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CTE Introduction to Education through Outdoor Learning Framework

Author/Organization

Pacific Education Institute

Orig. Pub. Date

4/19/2024

Date Added

December 23, 2025

  • Type: Career & Technical Education
  • Standards: 21st Century Skills, Common Core: ELA, Common Core: ELA; Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS); Agriculture, Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
  • Topic: Career Explore, Career Prep, Careers, Conservation and Environmental Education, Environmental Justice
  • Grades/Bands: 9th-12ths, 9th-12th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

In this foundational course, students will learn and practice basic education concepts and how to support student learning in outdoor settings. The course will be most relevant to students who are interested in careers in environmental education, preK-12 teaching, and outdoor education. Units include safe and healthy learning communities, connections to place, accessibility and teaching outdoors, sustainability, stewardship, and personal reflection. Unit topics reflect specific educator skills such as but not limited to projecting voice, reading audience, instructor reflection, and standing in front of a room are important as educators. This course aligns with and can be used in conjunction with the Advanced Education through Outdoor Learning framework. This course is designed to meet requirements for 1.0 of English Language Arts credit. Students will participate in Washington State’s 5th or 6th grade Outdoor Schools or other outdoor/environmental education programming throughout this course.

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