Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

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

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