Location | Field of Mars Reserve, Pittwater Road, East Ryde. Wallumedegal Country |
Bus access | Supply bus driver with Field of Mars Reserve bus information No bus entry into Field of Mars Reserve. |
Cost | 2023 DoE $24 per student - GST free 2023 Non-gov school cost $34 per student - GST free, minimum charge $600 |
Risk assessment | |
Tracks | View the YouTube track overview videos. |
Welfare | Participants will be bushwalking during the day in rugged terrain. 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, mask. Students wear reusable name tag and sports uniform. |
View | |
Supporting resources | The Needs of Living Things - Animals - available free from Apple Books |
Bin access | All student waste to be taken home by students. |
Parent/carer helpers | Optional one or two parents per class, no siblings. Closed shoes essential. Check COVID-19 restrictions. |
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 three school weeks; notice will incur a $500 administration fee. This does not apply to cancellations due to weather, fire danger or COVID-19 restrictions. |
Time |
Classes A, B |
Classes C, D |
9.45 - 10.30 | Introduction, recess and toilets |
Introduction, recess and toilets |
10.30 - 12.00 | Waddle Giggle Gargle story and activities |
Bird habitat bushwalk Build a giant bird nest |
12.00 - 12.30 | Lunch |
Lunch |
12.30 - 2.00 | Bird habitat bushwalk Build a giant bird nest |
Waddle Giggle Gargle story and activities |
2.00 - 2.15 | Toilets, pack up and depart |
Toilets, pack up and depart |
This excursion focuses on birds, their characteristics, needs, behaviours and the environment in which they live. Students will explore the bird habitat at the Field of Mars Reserve and participate in role play activities to investigate bird behaviours.
Inquiry questions
Fieldwork
Waddle Giggle Gargle story and activities
Waddle Giggle Gargle by Pamela Allen depicts the distinctive behaviours of magpies as they swoop, nest and feed their young. The story will launch student investigations into bird behaviour and their external features. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the external features of birds by building a small bird out of clay. They will then role play bird behaviours by building a small nest for their bird and collecting woolly worms to feed their chicks.
Bushwalk
Students will participate in a bushwalk at the Field of Mars Reserve to explore the many different bird habitats found in the Sydney bushland. They are certain to see some of the many bird inhabitants of the reserve such as wood ducks, ibis, kookaburras, swamp hens, brush turkeys and wrens.
Build a giant bird nest
Students also have the opportunity to plan and build a giant bird’s nest using the abundant natural materials in our nature play space. Using role play, students will be invited to use their nests and this nature play space to demonstrate their understanding of bird behaviour such as finding food, feeding young and evading predators.
Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017)
Outcomes
A student:
Content
Characteristics and basic needs of living things
A student:
recognises that living things have basic needs including air, food and water (ACSSU002)
compares the basic needs of some plants and animals
participates in guided investigations to identify living things and the external features of plants and animals in the local environment
communicates findings and observations of living things in their environment
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
address
Field of Mars Reserve
Pittwater Road
East Ryde NSW 2112
telephone 02 9816 1298
We’d like to acknowledge the Wallumedegal Peoples of the Darug Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we stand and pay our respects to Elders past and present.
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