Pathfinder Learning

Authentic

This curriculum engages students in real applied wilderness skills including fire making, shelter building, navigation, first aid, knot tying, water purification, and emergency response. Because these challenges are real and immediate, students are naturally motivated to engage and solve problems.

Cross Curricular

Each lesson in this curriculum connects to standards and practices from across the core curriculum including math, science, engineering design, health, and geography. For example, lessons in knots and lashings integrate concepts such as scale factor, proportionality, criteria, constraints, and iterative design.

Connection

Every lesson in this curriculum creates opportunities for meaningful real-world interaction through teamwork, communication, and cooperative outdoor problem solving. Rather than passive screen-based experiences, students engage directly with each other and the physical environment through authentic challenges that require trust, perseverance, and real-time collaboration.

Get Your Free Lesson Plan

In this free lesson, Lean-to Shelters, students learn to tie a bowline knot, understand windchill, and construct a lean-to shelter. The Lean-To Shelter Lesson is one of six in the Shelters Unit.

Free Shelter Lesson Plan

This curriculum, with its comprehensive teacher's manual, is easy to implement, practical in its approach, and encourages hours of outdoor activities that students love.

Michelle Anderson

Outdoor Survival Teacher, Rigby Middle School, Rigby, Idaho

These lessons are amazing and include students of all abilities. They are hands-on and are easy to follow for any teacher, even if they have no prior experience with outdoor survival.

Ambrey Hatch

Idaho School District 251 Instructional Coach and Sixth Grade Math Teacher

This is a high-quality curriculum that makes learning both effective and enjoyable for students and educators alike.

Jase Badders

High School Science Teacher, Thunder Ridge High School, Idaho Falls, Idaho

The content is highly relevant and accessible, supported by an excellent pace and a thoughtful scope and sequence. My colleague has created a phenomenal resource that sets a high bar for authentic, experiential learning.

Audrey Taylor

Jefferson School District 251 Instructional Coach, Rigby, Idaho