ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR EDUCATION
Day Workshops
Transformative outdoor experiences in a single day
Why Day Workshops?
Not every school can commit to multi-day trips, but every student deserves meaningful outdoor experiences. Our day workshops bring wilderness education to your doorstep—offering powerful learning in a flexible, affordable format.
Flexible Timing
Half-day or full-day options that fit your schedule
On or Near Campus
Accessible locations minimize transportation needs
Curriculum Aligned
Co-designed to support your learning objectives
High Impact
Meaningful outcomes in a concentrated experience
Workshop Options
Choose from our core offerings or co-design a custom workshop tailored to your needs
Nature Connection & Mindfulness
Unplug from digital distractions and reconnect with the natural world through sensory awareness, ecological exploration, and mindful practices.
Learning Objectives
- Practice sensory awareness and present-moment attention
- Explore local ecosystems and natural cycles
- Develop personal connection to place
- Cultivate environmental stewardship
Activities
- Sit spot meditation and nature observation
- Sensory awareness exercises
- Ecological exploration and species identification
- Nature journaling and reflection
- Council circle sharing
Student Outcomes
Reduced stress and increased calm
Heightened sensory awareness
Deeper connection to nature
Foundation for environmental action
Ideal For:
Schools seeking SEL support, stress reduction, environmental education, or introductory outdoor experiences. Perfect for Waldorf, Montessori, and progressive schools.
Leadership & Team Building
Build collaboration, communication, and leadership skills through challenge activities, group problem-solving, and reflective practices.
Learning Objectives
- Practice effective communication and active listening
- Develop leadership skills and shared accountability
- Navigate group dynamics and conflict resolution
- Build trust and community culture
Activities
- Group challenge course activities
- Problem-solving initiatives
- Leadership rotation exercises
- Trust-building games
- Reflective debrief circles
Student Outcomes
Stronger team cohesion and trust
Improved communication skills
Confidence in leadership abilities
Tools for healthy conflict resolution
Ideal For:
Student leadership groups, sports teams, new student orientations, class bonding, and schools prioritizing SEL and collaborative learning.
Wilderness Skills & Survival
Learn essential outdoor skills including fire-making, shelter-building, navigation, and primitive technologies in a hands-on, adventure-based setting.
Learning Objectives
- Master fire-making with friction and natural materials
- Build emergency shelters using available resources
- Navigate using map, compass, and natural signs
- Understand wilderness safety and Leave No Trace ethics
Activities
- Bow-drill fire-making
- Debris shelter construction
- Map and compass navigation challenges
- Water purification techniques
- Wild edibles and medicinal plants identification
Student Outcomes
Practical wilderness competencies
Confidence and self-reliance
Problem-solving under constraints
Respect for traditional ecological knowledge
Ideal For:
Students preparing for backpacking trips, outdoor clubs, experiential learning programs, and schools emphasizing hands-on skill development.
Environmental Stewardship & Service
Engage in meaningful ecological restoration, learn about local ecosystems, and develop agency as environmental stewards through hands-on service.
Learning Objectives
- Contribute to local habitat restoration projects
- Understand ecological interconnections
- Learn about indigenous land stewardship practices
- Develop personal commitment to environmental action
Activities
- Trail maintenance and erosion control
- Native plant restoration
- Invasive species removal
- Wildlife habitat enhancement
- Council circle on human relationship to land
Student Outcomes
Tangible contribution to ecosystem health
Ecological literacy and systems thinking
Sense of agency and empowerment
Connection to place-based activism
Ideal For:
Schools with service learning requirements, environmental clubs, sustainability initiatives, and mission-driven institutions.
Rites of Passage & Coming of Age
Mark important life transitions through ceremony, solo reflection time, mentorship, and council practices that honor the journey to adulthood.
Learning Objectives
- Reflect on personal growth and life transitions
- Articulate values, purpose, and aspirations
- Experience being witnessed by community
- Practice threshold-crossing rituals
Activities
- Solo reflection time in nature
- Vision and intention-setting exercises
- Council circle with talking piece
- Threshold ceremony and witnessing
- Letter to future self
Student Outcomes
Clarity about identity and purpose
Sense of being seen and valued
Connection to lineage and tradition
Increased self-awareness and confidence
Ideal For:
Senior classes, graduating students, youth leadership programs, and schools seeking meaningful coming-of-age experiences.
“We take these ingredients, and they can land physically in a bunch of different ways — right at your school, nearby, a public space or regional park, camping on private land, or actually thinking about deep wilderness.”
— From accessible and supported all the way out to rugged and expeditionary
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Sliding-scale pricing ensures every school can participate. Scholarships available for schools serving low-income communities.
Half-Day Workshop
4-6 hours
- 12-24 students
- 2-3 instructors
- All materials included
- On or near campus
Full-Day Workshop
6-8 hours
- 12-30 students
- 3-5 instructors
- All materials included
- Off-site locations available
- Most flexible option
Scholarship / Sliding Scale
Flexible
- For qualifying schools
- Reduced or no cost
- Full program included
- Funded by our nonprofit
What Participants Say
“The nature connection workshop was exactly what our students needed. Even our most disengaged students were fully present and participating. We saw the effects in the classroom for weeks after.”
Science Teacher
Bay Area Public School
“I never thought I could make a fire without matches. Learning that skill made me feel like I could handle anything. The guides believed in us the whole way.”
Student Participant
Age 15
“Back to Earth designed a custom workshop that fit perfectly with our environmental science unit. The students were engaged, challenged, and inspired. We're already planning our next one.”
Program Coordinator
Charter School Network
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions
Ready to Bring Outdoor Education to Your School?
Let's co-design a day workshop that meets your students exactly where they are