Abstract:

This intervention was developed as part of a lifelong learning training session for primary school teachers. Its framework lies within the teaching of science and education directed to outdoor learning practices as a source for skill development, as well as promoting a responsible citizenship.
The teaching proposal we describe is directly related to the several primary education subject syllabi in Portugal. The development of our outdoor learning activity, which we named "Learning Route in our Urban Park", took place at the urban park of a Portuguese town, with a group of primary school teachers (n = 20). This leisure space has a green area in the river surroundings, and is structured around the environmental enhancement of this natural resource.

This pedagogical intervention was structured in three stages:
(i) at first we prepared the study visit and the theoretical framework;
(ii) this was followed by a trip to the urban park in order to explore it;
(iii) finally, we reflected on the learning that occurred because of this intervention.

Initially, a contextualization of the theoretical concepts related to the didactic exploration was given to the group of teachers, bearing in mind not only the Heritage-Environment-Education interrelationship, but also the virtues of outdoor learning as a pedagogical-didactic resource for a sustainable biosphere. After this step, teachers formed subgroups that proceeded to an in situ recognition of the urban park, writing/recording the relevant points to build a didactic exploration script, which could subsequently be used with their students. In the script there were messages with instructions, problems and requests for object collection, as well as the park route map. These messages were structured according to the objectives in the area of primary school "Environmental Studies", an interdisciplinary perspective with other content areas, including Portuguese and Mathematics. Thus, this teaching tool will allow students to (re)construct knowledge, to work in group, to follow instructions and to be guided as well as to solve problems. Finally, the group of teachers reflected on their learning in this intervention.

By keeping an attentive look at the world, the teacher is structural in the development of values, attitudes and environmental ethics, which are fundamental in ecosystem sustainability and quality of life. This pedagogical intervention contributed to reinforce the links between the conventional classroom and the "natural" classroom. Its indoor/outdoor structure stressed the importance of active methodologies in the context of interdisciplinary academic learning.

Keywords:

Outdoor Learning, Lifelong Learning, Primary Education, Water, Sustainability, Environmental Literacy.