Stage 2 students on the Poetic adventures excursion collecting sensory words and ideas in the bush at Field of Mars Reserve

Poetic adventures | Stage 2 English excursion

Program overview

Students will collaborate on a digital communication product. They will develop vocabulary to create a five-senses poem and use photography and digital storytelling to bring their poem to life.

Learning intention

Stage 2 students using iPads to photograph natural subjects that match each line of their Poetic adventures poem
Students working in pairs outdoors to write lines of a five-senses poem from a miniature character’s perspective

Activities

Composing

Equipped with an iPad, students will visit various outdoor locations in the Field of Mars Reserve. At each location they will work in pairs to write a line of poetry from their miniature character's perspective. Students will be exposed to a variety of tier 2 and 3 words for describing natural subjects. They will then use digital photography and visual literacy to capture each line of poetry.

Publishing

Students will use iMovie to compose their illustrated poems. They will create a sequence of images to support their poem, narrate each line of poetry, add titles and select a soundtrack.

Completed products will be sent back to school via Google Drive.

This program is also available for Stage 3 and can operate as an incursion.

Location

Bushland track and eucalypt forest in Field of Mars Reserve, East Ryde, where the Poetic adventures excursion takes place

Field of Mars Reserve

Main location – including risk assessment and risk management advice, bus map and track overview.

Essential information

Cost and details

Cost 2026

DoE $27 per student – GST free

Non-gov $37 per student – GST free, min charge $750 per class

Term 1 – Non-gov weeks 3 to 6 cost = DoE cost – GST free, min charge $750

Classes

Maximum 4 classes.

Bring

Sports uniform, backpack, medication, low-waste food, water bottle, sunblock, raincoat, hat, sturdy shoes, reusable name tag.

View

Preparing for your excursion

Welfare

Rugged bushwalking, not wheelchair accessible.

May not suit recently unwell participants.

For medical or special needs notify staff prior to program.

Extreme or wet weather

Program may be modified, postponed or cancelled due to predicted extreme temperatures, bush fire danger, heavy rainfall, high winds or dust storms.

Booking policy

Confirm student numbers and classes 7 days in advance.

Cancellation fee

Less than 30 working school days – $600

Less than 7 working school days notice – full cost

Weather or fire danger cancellation – $0

Suggested timetable

Time

Activities

9.45 - 10.30

Introduction

Toilets, crunch and sip or recess

10.30 - 12.45

Poetic adventures

- location scouting

- poem development

- macro photography

12.45 - 12.15 Lunch and toilets
1.15 - 2.00 iMovie studio - visuals and audio
2.00 - 2.15 Pack up, toilets and depart

Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary

perspective, rhythm, repetition, describe, compose, sequence, effect, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery, personification, alliteration, stanza, hyperbole

Syllabus outcomes and content

English K-10 Syllabus (2022)

Vocabulary

Outcome

  • Builds knowledge and use of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary through interacting, wide reading and writing, and by defining and analysing words EN2-VOCAB-01

Content

Learning and using words

  • Build personal Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary through social and learning interactions, reading and writing

Creating written texts

Outcome

  • Plans, creates and revises written texts for imaginative purposes, using text features, sentence-level grammar, punctuation and word-level language for a target audience EN2-CWT-01

Content

Imaginative purposes

  • Experiment with different poetic forms using stanzas
  • Experiment with poetry to include innovative use of punctuation to suit purpose and for effect

Text features for multiple purposes

  • Select and use multimodal features to add meaning

English textual concept

Perspective

Students understand that perspectives may differ and that these differences need to be considered

They learn that:

  • perspective may be expressed in different ways including the values expressed and the form of expression

Learning experiences will also support but not explicitly teach the following outcomes and content:

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Living things depend on energy and materials to survive

Human Society and its Environment K-6 Syllabus (2024)

People have responsibility to care for Australia's environments

English K–6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2022

English textual concepts © NSW Department of Education, 2016

Human Society and its Environment K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024

Book now button linking to Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre Stage 2 excursions

Book now

Book your primary excursion using our online booking form.

Poetic adventures social story tile showing students what to expect during the poetry and digital storytelling excursion

Social stories

View social stories that explain what to expect on an incursion or excursion.

Learning resources tile linking to Poetic adventures classroom materials and digital storytelling support resources

Learning resources

View online lessons that support primary incursion and excursion programs.

Flora and fauna fact sheets tile for native plants and animals that can inspire imagery and vocabulary in Poetic adventures poems

Flora and fauna fact sheets

View our curriculum-aligned fact sheets on Australian animals, plants, ecosystems and environments for NSW primary and secondary students, ideal for research, projects and classroom learning.