Earlier in October Grade 5 students headed to Goldstream Provincial Park as part of their Outdoor Education program. It was an opportunity to spend the day with nature, surrounded by the trees, while learning skills like archery, how to use a compass, the art of camouflage and how to build a fire.
“My favourite part of the day is watching the students work together and encourage one another while lighting their fires,” said Jamie Pope, Outdoor Education teacher and Specialist at the Junior School. “Lighting a fire with flint and steel is not an easy task. It takes good preparation of materials and perseverance.”
The Junior School Outdoor Education program takes students for an outdoor learning opportunity at least half a day per week per grade, while taking advantage of the Oak Bay-based campus’ close proximity to beaches and parks. Each day comes with its own goal of how to help students step out of their comfort zones and work together, all while finding connections to reinforce classroom learning.
At Goldstream, Grade 5 students explored a game of ‘camouflage’ and how to hide amongst the trees and lush forest floor. The game, a variation of hide and seek, requires the seeker to find their classmates without actually moving from their starting location.
Through various prompts, those in hiding must quickly complete challenges like “gathering food” or “escaping a wildfire” which require them to change their original hiding spot– much like animals who call the forest their home must do.
In the real life game of hide and seek, humans developed tools to help them in their forested pursuits, which the Grade 5 class got to experience first hand.
“My favourite part of today was archery,” shared Grade 5 student Sienna. “I’ve done archery before in Survival Skills Club and today I was able to aim and take down the [stuffed animal] raccoon!”
Each student could take away something different from the day.
“I learned how to be better at using a compass today,” said Manu, who truly felt the benefit of learning survival skills. “I wasn’t that good at it before, but our teachers were so helpful in teaching me.”
