STEM By Nature

Inspire learners by making connections between STEM skills, wild places and outdoor learning approaches.

Nature has great potential as a source of learning across the curriculum, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. It offers opportunity to incorporate hands-on outdoor activities, Citizen Science, real-world learning about the Sustainable Development Goals and climate, whilst also helping address gender and equity engagement challenges.

For ideas and activities for delivering STEM By Nature in wild places, see the Information & Resources padlet. 

To help build skills and confidence in using nature and outdoor learning approaches to deliver STEM, a suite of downloadable professional learning sessions are freely available, covering a range of themes and topics.

Download STEM By Nature session guidance on various topics below: 

• STEM By Nature: An Introduction
• STEM By Nature & Citizen Science: #14 Life Below Water
• STEM By Nature & Citizen Science: #15 Life On Land
• STEM By Nature: UN Sustainable Development Goals 
• STEM By Nature: #13 Climate Action
• STEM By Nature: Trees, Woods and Forests and learning resource (created by Rob Bushby Consulting for Scottish Forestry). 

Supporting handouts include: STEM By Nature Skills and Enquiry, STEM By Nature UN Sustainable Development Goals and STEM By Nature Local Learning Tasks.

STEM By Nature has been designed and delivered through a partnership between FSC (Field Studies Council) Scotland and the John Muir Trust, supported by Education Scotland’s Enhancing Professional Learning in STEM Grants Programme. A phase 1 pilot was delivered for practitioners in Tayside during 2019-20, expanding to Fife during phase 2. Find out more here.

Interested in other examples of how Award Providers make connections with STEM skills? Read how ASCUS Art & Science have supported young people to develop their STEM skills, creativity and nature connection through wild places.