Adventures in our backyards

Remote learning has presented some challenges to both teachers and students, particularly in practical subjects like Physical Education and Outdoor Education. Teaching staff in the Health and PE Faculty have regularly adapted and even maximised learning outcomes during remote learning.

In Nutrition for the Athlete, students needed to design a challenge that can be completed at home with minimal or no equipment. This could be a single workout or one that takes place over a series of days/weeks. Some examples that students came up with included:

• completing a 24km walk (Madi Doran)
• walking a marathon distance over a week (Lily Hall)
• 600 push-ups in a day (Aashere Manoj)
• 45km mountain bike ride over three days (Rye Orme)
• completing 100 free throws every day for a week (Riley Trewin)
• running 25km over five days (Jesse Wade).

It was great to see the students find something they were interested in and challenge themselves.

To maximise the opportunities for our students, and to try and keep Outdoor Education from becoming ‘Indoor Education’, the Year 10 students were challenged to come up with a backyard adventure. Students were given some examples of people who had completed such adventures and were encouraged to follow the COVID-19 restrictions in place for metropolitan Melbourne but still go out and learn through experience. They had to think of an adventure, plan what gear they needed and then record their experience through a photo story. 

Below are some examples of what our Year 10 Outdoor Education students planned and photos (in the gallery below) of their adventures:

The goal for my adventure is to reach the top of the hill with my bike. At the very top the city is visible through the trees. My goal is to reach that point. Many obstacles such as logs and fallen trees, a creek, and steep muddy slopes are in my way.
— Harvey Cutler (10 Orange)

My goal is to camp in my backyard, to just sleep outside — which is a bit of a change since we haven't been camping in ages due to COVID-19.
— Ally Smart (10 White) (photo is above)

My backyard adventure is a bike circuit around my local park. My goal is to complete this with two of my friends. The circuit is roughly 900m around and we aim to do it three times each and timing each of our rides. The park is 11km from my house. Throughout the circuit, we must complete one task each: find a native bird, identify a deciduous tree, find another animal (not a bird). These challenges will allow us to become more in touch with the native flora and fauna that surround our houses.
— Ollie Tisbury (10 White)

My goal is to walk a marathon over the span of two days.
— Jordan Potts (10 Gold)

My backyard adventure involves camping out in the backyard. Even though I have slept in a tent many times before, I haven't slept in my backyard so this will be a new experience. I plan to observe and listen to the sounds.
— Oscar Lyons (10 Purple)

My goal is to slap that big green water tower at the top of Mooroolbark. To do this I have to search for an entrance to the area, spending a few days walking or running around that tower looking for a spot to let me in.
— Mitch Payne (10 Silver)

I'm trying to find a butterfly around my garden and notice where they usually are located.
— Olivia Spence (10 Bronze)