Focus Area 2: Planning and management

Learning experiences through outdoor activities and journeys in natural environments (refer to the learning framework for minimum requirements) enable students to explore nature and develop relationships that promote conservation, sustainability, and personal and social growth and development.

Through understanding nature, students are motivated to be environmentally engaged and to promote sustainable behaviour and practices in natural environments. The development of relationships with natural environments enables students to appreciate nature for its physical and emotional health-giving properties.

Students apply planning skills to support positive outdoor experiences in nature for themselves and others, through consideration of safety and risk-management practices.

Suggested learning activities

The following learning activities are suggestions only. Teachers may select suitable activities from this list, adapt these activities, or design their own:

• plan outdoor activities and journeys that develop safe positive, and health-enhancing experiences
• consider planning and preparation for the outdoors framed through the concept of education in, through, and about movement in the outdoors (Arnold, 1979¹)
• design one or more conservation strategies or sustainable practices for a specific location
• consider the economic, political, and social issues that impact on a wilderness area
• evaluate and reflect on personal experiences in natural environments
• consider and apply safety and risk-management strategies to support positive experiences with natural environments.

¹ Arnold, PJ 1979, Meaning in movement, sport and physical education, Heinemann, London