Nature in My World: Cultivating Curiosity, Connection, and Critical Thinking Across Rural Nevada

At Nevada Outdoor School, we believe that some of the most meaningful lessons take place outside the walls of a traditional classroom. Our Nature in My World (NIMW) program is proof of just that.

This school-based initiative has been a powerful force for hands-on, standards-aligned outdoor learning across six rural Nevada counties: Pershing, Humboldt, Lander, Elko, Eureka, and White Pine. Serving over 2,000 underserved K–8th grade students annually, NIMW is designed to spark curiosity, deepen environmental understanding, and foster a lifelong connection to nature.

 
A Year of Discovery

Throughout the school year, our AmeriCorps members and education staff brought NIMW to life through quarterly outdoor learning experiences (OLEs) tailored to different age groups. Each lesson focused on nature-based themes that align with academic standards while encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and exploration.

Here are just a few highlights from this year’s programming:


Archaeology Adventures: In Elko and Ruby Valley, 4th grade students became young archaeologists, analyzing artifacts and distinguishing them from everyday objects. Some even wrote creative stories imagining the history of their "dig sites"!


Owl Pellet Investigations: In Battle Mountain and Elko, 3rd graders dissected owl pellets to learn about food chains, habitats, and predator-prey relationships. Students eagerly pieced together bones and marveled at what owls eat—responses ranged from “gross!” to “awesome!”


Water Cycle: Across Lovelock and Winnemucca, 2nd graders took on the roles of water molecules, bouncing between clouds, rivers, and oceans in an engaging game that made the water cycle come alive.


Animal Adaptations: From West Wendover to Winnemucca, students learned how local wildlife survives and thrives. A hands-on favorite involved dressing up a student as a beaver, naming each adaptation along the way.


Worms: In April, Elko Kindergarteners got hands-on with composting and soil health through a classroom worm farm—bringing giggles and “ewws” as they met their new wiggly science buddies.

In total, Nature in My World reached 2,450 students across 132 classes, totaling over 2,445 hours spent outdoors—and that’s just the beginning. Each experience builds not only knowledge, but also confidence, environmental stewardship, and an appreciation for Nevada’s diverse natural landscape.

The Power of Outdoor Learning

Research consistently shows that time spent in nature boosts academic performance, improves mental health, and enhances social-emotional skills. As author Richard Louv and researcher Richard Coyle have both noted, students who engage in outdoor education and play perform measurably better on standardized tests and develop lifelong skills that go far beyond the classroom.

At Nevada Outdoor School, we’ve seen this firsthand—whether it’s a student excitedly sharing a new nature fact with their family, a class erupting with questions after a field activity, or a teacher calling to say how much their students enjoyed the lesson.

A Heartfelt Thank You to NV Energy

None of this would be possible without the generous support of our partners. We extend our sincere thanks to NV Energy for their donation, which helped make this year’s Nature in My World programming a reality. Their investment in outdoor education has helped us reach more students, serve more communities, and continue inspiring the next generation of Nevada’s environmental leaders.