New Mexico
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Get Started with the Toolkit

Have you been looking for ways to incorporate outdoor and environmental learning into your educational curriculum? The Environmental Education Outside Learning Toolkit is the perfect resource to get started. Created by Environmental Education of New Mexico in partnership with the United States Forest Service, this toolkit provides step-by-step instructions and resources to help you create a plan for using outdoor and environmental learning in your school community. With its comprehensive library of tools, you are sure to find something that will fit your needs. Let’s take a closer look at what the Toolkit has to offer.

Overview of How to Use the Toolkit


What Does the Toolkit Include?

The Environmental Education Outside Learning Toolkit includes a selection of tools and is a free online resource. The library includes resources such as lesson plans, guides, and activities specifically designed to introduce outdoor and environmental learning into classrooms and other educational settings. Additionally, these materials can be easily adapted for use in informal education settings such as museums or nature centers.

The Toolkit itself includes specific steps you can use to begin thinking about outdoor and environmental learning options and create your own campus plan. For example, it provides guidance on how to engage stakeholders in conversations about outdoor and environmental learning initiatives and how to build partnerships with organizations that focus on environmental education and conservation. It also covers important aspects of developing an outdoor education curriculum, such as how to assess student needs and how to incorporate national standards into lesson plans.

Why Use the Toolkit?


The best way to start incorporating outdoor and environmental learning into your educational setting is by creating a comprehensive plan that outlines your goals, objectives, timeline, budget, and strategies. The Toolkit makes this process easier by providing step-by-step instructions on creating such a plan as well as resources you can use along the way. In addition, it helps formal and informal educators alike build strong relationships with their local communities so they can work together towards common goals related to environmental education and conservation efforts in their area.


At its core, the Environmental Education Outside Learning Toolkit is designed to help educators imagine, plan for, and implement meaningful outdoor and environmental learning experiences for students of all ages and backgrounds. With its collection of carefully curated resources as well as step-by-step instructions on creating an effective campus plan for outdoor and environmental learning initiatives, this incredible tool helps make it easier than ever before for educators to bring their lessons outdoors without overwhelming themselves in the process! If you are looking for ways to incorporate more outdoor elements into your classroom or teaching environment then this tool is perfect for you! Start using it today!

Student outcomes

  • Improved physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health and wellbeing
  • Increased social skills and self-esteem
  • Civic and community interest, engagement, and responsibility 
  • Academic skills including critical thinking and problem solving 
  • Feelings of empowerment and ability to take action 
  • Environmentally conscious behavior Knowledge gains across multiple disciplines 
  • Motivation to learn and increased enthusiasm 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155