Curriculum Map

  • The Outdoor Discovery Program is broken down into a year-long environmental theme and two semester-long science and social studies sub-themes, repeated on a three-year cycle. This structure allows ODP students to cover all of the science and social studies standards for K-5 and they get each standard twice during their six years at ODP.  The standard is introduced to the Youngers, while the Olders go into more depth and detail.

  • Year 1

     

    Rivers & Oceans (year-long unit)

    • Macroinvertebrates and water quality
    • Watersheds
    • Coast trip/Washed Ashore
    • Landfill and transfer station
    • Big Butte Springs/Willow Lake
    • Emigrant Lake/drought
    • Plastic Oceans movie (host a screening)
    • Water Cycle
    • Salmon Watch

     

    General Science (semester 1)

    • Magnets
    • Science Works
    • Sound waves (music)
    • Talent Maker City
    • Force, Energy, Motion (Lava Lanes)
    • Tennis ball launcher/skate park

     

    Social Justice (semester 2)

    • Children’s March/Teaching Tolerance
    • John Beeson/Native American history
    • Civil Rights Movement
    • Lava Beds/Captain Jack
    • Water rights; Rogue Climate; Rogue River Protectors
    • Immigration/the American experience
    • Homelessness/Hope Village

  • Year 2

     

    Ecosystems (year-long unit)

    • Whetstone Savannah/fairy shrimp
    • Cascade-Siskiyou NM (Fall in the Field?)
    • Plant and Animal kingdoms
    • Adaptations
    • Siskiyou Field Institute: Darlingtonia
    • Pacifica: Garden in the Siskiyous
    • Habitats and habitat destruction
    • Endangered Species
    • Owl pellets
    • Willow-Witt Ranch
    • Biomes

     

    Geography (semester 1)

    • maps and cardinal directions
    • countries and cultures
    • continents and oceans
    • states and regions

     

    Solar System (semester 2)

    • North Medford Planetarium
    • Solar System play
    • Star gazing/cosmic events

  • Year 3

     

    Geology (year-long unit)

    • Rocks, minerals, land formations
    • Earthquakes and volcanoes
    • Table Rock, Crater Lake, Lava Beds
    • Seismic activity, plate tectonics
    • Native American myths: how something came to be
    • Crater Rock Museum
    • Oregon Caves
    • Fossil fuels

     

    Weather/Climate (semester 1)

    • Weather Center/weather balloons
    • Make a weather station, daily weather report (build weather instruments?)
    • Climate change; weather vs. climate
    • Cloud types
    • Weather events
    • Migration patterns

     

    US History (semester 2)

    • Youngers: Oregon; Olders: US
    • Jacksonville, Stearns cemetery
    • Kerbyville Museum
    • Applegate Trail Museum
    • Hanley Farm
    • Buncom
    • Jan Wright
    • Talent Museum