Our new book just came out, building on a decade of K-12 education work at Sky School. You can buy the print version (all royalties donated), or also read the book freely online or download a PDF. The book is the outcome of five years of writing and is lavishly illustrated with examples of students learning and of student work. Please give it a read, or share with your networks!

Place-Based Scientific Inquiry: A Practical Handbook for Teaching Outside
By Benjamin Wong Blonder, Ja’Nya Banks, Austin Cruz, Anna Dornhaus, R. Keating Godfrey, Joshua S. Hoskinson, Rebecca Lipson, Pacifica Sommers, Christy Stewart, Alan Strauss

Learn how to facilitate scientific inquiry projects by getting out of the classroom and connecting to the natural environment—in your schoolyard, or in your community!

Providing a contemporary perspective on how to do scientific inquiry in ways that can make teachers’ lives easier and students’ experiences better, this book draws on authentic inquiry, engaging with communities, and teaching through project-based learning to help students design and carry out scientific inquiry projects that are grounded in their local places. This accessible guide will help you to develop skills around facilitation, team building, and learning outdoors in schoolyards and parks, acting as a go-to toolkit for teachers to help build confidence and skills in these areas.

Written according to the Next Generation Science Standards, this book supports teachers in fostering community engagement and a justice-first classroom. The approachable resources included in this book will help teachers with all levels of experience succeed in empowering students grades 3–12 in their science learning.

Additional support materials including template documents for student use and for teacher planning, as well as examples of real student work, are available online.