Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

Emailfieldofmar-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Teddy bears picnic excursion program

Teacher checklist

Location

Field of Mars Reserve, Pittwater Road, East Ryde

Wallumedegal Country

Google maps - Apple maps

Bus access

Supply bus driver with Field of Mars Reserve bus information.

No bus entry into Field of Mars Reserve.

Cost

2025 DoE $25 per student - GST free

2025 Non-gov school cost $35 per student - GST free, minimum charge $750

Schools are to confirm the number of students and classes at least 7 days prior to attending. Schools will be charged based on the number of students confirmed or number of students who attend on the day (whichever is greater). 

Risk assessment Risk management plan
Tracks

View the YouTube track overview videos.

Buffalo Creek Track

Doyle and Warada loop track

Welfare

Participants will be bushwalking during the day in rugged terrain.

Limited wheelchair accessibility.

This excursion may not be suitable for people who have recently been unwell.

Bring

Backpack, medication, low-waste food, water bottle, sunblock, raincoat, hat, sturdy shoes.

Students wear reusable name tag and sports uniform.

Students need to bring their own teddy or soft toy.

View

Preparing for an excursion

Supporting resources

Student activities

Social story

The Needs of Living Things - Animals - available free from Apple Books

Fact sheets

Bin access

All student waste to be taken home by students.

Parent/carer helpers One or two parents per class, no siblings. Closed shoes essential.
Medical or special needs

Notify Field of Mars staff prior to excursion. 

Students, staff and visitors must not attend if unwell, even with mild symptoms. 

Extreme or wet weather

Days predicted to be above 35ºC, high winds, extreme bush fire danger and dust storms may result in the excursion being modified, postponed or cancelled.

Cancellations

Cancellations with less than 30 working school days notice will incur a $600 administration fee. 

Cancellations with less than 7 working school days notice will incur the full cost for the program based on the original booking. 

Cancellations due to weather or fire danger are exempt from fees. 


Essential pre-excursion preparation

Important documentation

  • Read the letter from Edward, Chief Teddy, to the students. 

  • Student lunches need to be in a suitable lunchbox for protection during picnic set up.


Suggested timetable for up to four classes

Time

Classes A, B

Classes C, D

9.45 - 10.20

Welcome and Big Book Introduction Story

Fruit break and toilets

10.20 - 11.10

Teddy bear tag and musical trees games

Earth bushwalk

11.10 - 11.30

Recess

11.30 - 12.20

Earth bushwalk

Teddy bear tag and musical trees games

12.20 - 12.50

P.A.W.S clue walk

12.50 - 1.30

Picnic lunch

1.30 - 2.00

The Old forest story and Create a forest (optional)

2.00 - 2.15

Pack up, toilet and depart


Learning activities

Throughout the day students will learn to nurture respect for the natural world through first hand contact, understand  how living things obtain their needs of life from the environment and what those needs are and to make a positive contribution to caring for the environment that is at a level appropriate to their age.

Key question

  • What are the needs of living things?

Fieldwork

Earth walk

The focus of the bushwalk is to immerse the students in nature and develop sensory awareness of the bushland environment. Students will explore the features, colours and sounds of the bush through sensory activities such as touching textures, listening to bird calls, matching colours and smelling ‘whiff tea’.

Teddy bear tag

This game reinforces the needs of life: Plants for food, Air, Water, Shelter. Through a game of ‘tag’, each ‘bear’ or pair of ‘bear siblings’ collects four students wearing badges, one of each P-A-W-S, so that they have all the needs of life. 

Musical trees

This game reinforces the importance of trees in providing the needs of life. Students as ‘bears’ dance around, and when the music stops, every bear goes to a ‘tree’. ‘Chainsaw Charlie’ sneakily cuts down trees until the bears stop him. The students discuss the importance of trees and replant those cut down.

Teddy bears’ picnic

Student groups (with an adult) will follow clues leading them on a trail to discover what the teddies need to survive in the bush. The route will lead them to a surprise picnic lunch spot under the trees.

The old forest story

The students will be told a story about a forest that is cleared. Students suggest actions that could be taken to provide for the animals’ needs of life. 

Create a forest

Working in groups, students use natural materials and plastic animals to create a model habitat for Australian animals. This activity may be omitted if time is short.



Syllabus outcomes and content

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024) 

Observations and questions spark curiosity

Outcomes

  • Identifies and describes characteristics of living things, properties of materials, and movement STE-SCI-01 
  • Poses questions based on observations to collect data STE-PQU-01 

Content

Living things have characteristics that help them survive in their environment

  • Identify and use tools to aid and extend sensory observations
  • Describe how living things get air, water and energy to survive in their environment

  • Recognise that plants produce their own food, and animals need to find their food

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


Syllabus outcomes and content

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017) 

Living world

Outcome

  • explores the characteristics, needs and uses of living things STe-3LW-ST 

Content

Characteristics and basic needs of living things

  • recognise that living things have basic needs including air, food and water

  • compare the basic needs of some plants and animals

Using living things as food and fibre

  • recognise that plants and animals can be used as food, or materials (fibres) for clothing and shelter 

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, 2017