Many cutting-edge early childhood classrooms are implementing constructivist techniques to support student development of mathematics concepts (Clements et al., 2023). Additionally, innovative curriculum producers have even begun centering their instructional scope and sequence around a constructivist approach (e.g., Singapore Dimensions). This is a powerfully beneficial mathematics instruction paradigm shift; however, work is far from finished. Sometimes, constructivist math teaching in the early years can lose its connection to the real world, which is essential for young minds. This presentation demonstrates how a 1st and 2nd-grade classroom centers constructivist activities around rich outdoor experiences. The presenters will share how their students engage in shared exploration of the real world, which leads them to inquiries that often necessitate mathematical answers. Presenters will highlight this integrated mathematics discovery as 1st graders collect and count insects, legs, and antennas, as well as 2nd graders who build life-size replicas of a variety of Utah birds and explore their wing beats and travel. Attendees will be actively engaged in this workshop through hands-on activities and leave with a toolbox of strategies to use mathematics as an inquiry-oriented way to understand rich experiences and the world around them.
