Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre logo

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

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

Poetic adventures program

Teacher checklist

Location

Field of Mars Reserve, Pittwater Road, East Ryde

Wallumedegal Country

Google maps - Apple maps

Bus access

Supply bus driver with Field of Mars Reserve bus information

No bus entry into Field of Mars Reserve.

Cost

DoE $24 per student - GST free

Non-gov school $34 per student - GST free, minimum charge $700

Term 1 - Catholic school Weeks 3 to 7 cost = DoE cost - GST free, minimum charge $700

Risk assessment

Risk management plan

COVID-19 safety plan

Tracks

View the YouTube track overview videos. 

Buffalo Creek Track

Doyle and Warada loop track

Welfare

Participants will be bushwalking during the day in rugged terrain.

Limited wheelchair accessibility.

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 digital book - available free from Apple Books

English textual concepts website

NSW Department of Education English support site

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 four school weeks' notice will incur a $500 administration fee. This does not apply to cancellations due to weather or fire danger.


Suggested timetable for up to three classes

Time

Classes A, B, C, D

9.45 - 10.15 Introduction
10.15 - 10.30 Recess
10.30 - 10.45 Equipment distribution
10.45 - 12.45

Poetic adventures

- location scouting

- poem development

- macro photography

12.45 - 1.15 Lunch
1.15 - 2.00 iMovie studio - Visuals and audio
2.00 - 2.15 Pack up and depart


Learning activities

During this program students will collaborate on the development of a digital communication product using a range of apps, poetic devices and visual literacy strategies.

Students will develop environmental vocabulary and use the English textual concept of perspective to create a five senses poem based on the experiences of a minifigure. They will learn how to take high quality macro photographs and create a digital story to bring their poem to life. 

Poetic adventures - composing

During this session the students will walk to a variety of locations in the Field of Mars Reserve.

At each location students will work in pairs to compose a sentence for their poem from the perspective of their minifigure. They will be exposed to a range of descriptive words that describe bushland locations and objects in nature. 

Students will be introduced to macro photography and how to compose shots using visual literacy skills to illustrate their poem. 

Publishing

During this session students will review and edit images taken in the field. Using iMovie or a similar app the students will develop a sequence of images to support their poem. They will narrate their poem, add titles and select a complementary soundtrack. Completed products will be sent back to school via Google Drive.



Syllabus outcomes and content

English K-10 Syllabus (2022)

Outcomes

Vocabulary

  • Extends Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary through interacting, wide reading and writing, morphological analysis and generating precise definitions for specific contexts EN3-VOCAB-01

Creating written texts

  • Plans, creates and revises written texts for multiple purposes and audiences through selection of text features, sentence-level grammar, punctuation and word-level language EN3-CWT-01

Content

Vocabulary

  • Identify newly encountered words from interactions and wide reading, and use them in writing, discussions and presentations

Creating written texts

  • Choose literary forms with appropriate text structures, features and language to engage target audiences
  • Experiment with the development of thematic elements
  • Select and use poetic forms to descriptively express ideas

English textual concept - perspective

Students understand that perspectives may differ and that these differences need to be considered

They learn that:

  • perspective may be expressed in different ways including the values expressed and the form of expression.

Other syllabus links

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

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2018)

Living World

Geography K-10 Syllabus (2015)

A diverse and connected world

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.

Geography K-10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2015

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

English textual concepts © NSW Department of Education, 2016