Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

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

Digital woodlands excursion program

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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

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
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.

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

Eucalypt forest digital book - 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 three classes

Time

Classes A, B, C
9.45 - 10.30 Introduction - taking great photos
10.30 - 10.45 Recess
10.45 - 12.15 Field photography
12.15 - 12.45 Lunch
12.45 - 1.45 Photo finish - editing, printing and digital book creation
1.45 - 2.00 Photo gallery
2.15 Depart

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Digital woodlands excursion

Creative arts

Program

Students will be introduced to the techniques and methods of digital photography. They will create a portfolio of photographs nature in the Field of Mars Reserve. 

Learning intention

We are learning to represent the natural world through digital photography.

Activities

Introduction

Students will learn digital photography skills, techniques, and methodologies, including iPad photography, the rule of thirds, composition, and macro photography.

Field photography

Students will work collaboratively to select photo subjects, compose shots, and identify creative ways to express their photographs.

Photo finish

Students will review and edit their field photographs, creating a photo story using the Book Creator app. They will also select a photo to be printed. Printed images and frames will be delivered to school after the incursion.

Photo gallery

Students view a slide show of the day's best photographs and discuss the features and techniques used.

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Syllabus outcomes and content 

Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Visual Arts

Outcome

  • Makes artworks in intentional ways to represent ideas about their world, and explains ways artists are influenced by contexts and how artworks are interpreted by audiences CA3-VIS-01

Content

Making: Artists represent their world in intentional ways through their artmaking practice 

  • Represent ideas or perspectives of their world and intentions in own artmaking and practice
  • Apply understanding of materials, digital technologies and processes to represent intended ideas in artworks
  • Explore artistic conventions and ways to represent subject matter and ideas in compositions
  • Demonstrate safe artmaking practices with respect for physical, social, digital and cultural safety

Other syllabus links

Learning experiences will also support but not explicitly teach the following outcomes and content:

English K-10 syllabus (2022)

Outcome

  • Analyses representations of ideas in literature through narrative, character, imagery, symbol and connotation, and adapts these representations when creating texts EN3-UARL-01

Content

Imagery, symbol and connotation

  • Recognise recurring and universal symbols and imagery in literature, describe their meanings and experiment with symbol and imagery when creating texts

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Outcome

  • Uses evidence to explain how scientific knowledge can be used to develop sustainable practices ST3-SCI-01

Content

Living things may change over millions of years, in response to their environments

  • Examine and explain how the characteristics of flowers, fruit and seeds are adaptations for reproduction in plants

Creative Arts 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

English K–10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2022

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

Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus (2006)

Visual arts

Outcome

  • VAS3.1 investigates subject matter in an attempt to represent likenesses of thing in the world
    • closely observes details of things in the world and seeks to make artworks about these using various techniques such as proportion, perspective, composition, foreshortening 

Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2006

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Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

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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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