Outdoor Education Curriculum Guidelines for Health & PE, Geography and Science

This section provides advice on how content from the Australian Curriculum – in particular health and physical education (H&PE), geography and science – can be organised and delivered through outdoor education in schools.

Health & Physical Education

The primary content drawn from health and physical education (H&PE)will be in the areas of outdoor recreation and the influence of connection to place and communities on health and wellbeing. In health and physical education, outdoor recreation refers to recreational activities, or the act of engaging in recreational activities. These are typically associated with outdoor, natural or semi-natural settings. These activities are an important part of learning in the health and physical education curriculum as they promote lifelong physical activity. They also contribute to health and wellbeing through direct personal experiences and connections with natural environments. Outdoor activities provide a valid environment for developing movement competence, promoting a sense of wellbeing, enhancing personal and social skills, and developing an understanding of the concept of risk versus challenge.

Geography

Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world. Outdoor education programs provide opportunities for students to learn to question why the world is the way it is, reflect on their relationships with and responsibilities for that world, and propose actions designed to shape a socially just and sustainable future. In geography, students examine why places have particular environmental and human characteristics, explore the similarities and differences between them, investigate their meanings and significance to people and examine how they are managed and changed. All of these concepts can be developed, understood and applied through outdoor learning experiences.

Field studies in geography provide an excellent opportunity to create human nature relationships and to develop aspects of personal growth and development whilst explicit geography learning also takes place.

Science

Science provides opportunities for students to develop an understanding of important science concepts and processes, the practices used to develop scientific knowledge, Science’s contribution to our culture and society, and its applications in our lives. Outdoor education programs support students to develop and apply scientific knowledge, understanding and skills to make informed decisions about local, national and global issues related to their immediate school environment and environments that they may access through natural journeys or camps.

Models of Delivery of Outdoor Education

Overview

The curriculum recognises that schools organise learning depending on local needs, resource availability and timetabling structures. In secondary settings in particular, the content from the health and physical education, geography and science curricula can be organised and delivered in a range of ways and through a number of different school subjects, including outdoor education.

As a sequential stand-alone subject

Students in secondary schools elect to undertake outdoor education as a stand-alone subject, taught by teachers from within the school. Students learn through direct teaching in the classroom enhanced by personal experiences outside the classroom in local environments and journeys to and through nearby natural environments.

As an annual, sequential field trip and camps program that may allow components of other learning areas to be taught

Students achieve deep learning through a planned sequence of year level camps programmed each year. In the early primary years students may take part in a sleepover with parents on the school grounds, followed by residential and under-canvas camps, culminating in a more extensive journey to a nearby natural environment. The camps include delivery of a range of learning from different learning areas.

As a teaching methodology learning in, about and for the outdoors drawing on content from a range of learning areas

Each learning area examines how they might use outdoor learning as part of the delivery of their curriculum. This may include using outdoor journeys as ways to engage in local environments to explore concepts that have been investigated in the classroom. This might involve one or more learning areas combining to achieve linked outcomes. Students plan and complete an outdoor journey as the culminating experience to demonstrate their learning for a range of learning areas.

Safety Considerations in Outdoor Education

Managing risk in outdoor education

Identifying and managing risk in outdoor education needs to address the minimum standards of planning, personal protective equipment and qualifications or experience of teachers and leaders. It covers all necessary aspects of health, safety and injury prevention and, in any outdoor education context, the use of potentially dangerous equipment.

Outdoor Education experiences may involve potentially hazardous activities. It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that duty of care is exercised in relation to the health and safety of all students and that school practices meet the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, in addition to relevant state or territory health and safety guidelines.

When state and territory curriculum authorities integrate the Australian Curriculum into local courses, they will include more specific advice on safety.

For further information about relevant guidelines, contact your state or territory curriculum authority.

Organisation of Learning in Outdoor Education

6 Key Ideas

In order to maximise the effectiveness of any outdoor education program delivered in schools, learning should be sequential and with clearly aligned themes and specific learning outcomes. This learning can be summarised under the following organising ideas:

  1. There is a range of skills and knowledge required to be active and safe in the outdoors.
  2. Individuals need to work together to achieve common goals in outdoor activities OR Through outdoor experiences and journeys individuals work together to achieve common goals.
  3. An individual’s experience in natural environments enhances human–nature relationships.
  4. Ecological, cultural and personal knowledge of, and experiences in, places enhances decision making about conservation and sustainability.
  5. Being in nature promotes health and wellbeing.
  6. Experiences and journeys in natural environments promote personal growth and development.

Links to the Austrailan Curriculum

The following information identifies the key concepts, organising ideas and content descriptions from across the Australian Curriculum that could be addressed through a sequential outdoor education program.

The content descriptions and curriculum codes are directly from the Australian Curriculum for Health and Physical Education, Geography and Science.

FOUNDATION TO YEAR 6

OI.1 There is a range of skills and knowledge required to be active and safe in the outdoors.

Foundation – Year 2

In health and physical education Foundation

Identify people and demonstrate protective behaviours that help keep them safe and healthy (ACPPS003)

Identify actions that promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS006)

Practise fundamental movement skills and movement sequences using different body parts and in response to stimuli (ACPMP008)

Participate in games with and without equipment (ACPMP009)

In health and physical education Year 1-2

Practise strategies they can use when they need help with a task, problem or situation (ACPPS017)

Explore actions that help make the classroom a healthy, safe and active place (ACPPS022)

Perform fundamental movement skills in different movement situations (ACPMP025)

Create and participate in games (ACPMP027)

Year 3 – Year 4

In health and physical education Year 3-4

Describe and apply strategies that can be used in situations that make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe (ACPPS035)

Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active spaces (ACPPS40)

Practise and refine fundamental movement skills in different movement situations (ACPMP043)

Perform movement sequences which link fundamental movement skills together (ACPMP044)

Practise and apply movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP045)

Year 5 – Year 6

In health and physical education Year 5-6

Investigate community resources and strategies to seek help about health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS053)

Investigate the role of preventive health in promoting and maintaining health, safety and wellbeing for individuals and their communities (ACPPS058)

Practise specialised movement skills and apply them in different movement situations (ACPMP061)

Design and perform a variety of movement sequences (ACPMP062)

Propose and apply movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP063

OI.2 Individuals need to work together to achieve common goals in outdoor activities OR Through outdoor experiences and journeys individuals work together to achieve common goals.

Foundation – Year 2

In science Foundation:

Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses (ACSHE013)

In science Year 1:

Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE021)

In science Year 2

Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE034)

People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE035)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

Year 3 – Year 4

In health and physical education Year 3-4

Describe and apply strategies that can be used in situations that make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe (ACPPS035)

Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active spaces (ACPPS40)

Practise and refine fundamental movement skills in different movement situations (ACPMP043)

Perform movement sequences which link fundamental movement skills together (ACPMP044)

Practise and apply movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP045)

In geography Year 3

The similarities and differences in individuals’ and groups’ feelings and perceptions about places, and how they influence views about the protection of these places (ACHGK019)

In geography Year 4

The importance of environments to animals and people, and different views on how they can be protected (ACHGK022)

Year 5 – Year 6

In science Year 5

Science understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives (ACSHE083)

In science Year 6

Science understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives (ACSHE100)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

In geography Year 5

The influence of the environment on the human characteristics of a place (ACHGK028)

The influence people have on human characteristics of places and the management of spaces within them (ACHGK029)

In geography Year 6

The effects that people’s connections with, and proximity to, places throughout the world have on shaping their awareness and opinion of those places (ACHGK036)

OI.3 An individual’s experience in natural environments enhances human–nature relationships

Foundation – Year 2

In science Foundation:

Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses (ACSHE013)

In science Year 1:

Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE021)

In science Year 2

Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE034)

People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE035)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

Year 3 – Year 4

In science Year 3:

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE050)

In science Year 4:

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE061)

Science knowledge helps people understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

In geography Year 3

The similarities and differences in individuals’ and groups’ feelings and perceptions about places, and how they influence views about the protection of these places (ACHGK019)

In geography Year 4

The importance of environments to animals and people, and different views on how they can be protected (ACHGK022)

Year 5 – Year 6

In science Year 5

Science understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives (ACSHE083)

In science Year 6

Science understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives (ACSHE100)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

In geography Year 5

The influence of the environment on the human characteristics of a place (ACHGK028)

The influence people have on human characteristics of places and the management of spaces within them (ACHGK029)

In geography Year 6

The effects that people’s connections with, and proximity to, places throughout the world have on shaping their awareness and opinion of those places (ACHGK036)

OI.4 Ecological, cultural and personal knowledge of, and experiences in, places enhances decision making about conservation and sustainability.

Foundation – Year 2

In science Foundation:

Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU020)

Daily and seasonal changes in our environment, including the weather, affect everyday life (ACSSU0030)

In science Year 1:

Living things have a variety of external features (ACSSU017)

Living things live in different places where their needs are met (ACSSU211)

Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape (ACSSU019)

In science Year 2

Living things grow, change and have offspring like themselves (ACSSU030)

Earth’s resources, including water are used in a variety of ways (ACSSU032)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

In geography Foundation

The Countries/Places that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples belong to in the local area and why they are important to them (ACHGK003)

In geography Year 1

The ways the activities located in a place create its distinctive features (ACHGK007)

In geography Year 2

The ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples maintain special connection to particular Country/Place (ACHGK011)

Year 3 – Year 4

In science Year 3:

Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044)

In science Year 4:

Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072)

Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU073)

Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural changes and human activity (ACSSU075)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

In geography Year 4

The natural resources provided by the environment, and different views on how they could be used sustainably (ACHGK024)

The sustainable management of waste from production and consumption (ACHGK025)

The types of natural vegetation and the significance of vegetation to the environment and to people (ACHGK021)

Year 5 – Year 6

In science Year 5

Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)

In science Year 6

The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)

Science inquiry skills: Questioning and predicting; Planning and conducting; Processing and analysing data and information

In geography Year 5

The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places (ACHGK027)

In geography Year 6

The effects that people’s connections with, and proximity to, places throughout the world have on shaping their awareness and opinion of those places (ACHGK036)

OI.5 Being in nature promotes health and wellbeing.

Foundation – Year 2

In health and physical education Foundation

Identify actions that promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS006)

Participate in play that promotes engagement with outdoor settings and the natural environment (ACPPS007)

In health and physical education Year 1-2

Recognise situations and opportunities to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS018)

Explore actions that help make the classroom a healthy, safe and active place (ACPPS022)

Identify and explore natural and built environments in the local community where physical activity can take place (ACPPS023)

In geography Foundation

The places people live in and belong to, their familiar features and why they are important to people (ACHGK002)

Year 3 – Year 4

In health and physical education Year 3-4

Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active spaces (ACPPS040)

Participate in outdoor games and activities to examine how participation promotes a connection between the community, natural and built environments and health and wellbeing (ACPPS041)

Year 5 – Year 6

In health and physical education Year 5-6

Explore personal and cultural identities and how they change and adapt to different contexts and situations (ACPPS051)

Examine the influence of emotional responses on behaviour and relationships (ACPPS056)

YEARS 7 – 10

OI.1 There is a range of skills and knowledge required to be active and safe in the outdoors.

Year 7

In health and physical education

Practise and apply strategies to seek help for themselves or others (ACPPS072)

Use feedback to improve body control and coordination when performing specialised movement skills situations (ACPMP080)

Compose and perform movement sequences for specific purposes in a variety of contexts (ACPMP081)

Practise, apply and transfer movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP082)

Year 8

In health and physical education 

Practise and apply strategies to seek help for themselves or others (ACPPS072)

Use feedback to improve body control and coordination when performing specialised movement skills situations (ACPMP080)

Compose and perform movement sequences for specific purposes in a variety of contexts (ACPMP081)

Practise, apply and transfer movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP082)

Year 9

In health and physical education

Plan, rehearse and evaluate options (including CPR and first aid) for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety and wellbeing may be at risk (ACPPS091)

Perform and refine specialised movement skills in challenging movement situations (ACPMP099)

Evaluate own and others’ movement compositions and provide and apply feedback in order to enhance performance situations (ACPMP100)

Develop, implement and evaluate movement concepts and strategies for successful outcomes (ACPMP101)

Year 10

In health and physical education

Plan, rehearse and evaluate options (including CPR and first aid) for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety and wellbeing may be at risk (ACPPS091)

Perform and refine specialised movement skills in challenging movement situations (ACPMP099)

Evaluate own and others’ movement compositions and provide and apply feedback in order to enhance performance situations (ACPMP100)

Develop, implement and evaluate movement concepts and strategies for successful outcomes (ACPMP101)

OI.2 Individuals need to work together to achieve common goals in outdoor activities OR Through outdoor experiences and journeys individuals work together to achieve common goals.

Year 7

In health and physical education

Investigate the benefits of relationships and examine their impact on their own and others’ health and wellbeing (ACPPS074)

Examine the benefits to individuals and communities of valuing diversity and promoting inclusivity (ACPPS079)

Practise and apply personal and social skills when undertaking a range of roles in physical activities (ACPMP086)

Evaluate and justify reasons for decisions and choices of action when solving movement challenges (ACPMP087)

Year 8

In health and physical education

Investigate the benefits of relationships and examine their impact on their own and others’ health and wellbeing (ACPPS074)

Examine the benefits to individuals and communities of valuing diversity and promoting inclusivity (ACPPS079)

Practise and apply personal and social skills when undertaking a range of roles in physical activities (ACPMP086)

Evaluate and justify reasons for decisions and choices of action when solving movement challenges (ACPMP087)

Year 9

In health and physical education

Investigate how empathy and ethical decision making contribute to respectful relationships (ACPPS093)

Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence the health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS098)

Devise, implement and refine strategies when working in groups or teams that demonstrate leadership and collaboration skills (ACPMP105)

Transfer understanding from previous movement experiences to create solutions to movement challenges (ACPMP106)

Year 10

In health and physical education

Investigate how empathy and ethical decision making contribute to respectful relationships (ACPPS093)

Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence the health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS098)

Devise, implement and refine strategies when working in groups or teams that demonstrate leadership and collaboration skills (ACPMP105)

Transfer understanding from previous movement experiences to create solutions to movement challenges (ACPMP106)

OI.3 An individual’s experience in natural environments enhances human–nature relationships

Year 7

In science Year 7:
Interactions between organisms can be described in terms of food chains and food webs; human activity can affect these interactions (ACSSU111)

In geography Year 7

The influence of environmental quality on the liveability of places (ACHGK045)

The strategies to enhance the liveability of places, especially for young people, including examples from Australia and Europe (ACHGK047)

The economic, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic value of water for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and peoples of the Asia region (ACHGK041)

Year 8

In geography Year 8

The aesthetic, cultural and spiritual value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACHGK049)

Year 9

In science Year 9:

Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176)

In geography Year 9

The effects of people’s travel, recreational, cultural or leisure choices on places, and the implications for the future of these places (ACHGK069)

Year 10

In geography Year 10

The human induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070)

The environmental world views of people and their implications for environmental management (ACHGK071)

OI.4 Ecological, cultural and personal knowledge of, and experiences in, places enhances decision making about conservation and sustainability.

Year 7

In science Year 7:

Predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons and eclipses, are caused by the relative positions of the sun, Earth and the moon (ACSSU115)

Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)

Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment (ACSSU222)

In geography Year 7

The ways that flows of water connect places as it moves through the environment and the ways that it affects places (ACHGK038)

The economic, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic value of water for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and peoples of the Asia region (ACHGK041

Year 8

In science Year 8

Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks contain minerals and are formed by processes that occur within Earth over a variety of timescales (ACSSU153)

In geography Year 8

The different types of landscapes and their distinctive landform features (ACHGK048)

The geomorphic processes that produce landforms, including a case study of at least one landform (ACHGK050)

The ways of protecting significant landscapes (ACHGK052)

The management and planning of Australia’s urban (ACHGK059)

Year 9

In science Year 9:

Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176)

In geography Year 9

The distribution and characteristics of biomes as regions with distinctive climates, soils, vegetation and productivity (ACHGK060)

The effects of people’s travel, recreational, cultural or leisure choices on places, and the implications for the future of these places (ACHGK069)

Year 10

In science Year 10

The theory of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of living things and is supported by a range of scientific evidence (ACSSU185)

In geography Year 10

The human induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070)

The environmental world views of people and their implications for environmental management (ACHGK071)

The application of human-environment systems thinking to understanding the causes and likely consequences of the environmental change being investigated (ACHGK073)

The application of geographical concepts and methods to the management of the environmental change being investigated (ACHGK074)

The application of environmental, economic and social criteria in evaluating management responses to the change (ACHGK075)

OI.5 Being in nature promotes health and wellbeing.

Year 7

In health and physical education Year 7-8

Plan and implement strategies for connecting to natural and built environments to promote health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS078)

Participate in physical activities that develop health-related and skill-related fitness components and create and monitor personal fitness plans (ACPMP083)

Participate in and investigate the cultural and historical significance of a range of physical activities (ACPMP085)

Year 8

In health and physical education Year 7-8

Plan and implement strategies for connecting to natural and built environments to promote health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS078)

Participate in physical activities that develop health-related and skill-related fitness components and create and monitor personal fitness plans (ACPMP083)

Participate in and investigate the cultural and historical significance of a range of physical activities (ACPMP085)

Year 9

In health and physical education Year 9-10

Plan and evaluate new and creative interventions that promote their own and others’ connection to community, natural and built environments (ACPPS097)

Design, implement and evaluate personalised plans for improving or maintaining own and others’ physical activity and fitness levels (ACPMP102)

Examine the role physical activity, outdoor recreation and sport plays in the lives of Australians and investigate how this has changed over time (ACPMP104)

In geography Year 9

The perceptions people have of place, and how this influences their connections to different places (ACHGK065)

Year 10

In health and physical education Year 9-10

Plan and evaluate new and creative interventions that promote their own and others’ connection to community, natural and built environments (ACPPS097)

Design, implement and evaluate personalised plans for improving or maintaining own and others’ physical activity and fitness levels (ACPMP102)

Examine the role physical activity, outdoor recreation and sport plays in the lives of Australians and investigate how this has changed over time (ACPMP104)

In geography Year 10

The different ways of measuring and mapping human wellbeing and development, and how these can be applied to measure differences between places (ACHGK076)

OI 6: Experiences and journeys in natural environments promote personal growth and development.

Year 7

In health and physical education

Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (ACPPS070)

Analyse factors that influence emotions and develop strategies to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity (ACPPS075)

Year 8

In health and physical education

Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (ACPPS070)

Analyse factors that influence emotions and develop strategies to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity (ACPPS075)

Year 9

In health and physical education

Evaluate factors that shape identities and analyse how individuals impact on the identities of others (ACPPS089)

Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses (ACPPS094)

Year 10

In health and physical education

Evaluate factors that shape identities and analyse how individuals impact on the identities of others (ACPPS089)

Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses (ACPPS094)

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website on 28 June 2014.