It is in the Air!

At last I look outside of my window to see the beauty of the world I have been longing for these past cold months. I breath deep as I open my window, and a wonderful smell of leaves and nature fill my senses. This to me is the smell of life, the smell of happiness. A cheerful sense of hope and new beginnings envelops my soul. It is Spring at last!
It is amazing to me how we as human beings are so influenced by the subtle changes of our environment. The smallest little factor can influence ones behavior in the most profound way. Now is this way of thinking only unique to me, or do others feel this affect as strongly as I do? I have read some articles on this subject, and the main consensus of the studies performed was that weather does indeed influence our feelings. The most pronounced contributor I have seen that contributes to happiness is the amount of sunshine that is experienced through the day. This to me makes perfect sense, because sunlight actually can have a physiological effect on the human body, helping one to produce certain vitamins within the body. This in turn effects the chemical balance within the body, influencing feelings. Also I can most definitely speak from personal experience coming from an area of the United States where climate changes so quickly, that the environment I am in has an affect on my feelings. So this realization of how weather can influence a mood has given me thoughts of how as a teacher one can use this idea to their benefit. Why be confined to the classroom? I feel as though changing the environment, and stimulating the mind in different modalities is the key to learning. So why not take your class outside when the weather permits. Maybe teach a non-traditional lesson, having to do with nature, and the elements of it that are around us at all times, but many have never noticed. This lack of connection with nature and its benefits is a growing concern. So why not educate on it, and at the same time effect the mood of the students for the positive!