energy, kinetic energy, and moon studies during this time.

Teaching in an Outdoor Environmental Education Program

From 2005-2006 I served as a Program Educator for YMCA Storer Camp's Outdoor School. As a program educator, I taught groups of students from SE Michigan and NW Ohio hands-on, experiential lessons in science, social studies, social-emotional skills, and led adventure and team-building programming.