Outdoor Adventure Science

Outdoor Adventure Science

Tools to brighten your preschool program!

For preschool educators and childcare providers

April Zajko is a Licensed Early Childhood Educator and Reading Specialist. Her bachelor’s degree was earned at Delaware State University, and her master’s degree was earned at University of Virginia. Her passion for lifelong learning led her to study in-depth about place-based learning, mindfulness, holistic development, nature-inspired approach to early childhood, and creating supportive learning environments for all children..

The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium is excited to offer Outdoor Adventure Science, a project that introduces new outdoor educational experiences that are engaging, safe, and grounded in natural science learning methodologies for preschool children and their educators. Outdoor Adventure Science reinforces essential concepts of effective preschool outdoor education and makes available documented lesson plans for early childhood educators. This project will also send an experienced educator to your site to serve as a visiting advisor, offering suggestions for plantings, installations, trails, and structures that allow students to use every sense as they venture outside. 

• December 14th, 2021: Introduction & Overview of the Outdoor Adventure Science project - 1 hour virtual meeting on Zoom for all participants at 1-2PM
• January: Site Evaluation and Needs Assessments - April Zajko will spend 1 hour visiting each location
• February: Vision Mapping - 2 hour virtual Zoom training for all participants (Date and time TBD)
• March: Building Your Team - 2 hour virtual Zoom training for all participants (Date and time TBD)
• April: In-person visits by April Zajko to each location
• May: In-person visits by April Zajko to each location
• June: Overcoming Obstacles in Outdoor Classrooms - 2 hour virtual Zoom training for all participants (Date and time TBD)
• June (Date and time TBD): Final in-person celebration to be held at the Fairbanks Museum's Balch Nature School

Contact Karina Weiss to learn more.

This program possible with support from the A.D. Henderson Foundation.