Quality Lesson Plans for Outdoor Education

Outdoor activity and adventure is a growing field, but unfortunately, many teachers and recreation leaders and outdoor instructors find themselves without adequate resources to plan and deliver an effective outdoor program. Quality LessonPlans for Outdoor Education is a flexible, easy-to-use reference that helps physical educators, youth and outdoor recreation leaders, and camp and resort leaders deliver effective outdoor activities.

This resource presents the following features:

• 21 units with 140 sound lesson plans that are field tested and flexible—meaning they can be adapted for any leader’s use

• Quick and easy yet thorough and systematic planning and delivery of outdoor topics

• CD-ROM with printable lesson plans, worksheets, assessment tools, and more to help leaders deliver a complete, individualized program

Quality Lesson Plans for Outdoor Education is useful for experienced professionals and veteran practitioners. Outdoor leaders will discover an abundance of ideas that can make their jobs easier, enrich their teaching knowledge, and broaden their current programs.

The CD-ROM allows users to search for and print only the lessons they plan to use. The CD-ROM contains all the units featured in the book in addition to 8 units that are not included in the book.

The book provides additional information for teaching in the outdoors, the core skills needed for successful experiences, and 21 activity units composed of 140 lessons. Each chapter presents the purpose of the lessons, the learning outcomes, equipment required, operating principles, skill sets, and risk management. This overview is followed by a series of detailed lesson plans. The resource contains everything needed for delivering each activity.

Quality Lesson Plans for Outdoor Education is a great resource for teachers and outdoor leaders, grounding them in the essentials of outdoor education, streamlining their preparation, and paving the way for a smooth delivery of effective outdoor education.

Kevin Redmond, MPE, is a physical education teacher at Gonzaga High School in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He served as national chairperson for Paddle Canada’s Technical and Program Development committees and was the second person in Canada to be awarded Master Canoe Instructor as advanced instructor trainer in the disciplines of lakewater canoeing, moving-water canoeing, and canoe tripping.

Redmond, who has taught physical education and outdoor activities for 30 years at the community, K-12, and university levels, was awarded the National Award of Merit for his contribution to canoeing in Canada. He has worked in the camp system as a counselor, aquatics director, program director, and camp director. He also was a lead contributor in physical education curriculum development that introduced mandatory outdoor curriculum components in Newfoundland and Labrador. Redmond is an award-winning photographer and has completed work for various tourism agencies, such as Parks Canada, and adventure gear manufacturers throughout North America. In his spare time, Redmond enjoys photography, skiing, and salmon fishing.

Andrew Foran, PhD, is an associate professor and chair of the teacher education program at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Dr. Foran is a wilderness and remote first aid instructor trainer for the Canadian Red Cross and is certified as a canoe tripping instructor and canoe flatwater instructor by the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association. He has taught outdoor education leadership modules for Nova Scotia Outdoor Leadership Development and has received numerous grants to develop curriculum related to outdoor pursuits and leadership.

Dr. Foran is a frequent lecturer and workshop presenter, having presented on a variety of outdoor and wilderness topics. He has developed curriculum for outdoor pursuits, leadership, and wilderness and remote first aid and has numerous publications to his credit. In his leisure time, he enjoys canoe tripping, geocaching, and leading backpacking expeditions.

Sean Dwyer is a physical education teacher with Western School District in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He completed a physical education degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland and completed a master’s degree at the University of Alberta. He is a member of the Provincial Curriculum Committee for Physical Education. Sean worked closely with Kevin Redmond, among others, to introduce mandatory outdoor adventure components to the provincial curriculum. He currently runs a successful Outdoor Pursuits Club at his school, where students are involved in caving, hiking, night hiking, orienteering, winter camping, snowshoeing, geocaching, and camping. In 2005, he won the Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award for the Western School District. In his spare time, he enjoys camping, backpacking, and woodworking.