Outdoor Adventure Program

Program Structure

The Outdoor Adventure Program runs weekly, with optional weekend campouts or workshops to deepen the experience. Activities are designed to be engaging, age-appropriate for Grades 5–8, and adaptable to different skill levels. Students work in small groups to promote peer learning and leadership, tackling challenges that blend fun with practical skill development. The program features six themes, each focusing on a key aspect of outdoor survival.

Building Resilience and Teamwork

Key Objectives:

• Build mental and physical resilience to face challenges.
• Stay calm and make smart decisions in emergencies or when lost.
• Learn basic first aid, such as stopping bleeding, treating minor burns, and splinting injuries.

Activities:

• Tackle team-building challenges like obstacle courses or trust exercises to boost resilience and group cohesion.
• Role-play survival scenarios (e.g., prioritizing tasks when lost) to practice decision-making.
• Practice first aid techniques in small groups, such as bandaging or splinting mock injuries.

Skills Covered: Objectives 1–6, 188–190, 195–197.

Gear and Preparation

Key Objectives:

• Assemble a personal survival kit with essential items.
• Choose clothing and footwear suited for different environments.
• Pack gear efficiently for outdoor adventures.
• Create environment-specific kits (e.g., jungle, arctic, desert).

Activities:

• Build and showcase a personal survival kit using items like rope, water bottles, and matches.
• Test clothing layers in outdoor simulations (e.g., cold-weather walks).
• Practice packing a backpack for a group hike, focusing on balance and accessibility.

Skills Covered: Objectives 7–19.

Campsite and Shelter Building

Key Objectives:

• Select and organize a safe, functional campsite.
• Build shelters using natural materials or tarps.
• Set up a safe outdoor kitchen and maintain campsite hygiene.
• Use camouflage to conceal shelters or gear.

Activities:

• Construct small-scale shelters in groups using ropes, tarps, and branches.
• Set up a model campsite with areas for cooking, sleeping, and hygiene.
• Practice minimal-impact cleanup to leave the campsite pristine.

Skills Covered: Objectives 20–38.

Fire and Outdoor Cooking

Key Objectives:

• Build and light a fire safely using twig bundles and other materials.
• Follow fire safety and extinguishing protocols.
• Cook and bake using campfire methods.
• Explore food preservation techniques.

Activities:

• Build and light a small fire (supervised, using matches or flint) in a firepit.
• Cook fun meals like foil packets or s’mores over a campfire.
• Experiment with food preservation by drying fruits or making mock jerky.

Skills Covered: Objectives 39–54.

Water and Food Sourcing

Key Objectives:

• Understand the importance of water and locate natural sources.
• Purify water through filtering or boiling.
• Identify edible plants and avoid poisonous ones.
• Learn sustainable food sourcing, like fishing or foraging basics.

Activities:

• Build a water filter using sand, charcoal, and cloth.
• Join a guided foraging walk to identify safe plants (led by trained instructors).
• Practice knot-tying for fishing nets or traps in group challenges.

Skills Covered: Objectives 55–87.

Navigation and Exploration

Key Objectives:

• Navigate using maps, compasses, sun, and stars.
• Measure distances and find direction in various terrains.
• Embrace safe travel techniques and a spirit of exploration.

Activities:

• Participate in an orienteering course using maps and compasses.
• Create a sun compass and practice shadow-based navigation.
• Go on a group hike with navigation challenges to test skills.

Skills Covered: Objectives 88–114.

Tools and Practical Skills

Key Objectives:

• Use knives, ropes, and other tools safely and effectively.
• Tie essential knots and make cordage for survival tasks.
• Craft items like feather sticks, wooden spoons, tongs, or staffs.
• Practice basic emergency strategies, like signaling or barricading.

Activities:

• Compete in knot-tying challenges to master essential knots.
• Carve feather sticks or wooden spoons using knives (under strict supervision).
• Create cordage from plant fibers or rope during outdoor sessions.
• Simulate emergency signaling with mirrors or smartphones.

Skills Covered: Objectives 115–183.

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