Level 1 Outdoor Pursuits (L1OED)

Overview

Level 1 Outdoor Pursuits is our course that gives students an introduction to outdoor education.  Learning will take place through a mixture of theory and practical instruction sessions, classroom discussion and activity reviews. One afternoon per week is available for practical lessons during most weeks of each term. 

The course themes of teamwork, organisation, self-responsibility, communication skills and goal setting are all introduced and reinforced through each activity. Each experience is reviewed to gain further understanding of our achievements and discoveries. There are no formal prerequisites and you do not need to have any outdoor experience to do this course. This course will help students discover basic skills and knowledge related to outdoor pursuits, allowing the student to carry on with further study in other Outdoor Pursuits courses. In addition, it will help the student discover an understanding of how people value our environment differently and allowing them to start developing their own values in relation to the outdoors. 

What will I learn?

The main overriding theme of the course is the personal and social development of the student through the provision of adventurous and challenging activities in a wide variety of environmental and social contexts.

• • Rock-climbing: Students get to try bouldering, top roping, belaying and abseiling.

  • Canyoning: A taster experience of canyoning in Haast Pass.

  • Mountain biking: an introduction to recreational biking on Wanaka’s many bike trails. Visits to Bike Glendhu are planned.

  • Navigation and orienteering: An introduction to map reading using basic orienteering or rogaine courses.

  • Nordic skiing: A cross country skiing experience is provided at the Snow Farm including an optional overnight trip to Musterers Hut. 

  • Skiing and Snowboarding: An optional 5-week programme at Cardrona, with opportunity for assessment in snowsports Unit standards. Alternate study options arranged for students who do not do this option. 

  • Camping & Tramping: Skills in camping and environmental care assessed in conjunction with optional overnight trips and/or a selection of day tramps. 

  • Canoeing: Canadian style canoes are used for trips on Lake Wānaka or the Upper Clutha river. 

  • Rafting: An introduction to rafting on the Clutha River.

Learning takes place through a mixture of theory and practical instruction sessions, classroom discussion and activity reviews. One afternoon per week is available for practical lessons on most weeks of the term.

The course themes of teamwork, organisation, self- responsibility, communication skills and goal setting are all introduced and reinforced through each activity. Each experience is reviewed to enable transference of learning back into future activities, or to other aspects of school life.

What should I have done already?

There are no formal pre-requisites. You do not need to have any outdoor experience to do this course. What you do need to have is a positive attitude and a commitment to demonstrating safe and responsible behaviours. 

How do I apply for a place in Outdoor Pursuits?

There are limited places available to do Outdoor Pursuits at MAC as class numbers and sized are limited to ensure we can offer a safe programme. 

Students who wish to be considered for a place in an OP class need to select it as a preferred course in their subject choices. If we need to select students who will be offered places in OP then we will consider things such as aptitude for OP, fortnightly grade trends, attendance data, pastoral records and performance on EOTC and school camps. 

Sometimes timetable constraints may also prevent a student from doing OP. 

Students who are unsuccessful in being placed in an OP class in Year 11 will be given preferential consideration to enrol in OP in Year 12. 

Assessment outline