Life cycles excursion program

Teacher checklist

Main location	Field of Mars Reserve, Pittwater Road, East Ryde Wallumedegal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Field of Mars Reserve bus information No bus entry into Field of Mars Reserve.
	Field of Mars Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview videos. Buffalo Creek track Doyle and Warada loop track
Alternate location	Buffalo Creek Reserve, 117 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill Wallumedegal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Buffalo Creek bus information. No bus entry into Buffalo Creek Reserve carpark.
	Buffalo Creek Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview videos. Sugarloaf Point loop track
Cost	2025 DoE $25 per student - GST free 2025 Non-gov school cost $35 per student - GST free, minimum charge $750 Term 1 - Catholic school Weeks 3 to 7 cost = DoE cost - 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).
Welfare	Participants will be bushwalking during the day in rugged terrain. Limited wheelchair accessibility. Email to confirm with location. 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.
View	Preparing for an excursion
Supporting resources	Student activities Social story – Watch it grow Phasmids - available free from Apple Books Fact sheets
Bin access	All student waste to be taken home by students.
Parent/carer helpers	Optional one parent 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.

Suggested timetable for up to four classes

Time	Classes A, B, C	Classes D, E, F
9.45 - 10.30	Introduction, recess and toilets	Introduction, recess and toilets
10.30 - 12.00	Bushwalk	Invertebrate investigation Build a bug
12.00 - 12.30	Lunch	Lunch
12.30 - 2.00	Invertebrate investigation Build a bug	Bushwalk
2.00 - 2.15	Pack up, toilets and depart	Pack up, toilets and depart

Learning activities

Students will learn about the features of plants and animals and how they change throughout their life cycle.

Key questions

How do animals and plants change during their life cycles?
How can we record and describe life cycle changes?

Fieldwork

Bushwalk

The bushwalk will traverse several environments. Along the way students will undertake a variety of sensory activities to observe plants and animals during different stages of their life cycles. Some plants and animals will only be found in one or two life stages so visual props will also be used.

Invertebrate investigation

Students will work in small groups to search for and collect invertebrates in the gardens around the education centre. Collected specimens will then be examined and identified using magnifiers and ID charts. Some will be magnified onto the large screen and their life cycle stage and features examined.

Build a bug

The session will be introduced with invertebrates from the centre’s collection and their various life stages examined. Students will choose a stage of growth of an invertebrate and construct their own model out of clay and other natural materials.

Please bring along some tote trays to transport clay invertebrates back to school.

Syllabus outcomes and content

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Investigations of changes provide knowledge and understanding

Outcomes

Poses questions based on observations and information to investigate cause and effect ST1-PQU-01
Measures and describes changes in living things, materials, movement, Earth and the sky ST1-SC1-01

Content

Living things change over time

Collect data about the variety of living things in a local habitat, group them and justify the groupings
Describe the changes in a plant as it grows using data and scientific models
Describe the changes in an animal as it goes through its life cycle using data and scientific models

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

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017)

Living world

Outcomes

observes, questions and collects data to communicate and compare ideas ST1-1WS-S
describes observable features of living things and their environments ST1-4LW-S

Content

External features of living things

describe the external features of a variety of living things

Living things change

explore how living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves

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

Return to program summary

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

address Field of Mars Reserve
Pittwater Road
East Ryde NSW 2112

telephone 02 9816 1298

email fieldofmar-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Get directions

Life cycles excursion program

Teacher checklist

Suggested timetable for up to four classes

Time

Classes A, B, C

Classes D, E, F

Learning activities

Syllabus outcomes and content

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

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