Compass Outdoor Education

Level 3 Program

Compass Outdoor Education - Level 3 Fall Semester

Date: September 10th 2022 to December 17th 2022

Time: 9:30-11:30am, 12:30-2:30pm, 2:40-4:40pm

Date of Birth: 2015 to 2016

  • Term 1

    Students learn how living things sense and respond to their environment. They will explore different natural spaces and learn to expand their senses and read patterns in different ecosystems! Students will begin to inquire about the history and culture in our community as we begin to identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information. In our sessions we learn how to create a deeper connection with nature.

  • Term 2

    Students will explore the following big ideas: wind, water, and how glaciers change the shape of the land. We learn about wilderness survival skills and engage in theatre and storytelling workshops. Further, students will engage in activities to deepen their understanding of day and night patterns in the natural world (e.g. animals that are nocturnal and diurnal). Students will learn about forms of energy and how they can be produced and transferred.

  • Term 3

    Students will learn from the history and legends of Indigenous people to gain a greater perspective of the local environment. They will learn about the Medicine Wheel and The Four Sacred Corners. We reflect on the ways knowledge has been shared through art, music and storytelling. Students will explore the biodiversity in our community gardens. Through inquiring about ecological indicators in our spaces, we learn why it is important to learn form the past to grow and heal and what makes a healthy ecological space.

  • Term 4

    Students will learn to identify characteristics of local plants, animals and fungi in the tide pool ecosystems. We learn that biomes are regions grouped by similar temperature and precipitation (e.g., climate: long-term weather patterns) terrestrial biomes. We develop our understanding of aquatic and marine biomes when visiting our local tide pools.

Shape of the Day

We start our day joining in Community Circle time. Students share their experiences and complex findings with the group, participate in team-building challenges and inquire about the world through environmental research.

Next, we purposefully explore the natural space and head on a Walking Challenge. The walking-based curriculum helps us develop our sense of collaboration, adaptation, and risk-taking.

Third, students break off into learning groups. In learning groups, students are introduced to Project Based Learning (PBL). Students have the opportunity to explore the BC curriculum content through an inquiry, group work, documentation, and experimental learning approaches.

Following our focused learning activity time, we slow our minds and find our Magic Sit Spots. During this time we reflect and track our newly acquired knowledge in nature journals. Finally, we end our day in unstructured exploratory and reflection time (e.g. arts centers, field guide challenges and design time).