1. Fighting Nature Deficit Disorder: Encouraging Outdoor Learning
Natalie Carroll
Kathryn Orvis

2. Overview
Physical activity is important – for mental & physical health.
Many 4-H projects require youth to be active.
We will discuss some of the Plant Science and Natural Resource project activities that require youth to be active.

3. Connection to Nature
R. Louv coined term – “Nature Deficit Disorder” in our children (“Last Child in the Woods” 2005)
2005 study (Kaiser Family Foundation) found Generation M (for media) spends 44+ hours per week in front of screens – & little or no time exploring the natural world around them (kff.org)
* Plant and Natural Resource projects provide an active interface with nature

4. Last Child in the Woods (Louv)
“New evidence suggests” … children’s disconnection from nature.
“… because of omnipresent technology we are awash in data. But in this information age, vital information is missing. Nature is about smelling, hearing, tasting.”
“…studies of children in schoolyards with both green areas and manufactured areas found that children engaged in more creative forms of play in the green areas.”

5. Connection to Nature
New research to evaluate and ‘prove’ effectiveness
Learning is hands-on (inquiry-based, etc.)
Effective for people young and old, with differing abilities, backgrounds, & cultures
Informal educational experiences support formal classroom work, which can involve community support

6. Learning and Teaching
Outdoor classrooms or learning experiences are an excellent teaching tool
Hands-on, experiential, inquiry-based, place-based, project-based .. LEARNING
Effective for people young and old, with differing abilities, backgrounds, & cultures
Provides opportunity to get kids out of traditional classroom and into nature, along with being active

7. Research Demonstrates Importance
Children participating in gardening/outdoor learning programs not only benefit form greater self esteem but are more likely to gain better nutritional habits as well, in addition to many other benefits.
(Babcock, 1909; Cronin-Jones, 2000; Joyce & Ferenga, 1999; Kahtz, 1995; Lineberger & Zajicek, 2000; McGinn & Relf, 2001; Waliczek, Bradley, & Zajicek, 2001)

8. Research Demonstrates Importance
Measures of the built environment (land use) and travel patterns are important predictors of obesity across gender and ethnicity (Frank, Andersen, Schmid, 2004).
Land use mix was the largest predictor with each quartile increase associated with a 12.2% reduction in the likelihood of obesity.

9. Research Demonstrates Importance
Awareness of the natural world and relation to own well-being (Relf, McDaniel and Butterfield, 1992)
Experiential learning develops critical thinking skills (Byerly, 2001)
Allow for different learning styles of youth
Gardens/Outdoor learning spaces as living laboratories for science discovery (Klemer, 2002)
Learn applied academic skills – such as math used to determine plant spacing (Wotoweic, 1979)

10. Research Demonstrates Importance
Gardening is a physical activity, encourages kids to be outside and active
(Armstrong, 2000 ; Spinelli, 2006)
Did you know – gardening is a good workout!
Activity
Estimated calories burned ( lb person)
gardening – general
lawn mowing
raking lawn

11. Activity Review
Many project activities require 4-H members to be active. We will explore some of these.
Divide into groups of 3-4
Review an activity, discuss, and conduct the steps needed to complete it.
Report back – each group give a brief overview of the activity

12. Plant Science Garden (Levels A-D) Floriculture (Levels A-D)
All aspects of planning for, growing and harvesting plant material (fruit, veggie, herb)
Floriculture (Levels A-D)
Grow your own flowers
Plan, Grow, Study, Preserve
Corn, Soybean, Forages, Small Grains, Strawberry, etc.

13. Plant Science Junior Master Gardener® Eat Your Way to Better Health
Level 1 – Leader’s Guide
Health and Nutrition
Wildlife Gardener
Literature in the Garden
Operation Thistle
Eat Your Way to Better Health

14. Natural Resources Entomology Forestry Insect collection (all years)
Level 1, Pit Stop - collecting insects
Level 2, How Sweet it is
Level 3, Planting for Butterflies
Forestry
Hold on Tight

15. Natural Resources
Level 2: Stop Bugging Me; Growing Every Day; [Tree Planting – not in Curriculum]
[Level 3: Tree Planting; Herbarium Collection (trees & shrubs) – not in Curriculum]

16. Natural Resources Geology Shooting Sports
Level 1: Collection (if they collect their own)
Shooting Sports

17. Natural Resources Soil & Water Conservation
Level 1: Erosion (surface, splash & wind)
Level 2: Frogs, Dragonflies, and Cattails; Build a Secchi Disk

18. Natural Resources Sportfishing Weather Level 1: Casting Out
Level 2: A Different Spin
Weather
Level 2: collecting weather data

19. Natural Resources Wildlife Level A: Bird Observations
Level D: Wildlife Management Plan; Outdoor Lab

20. Final Thoughts
What other 4-H projects and activities encourage youth to be active?
What other benefits will youth experience?

21. "A garden is a grand teacher
"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.“
...Gertrude Jekyll

22. When I go into my garden with a spade, and dig a bed, I feel such an exhilaration and health that I discover that I have been defrauding myself what all this time in letting others do for me what I should have done with my own hands.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Man the Reformer (1849)