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Outdoor School Schedule

Counselors and staff typically begin their Outdoor School (ODS) week on Monday afternoon with a final training session prior to the students' arrival on Tuesday morning. Here is the schedule for a typical day in the life of an ODS counselor.

Thursday  
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 Lessons: Cycles and Resources are the two morning lessons and all learning groups will do both—one on Wednesday and one on Thursday. The Cycles lesson focuses on natural cycles such as water, soil, and nutrients. The Resources lesson focuses on how plants, animals, and humans get the resources they need to survive.
noon Lunch: At all meals, counselors sit with the students, help the hopper, insist on table manners, and engage in conversations. At the end of each meal, we announce the daily duty assignments for the cabin groups. Daily duties help to creating a sense of community at ODS.
2:00 p.m. Then and Now: Students learn about resources needed for survival in the 1850s by experiencing pioneer life in a hands-on way. Counselors teach this entire lesson to all learning groups.
4:00 Solo Spots: This is a time to rest and reflect on the day.
4:30 Choice Time Activities: Counselors supervise students in recreational activities like basketball, tag, etc.
6:00 Dinner
7:30 Hoedown: The hoedown is not a dance! It's a social gathering with the collective movement of arms and legs in a coordinated fashion set to music.
8:45 Campfire: The ODS staff will emcee the campfire.
9:30 Cabin Time: Get ready for bed.
10:00  Lights Out!

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