Course Overview
Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science is a practical online professional-development course designed to help teachers, teaching assistants, science leaders and primary school practitioners teach science outdoors with greater confidence, purpose and curriculum focus.
Primary science should give children opportunities to observe, question, investigate, test ideas and explain what they discover.
The outdoor environment provides real plants, habitats, materials, weather, light, sound, forces and seasonal changes that children can experience directly.
However, simply taking children outside to look at nature does not automatically create a strong science lesson.
Purposeful outdoor science begins with a clear curriculum objective or scientific question. Children need opportunities to observe carefully, make predictions, gather evidence, identify patterns and draw conclusions.
This course helps practitioners plan outdoor science that develops scientific knowledge and enquiry skills rather than becoming a disconnected activity or nature walk.
You will explore working scientifically, plants, living things and habitats, seasonal change, materials, forces, light, sound, electricity, weather, data collection, assessment and inclusive science teaching.
The course takes approximately four hours to complete, contains no coursework and can be completed entirely at your own pace.
Course Information at a Glance
Course length: Approximately four hours
Course format: Online and self-paced
Coursework: There is no coursework, written assignment or formal assessment
Who is it for? Primary teachers, teaching assistants, science leaders, curriculum leads, SENDCos, school leaders and outdoor learning practitioners
Age range: KS1 and KS2, with some principles adaptable for EYFS and older learners
Experience required: No previous outdoor science or outdoor learning specialism is required
How do you complete the course? Work through short reading sections, training videos, audio content, practical examples and reflection opportunities
Can I complete it at my own pace? Yes. Your progress is saved, allowing you to pause and return whenever it suits you
What will I receive? Access to the online training and eligibility for a Muddy Puddle Teacher® certificate of completion
How do I access it? The course is accessed online through your Muddy Puddle Teacher® account
Is it included in my membership? This specialist course is included as part of the Gold Membership
Who Is This Primary Science Course For?
Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science is suitable for classroom teachers, teaching assistants, science leaders, curriculum leaders, SENDCos, outdoor learning practitioners and school leaders.
The course can be completed by an individual practitioner or used as part of wider staff professional development.
It is suitable for mainstream primary schools, special schools, alternative provision, home education and organisations delivering curriculum-based science to primary-aged children.
You do not need to be a science specialist.
The course begins with clear principles and shows how familiar science objectives can be developed through practical outdoor experiences.
It is particularly useful for practitioners who want to improve scientific enquiry, increase children’s curiosity, make science more practical or strengthen the use of school grounds within the science curriculum.
Explore our Teaching the Primary Curriculum Outdoors Hub for further curriculum guidance.
What Will You Learn?
By the end of the course, you will understand how to plan and deliver purposeful outdoor science lessons within ordinary primary school grounds.
You will explore how to identify suitable curriculum objectives, develop scientific questions, plan observations and investigations, support children to make predictions, collect and record evidence, teach fair and comparative testing, use outdoor environments safely, assess scientific understanding and adapt investigations for children with SEND.
You will also consider how to balance scientific knowledge with working scientifically.
Children need accurate subject knowledge, but they also need to learn how scientific ideas are explored, tested and evaluated.
The course helps you avoid two common problems.
The first is completing an exciting outdoor activity with only a weak connection to science.
The second is giving children so much written recording that the practical investigation becomes secondary.
For a broader introduction to outdoor curriculum teaching, visit our Complete Guide to Outdoor Learning.
Why Teach Primary Science Outdoors?
Science is the study of the world around us.
The outdoors gives children access to real environments, materials and changes that cannot always be recreated effectively in the classroom.
Children can observe a habitat rather than only seeing a photograph.
They can investigate shadows as the sun moves, compare surfaces, collect weather data and explore the effects of forces across real distances.
These experiences can make scientific ideas more meaningful.
Outdoor science also encourages children to notice details, ask questions and respond to unexpected results.
A classroom experiment is often carefully controlled.
Outdoor investigations may involve weather, natural variation and environmental change.
This can create valuable opportunities to discuss reliability, variables and the limits of evidence.
The outdoors is not simply a more exciting location.
It is a scientific resource.
Starting With the Science Objective
A strong outdoor science lesson begins with the curriculum objective.
Practitioners sometimes begin with a location or resource and then try to identify the science afterwards.
For example, a minibeast hunt may be enjoyable, but the intended learning needs to be clear.
Are children identifying animals, comparing habitats, grouping living things, observing adaptations or collecting population data?
The objective determines the questions, equipment and evidence needed.
The course helps practitioners identify when the outdoor environment genuinely improves the science.
If the objective is to identify flowering plants, direct observation outdoors may be valuable.
If the objective is to understand electrical circuits, an indoor space may sometimes be safer and more suitable.
Outdoor learning should be chosen because it strengthens understanding, not because every lesson must take place outside.
Developing Scientific Enquiry
Scientific enquiry helps children understand how scientific knowledge is developed.
Children need opportunities to ask questions, observe, classify, identify patterns, research, test and communicate findings.
The course explores the different types of enquiry used within primary science.
These include observing over time, pattern seeking, identifying and classifying, comparative and fair testing and using secondary sources.
Not every investigation needs to be a fair test.
Children observing seasonal change may collect information over several weeks.
Children exploring habitats may classify organisms or compare environmental conditions.
Children investigating surfaces may complete a comparative test.
The course helps practitioners select the enquiry type that best fits the question.
Asking Good Scientific Questions
Outdoor environments naturally generate questions.
Why are there more plants in one area? Which surface creates the most friction? Where do shadows appear? Why does water collect in some places?
Children should be encouraged to ask questions, but they may need help turning broad curiosity into something that can be investigated.
“Why do plants grow?” is an important question, but it may be too broad for one lesson.
“Do we find more plants in sunny or shaded areas of the school grounds?” creates a more manageable investigation.
The course helps practitioners model useful scientific questions and decide which ones can be explored through observation, testing or research.
Children should gradually become more independent in shaping their own enquiries.
Teaching Plants Outdoors
Plants are an obvious area for outdoor science, but learning should move beyond naming flowers or planting seeds.
Children can observe plant structures, compare species, monitor growth, investigate environmental conditions and explore seasonal change.
The school grounds can provide opportunities to study leaves, roots, stems, flowers, seeds and life cycles.
Even a school with limited green space may have weeds, planters, trees, hedges or moss growing around the site.
Children can investigate where plants grow successfully and consider the conditions they need.
The course helps practitioners plan observation over time rather than relying only on one-off visits.
Photographs, measurements, drawings and simple data collection can help children notice change.
Explore our Biodiversity in Primary Schools Course for a wider environmental focus.
Living Things and Their Habitats
School grounds can contain a surprising variety of habitats.
Grass, trees, hedges, walls, soil, planters, logs, drains and shaded corners may all support living things.
Children can compare habitats, identify organisms, explore food chains and consider how living things are suited to their environments.
The course encourages careful and respectful observation.
Children should learn how to handle living things appropriately and return them safely.
Practitioners should also consider allergies, stings, bites, hygiene and any local environmental hazards.
Outdoor habitat work should not become a race to collect the greatest number of creatures.
The focus is on observation, comparison and understanding.
Children can ask where organisms are found, what conditions are present and why particular habitats may be suitable.
Seasonal Change and Weather
Seasonal change is best understood through repeated direct experience.
Children can observe temperature, daylight, weather, plant growth, animal activity and changes within the school grounds.
The course helps practitioners plan manageable observations across time.
This could include photographing the same tree, recording weather, measuring rainfall or observing shadow length.
Consistency matters.
Children should collect information in a similar way so that comparisons are meaningful.
Weather also provides opportunities for discussing measurement and data.
Children can use thermometers, rain gauges, wind indicators and simple observation charts.
The aim is not simply to create a daily weather display.
Children should use the information to identify patterns, compare conditions and ask further questions.
Investigating Materials Outdoors
Outdoor environments provide opportunities to test materials under realistic conditions.
Children might investigate waterproofing, durability, strength, absorbency, insulation or suitability for a particular purpose.
For example, children could test materials for an outdoor shelter, compare surfaces or explore which material would protect an object from rain.
The course helps practitioners keep the scientific properties central.
A design challenge can be engaging, but children need to understand which material properties they are exploring and how their evidence supports a conclusion.
Investigations should also be organised so that children can compare results fairly.
This may involve controlling the amount of water, size of material, testing time or weight applied.
Exploring Forces Outdoors
The outdoor environment provides space for investigating pushes, pulls, friction, gravity, air resistance and movement.
Children can compare how objects move across different surfaces, investigate ramps, test parachutes or explore the effects of changing force.
The course helps practitioners move beyond simply racing objects.
Children need a focused question and a clear way to observe or measure what happens.
They might measure distance, record time, compare surfaces or change one feature of a design.
The outdoor space allows children to test movement over a larger area.
However, safety and organisation remain important.
Clear zones, boundaries and equipment routines help investigations remain purposeful and manageable.
Teaching Light and Shadows Outdoors
Sunlight creates opportunities to investigate shadows, reflection and changes over time.
Children can observe the direction and length of shadows, compare transparent, translucent and opaque materials or explore how shadows are formed.
The course helps practitioners plan around changing conditions.
An activity that depends on bright sunlight may need an alternative if the weather changes.
Children can also compare natural and artificial light or observe how shade affects temperature and visibility.
Outdoor shadow work is particularly useful for observation over time.
Children can mark or measure shadows at different points during the day and use the evidence to identify patterns.
Exploring Sound Outdoors
Outdoor spaces contain a wide range of sounds.
Children can investigate how sound is created, how it travels, how distance affects volume and how different materials change sound.
A sound walk can support careful listening, but it becomes stronger science when children classify, compare or investigate what they hear.
Children might map sounds around the school grounds, compare noisy and quiet areas or test simple ways of reducing sound.
The course helps practitioners connect listening activities to scientific vocabulary and understanding.
Children should move from noticing sound towards explaining vibration, source, distance and volume at an age-appropriate level.
Electricity and Technology Outdoors
Some electricity objectives may be more suitable indoors, particularly where weather or equipment creates safety concerns.
However, technology can support outdoor science in other ways.
Children may use cameras, tablets, thermometers, stopwatches, sound meters, data loggers or digital microscopes to collect and communicate evidence.
The course helps practitioners decide when technology genuinely improves an investigation.
A device should support observation, measurement, recording or analysis.
It should not be included simply because it is available.
Practical issues such as glare, weather protection, battery life and safe carrying should also be considered.
Observation Skills
Observation is more than looking.
Children need to learn how to notice relevant details, compare features and record what changes.
Outdoor environments contain many distractions.
The course helps practitioners focus children’s attention through clear questions and prompts.
Instead of asking children to “look at the tree,” an adult might ask them to compare leaf shapes, notice evidence of animal life or identify changes since a previous observation.
Children can record through labelled drawings, photographs, tally charts, measurements, notes or oral explanations.
The method should fit the objective and the children’s stage of development.
Measuring and Collecting Data
Scientific evidence needs to be recorded in a way that helps children answer the question.
Outdoor science may involve measuring temperature, distance, time, rainfall, shadow length, plant height or the number of organisms observed.
The course helps practitioners choose manageable measuring methods.
Children should understand what they are measuring, why it matters and how accurately they need to work.
Data can be recorded in tables, tally charts, diagrams, maps, photographs or digital formats.
The recording should support the science rather than consume the entire lesson.
A simple, well-chosen table may be more useful than a lengthy worksheet.
Fair and Comparative Testing
Children often need support to understand what makes a test fair.
They may need to identify what will be changed, what will be measured and what should remain the same.
Outdoor conditions can make this challenging.
Wind, sunlight, temperature and uneven surfaces may affect results.
These variations are not always a reason to avoid outdoor testing.
They can create useful discussions about reliability and control.
The course helps practitioners decide which variables can be managed and which need to be acknowledged.
Children should learn that scientific evidence is rarely perfect.
Repeating tests, taking several measurements and comparing results can improve confidence in a conclusion.
Recording Without Overloading Children
Outdoor science can lose momentum when children spend too much time writing.
Recording is important, but it needs to serve the investigation.
Children might use a clipboard, photograph evidence, make a labelled sketch, complete a tally or record a short conclusion after returning indoors.
The course encourages practitioners to separate practical investigation from unnecessary written workload.
Children need enough evidence to support their thinking.
They do not always need to write a full method, prediction, results section and conclusion during every short enquiry.
The amount of recording should reflect the objective and age group.
Using Scientific Vocabulary
Outdoor experiences provide a meaningful context for scientific language.
Words such as habitat, organism, absorbent, friction, transparent, variable and evidence become easier to understand when linked to direct experience.
The course helps practitioners identify the essential vocabulary within an investigation.
Adults can introduce and model the language before, during and after the activity.
Children should have opportunities to use the words when explaining what they notice.
Vocabulary can be supported through visual cards, symbols, sentence stems and practical examples.
The aim is not to overwhelm children with technical terms.
It is to help them communicate scientific ideas accurately.
Assessing Science Outdoors
Outdoor science should be assessed according to the intended learning.
Practitioners can observe how children ask questions, use equipment, identify variables, collect evidence and explain conclusions.
Assessment does not always require a written test.
Children may demonstrate understanding through discussion, sorting, diagrams, models, photographs or practical decisions.
The course helps practitioners distinguish between engagement and understanding.
A child may enjoy the investigation but still hold a misconception.
Focused questioning helps reveal what they know.
Questions such as “What evidence supports that idea?” or “What would you change next time?” can provide valuable assessment information.
Making Outdoor Science Inclusive
Outdoor science can provide alternative ways for children to demonstrate knowledge.
Children who find extended writing difficult may succeed through observation, practical work and oral explanation.
However, outdoor environments can also create barriers involving sensory processing, physical access, communication, movement and uncertainty.
The course helps practitioners adapt the activity without removing the science.
A child might work from an accessible surface, use larger equipment, communicate through symbols, observe before joining or record evidence through photographs.
The objective should remain meaningful and appropriately challenging.
Explore our SEND Outdoor Learning Hub for further inclusive strategies.
Managing Outdoor Science Lessons
Outdoor science can involve equipment, movement and multiple groups working at the same time.
Clear organisation helps the lesson remain focused.
The course covers gathering points, boundaries, equipment stations, group roles and attention signals.
Practitioners should decide where resources will be placed, how children will move and how results will be shared.
Children can take responsibility for collecting and returning equipment, provided expectations are clear.
Outdoor science should feel investigative, but not chaotic.
A predictable structure gives children freedom to explore within safe and purposeful boundaries.
Risk and Safety in Outdoor Science
Outdoor science may involve plants, animals, weather, water, tools, uneven surfaces and practical equipment.
Practitioners should follow school policies and complete appropriate risk assessments.
Children should be taught how to handle living things, use equipment and move safely.
The course helps staff consider hazards without removing every opportunity for investigation.
Risk-benefit thinking allows children to experience appropriate challenge while unnecessary danger is reduced.
Specific medical, allergy, sensory and physical needs should always be considered.
Activities involving substances, specialist tools or potentially hazardous materials should only be completed within staff competence and school guidance.
Do I Need Expensive Science Equipment?
No.
Many outdoor science investigations can be completed using ordinary school resources.
Useful items may include magnifiers, containers, clipboards, thermometers, stopwatches, measuring tapes, chalk, trays, hoops and simple natural materials.
The school grounds themselves provide much of the subject matter.
Equipment should be selected because it helps children observe, measure or test.
The quality of the scientific question matters more than the quantity of resources.
Try This Tomorrow
Choose two different surfaces within your school grounds.
Ask children which surface they think will create more friction and why.
Use the same object and apply a consistent push or use a simple ramp.
Observe or measure how far the object travels across each surface.
Ask children what should remain the same to make the comparison useful.
Keep the investigation focused on one question.
Children can record the result using a simple table or photograph and then explain whether the evidence supported their prediction.
This is the kind of manageable outdoor scientific enquiry explored throughout the course.
What Will You Do During the Course?
Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science is practical and accessible.
You will work through short online sections containing reading, training videos, audio content, primary science examples and reflection opportunities.
You may be encouraged to focus on a particular year group, science objective, investigation or area of your school grounds.
This helps you connect the training directly to your own setting.
There is no coursework, written assignment or formal assessment.
You will not need to submit a lesson plan, investigation report, portfolio or assessed observation.
Any reflection opportunities are included to help you apply the learning rather than test you.
How Long Does the Course Take?
Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science takes approximately four hours to complete.
You can complete the course in one sitting or divide it into shorter sections.
Your progress is saved, allowing you to pause and return whenever it suits you.
There is no fixed deadline and no requirement to complete the course in one session.
Schools may choose to use sections during science-lead meetings, curriculum development, staff meetings, twilight training or INSET time, subject to the appropriate membership or course licence.
Do I Need Previous Experience?
No previous outdoor science or outdoor learning experience is required.
The course begins with clear principles and introduces practical approaches gradually.
It is suitable for practitioners who are new to teaching science outdoors and experienced staff who want to strengthen scientific enquiry and curriculum consistency.
You do not need to be a science leader or specialist teacher.
The course focuses on realistic strategies that can be used within everyday primary practice.
Do I Need a Forest School or Woodland?
No.
The course is designed for ordinary primary school grounds.
Science investigations can take place in playgrounds, yards, courtyards, fields, gardens, planters and artificial sports areas.
You do not need a woodland or Forest School programme.
A playground contains materials, surfaces, shadows, sound, weather, forces and measurable features that can support valuable science learning.
The focus is on using the environment purposefully.
Is the Course Suitable for SEND?
Yes.
The course includes practical guidance for making outdoor science accessible.
It considers communication, processing, physical access, sensory needs, movement, confidence and different ways for children to demonstrate scientific understanding.
Practitioners should adapt investigations according to individual needs and any professional guidance already in place.
The aim is to remove unnecessary barriers while maintaining meaningful scientific thinking.
Will I Receive a Certificate?
Once you have completed the course, you will be eligible to receive a Muddy Puddle Teacher® certificate of completion.
To request your certificate, email info@themuddypuddleteacher.co.uk.
Please include your full name, the title of the completed course and the email address to which you would like the certificate sent.
Certificates are issued electronically unless otherwise agreed.
Is This an Accredited Qualification?
Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science provides a certificate of completion and can contribute to your professional-development record.
It is a specialist CPD course rather than a standalone teaching or science qualification.
Where a course forms part of an accredited Muddy Puddle Teacher® pathway, this will be clearly stated within the course information.
Explore our Accredited Outdoor Learning Training Pathway to discover further professional-development opportunities.
Can This Course Be Used as CPD?
Yes.
The course can contribute to your continuing professional development and may be recorded within appraisal evidence, subject-lead development, a professional-development file or reflective journal.
You may wish to record what you learned, which outdoor science investigation you introduced and how the changes affected children’s understanding, curiosity or enquiry skills.
The course is particularly relevant for staff developing primary science, working scientifically, curriculum learning, STEM or outdoor education.
Can Schools Complete the Course Together?
Yes.
The course can be completed individually or used as part of whole-school professional development.
Schools may choose to work through sections during staff meetings, science development sessions, curriculum planning, twilight training or INSET time.
Completing the course as a team can help schools develop a shared understanding of purposeful outdoor science and create greater consistency across year groups.
Each person accessing the course must be covered by the appropriate membership or training licence.
What Is Included?
The course includes approximately four hours of online training, practical guidance for teaching primary science outdoors, support with working scientifically and enquiry, examples linked to primary science topics, advice about assessment and inclusion, ideas adaptable for ordinary school grounds, reflection opportunities, access through your Muddy Puddle Teacher® account and eligibility for a certificate of completion.
There is no coursework, written assignment, examination or assessed portfolio.
Gold members can also access a growing library of practical outdoor learning CPD courses covering STEM, sustainability, biodiversity, Early Years, SEND and whole-school development.
How Do I Access the Course?
Sign in to your Muddy Puddle Teacher® account and open the online training area.
Select Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science and begin whenever you are ready.
Your progress is saved, allowing you to pause and return at any time.
Access to this specialist course is included within the Gold Membership.
Continue Your Professional Development
After completing Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science, you can continue your professional development through related Muddy Puddle Teacher® courses.
Recommended next steps may include Teaching STEM Outdoors in Primary Schools, Biodiversity in Primary Schools, Sustainability in Primary Schools Award, Level 1 Outdoor Learning: Primary School Starter Course and the Accredited Outdoor Learning Practitioner Pathway. Browse all of these courses in the Outdoor Learning Training Hub.
Gold Membership gives you access to a growing collection of practical outdoor learning CPD courses.
Ultimate Membership includes the complete course library and the accredited Outdoor Learning Practitioner and Coordinator Awards.
Start the Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Primary Science course take?
The course takes approximately four hours to complete. You can complete it in one sitting or divide it into shorter sections. Your progress is saved, allowing you to return whenever it suits you.
Is there any coursework?
No. There is no coursework, written assignment, portfolio, examination or formal assessment. Reflection opportunities are included to help you apply the training within your setting.
Is the course only for science leaders?
No. The course is suitable for teachers, teaching assistants, science leaders, curriculum leads, SEND staff and other primary-school practitioners.
Does the course follow the primary science curriculum?
The course is designed to support curriculum-based primary science and working scientifically across KS1 and KS2. Practitioners should apply the guidance to the objectives and curriculum used within their school.
Do I need a woodland?
No. The investigations can be used in playgrounds, yards, courtyards, fields, gardens and smaller outdoor spaces.
Do I need specialist science equipment?
No. Many investigations can be completed using ordinary measuring tools, containers, clipboards, magnifiers, chalk and features already found within the school grounds.
Is the course suitable for teaching assistants?
Yes. Teaching assistants can use the training to support whole-class lessons, small-group investigations, interventions and practical science activities.
Does the course cover working scientifically?
Yes. The course covers observation, questioning, classification, pattern seeking, comparative and fair testing, data collection, evidence and conclusions.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. Once you have completed the course, you can request a Muddy Puddle Teacher® certificate of completion by emailing info@themuddypuddleteacher.co.uk.
Is the course included in Gold Membership?
Yes. Outdoor Curriculum Specialism: Primary Science is included within Gold Membership alongside a growing collection of practical outdoor learning CPD courses.
Author
Written by Sarah Seaman PGCE MA
Founder of The Muddy Puddle Teacher®
Teacher for over 19 years
Bloomsbury author
Trainer of thousands of teachers across the UK
