Ecosystem explorers excursion program

Teacher checklist

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
	Field of Mars Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview videos. Buffalo Creek track Doyle and Warada loop track Strangers Creek loop track
Alternative location 1	Buffalo Creek Reserve – 117 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill Wallumedegal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Buffalo Creek Reserve bus access. No bus entry into Buffalo Creek Reserve carpark.
	Buffalo Creek Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview video Sugarloaf Point loop track
Alternative location 2	STEP track via Canoon Road Recreation Area – Canoon Road, South Turramurra Terramerragal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Canoon Road Recreation Area bus access
	STEP Track risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview video STEP 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 been recently 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	Eucalypt Forest - available free from Apple Books Animal and plant 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 six classes

Time	Classes A, B, C, D, E, F
9.45 - 10.20	Introduction Toilets, recess, equipment bags distributed
10.20 - 1.20	Bushwalk and activities
1.20 - 1.40	Lunch on site
1.40 - 2.00	Concluding activity
2.00 - 2.15	Pack up and depart

Learning activities

Working as ecologists students will explore the ecosystem of the Field of Mars Reserve to identify features of an environment, different habitats and examples of living and non-living things.

Key questions

How are the needs of living things provided by Earth's systems?
What are the habitats and ecosystems within the Field of Mars Reserve?
What are the living and non living components of a habitat?
How do plants and animals depend on each other?

Fieldwork

Students will undertake a bushwalk though the Field of Mars Reserve.

As they walk through the forest ecosystem, the young ecologists will observe various habitats, recording the interactions between living organisms and their non-living surroundings.

Students will be given a field journal for the day that they will be able to take home. Using field journaling techniques students will observe different habitats to investigate how plants and animals interact with each other and the ecosystem around them. Field journaling activities will include sensory observation, invertebrate hunts and recording through sketching, watercolour and tallies.

Students will also work independently guided by task cards catering for a variety of learning styles. Teachers will be encouraged to take photographs for student use back in the classroom.

A concluding activity focusing on food chains and ecosystem relationships will conclude the day.

Syllabus outcomes and content

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Physical and living systems depend on energy

Outcomes

Uses information to investigate the solar system and the effects of energy on living, physical and geological systems ST2-SCI-01
Uses and interprets data to describe patterns and relationships ST2-DAT-01

Content

Living things depend on energy and materials to survive

Identify the systems of Earth that make up environments: air – atmosphere, land – lithosphere, water – hydrosphere, living things – biosphere
Describe how the needs of living things are provided by the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere
Describe the relationship between habitat, ecosystem and environment
Observe and describe living and non-living things in a habitat
Describe how Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ practices support habitats to survive
Describe the transfer of energy between plants and animals using food chains, Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary

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

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

Ecosystem explorers excursion program

Teacher checklist

Suggested timetable for up to six classes

Time

Classes A, B, C, D, E, F

Learning activities

Syllabus outcomes and content

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

General enquiries

Follow us