School Camps

This is the time of year that many schools head off to camp.

Camps and outdoor education experiences are great ways for a class to get to know each other, and to learn more about the landscape of New Zealand. They encourage team work and co-operation, and mix environmental, health, and physical education with fun.

If you are in the process of planning a school camp, visit some of the sites listed below to help you make your next camp a safe and positive experience for everyone involved.

EOTC and safety

Safety and EOTC: A good practice guide for New Zealand schools
This comprehensive resource provides a rationale, safety management process, legal obligations, and planning templates for a good EOTC programme.This resource replaces the 1995 EOTC Guidelines for Good Practice.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/eotc/resources/safety_e.php

Outdoor Education – what is it, and for what purpose?
This article discusses outdoor education in New Zealand, stressing the importance of offering frequent outdoor learning experiences and making the most of opportunities offered in the school grounds and local environment.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/health/pedagogy/outdoored_e.php

Safe As Outside
This website provides information about EOTC and how to plan for safe trips out of the classroom. The site includes relevant legislation, planning templates, and outdoor education guidelines.
http://www.safeoutside.org

In the Outdoors: Years 7-8
This website from The Curriculum in Action series, is designed for years 7 to 8. It includes learning experiences about safety, personal skills, and positive action in the outdoors.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/health/cia/outdoors/index_e.php

Ratios – More Than Just Numbers
This article discusses EOTC supervisor-student ratios and provides examples of how ratios were calculated for a variety of outdoor education experiences.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/health/eotc/outed_ratios_e.php

Taking Good Care of Ourselves
In this level 2-3 unit, intended for year 5, students will identify and use safe practices and basic risk strategies in orienteering, cycling, water safety and first aid.
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/good_care/home.html

Education Outdoors New Zealand
Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ) is the association for outdoor educators in New Zealand.
http://www.eonz.org

Environmental Education – Coast to the High Country
A website developed cooperatively by WWF-NZ and Canterbury organisations including Christchurch College of Education, to support teachers implementing the Ministry of Education Guidelines for Environmental Education in Schools. It includes educational services, programmes for schools, and student activities.
http://www.enved.org.nz

Outdoor Safety Institute
This website provides a range of safety resources available for download including a code of ethics for outdoor educators, a synopsis of New Zealand legislation relevant to outdoor recreation activities, and a risk analysis management system (RAMS).
http://www.risk.net.nz

Outdoors New Zealand
This website provides information for outdoor education including an information kit for teachers and parents entitled "Safe As". Gives contact details for organisations that provide programmes, training, and resources for outdoor educators.
http://www.outdoorassembly.org.nz

Things to do at camp

PhysEd/2/7 – B version 2
This assessment material entitled “Adventure Leadership” involves students using leadership roles, strategies, and theory in an outdoor adventure setting or activity.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ncea/physed2_7Bv2_30june02.doc

PhysEd/2/8 – A version 1
This assessment material entitled “Risk Management in the Outdoors” requires students to demonstrate knowledge of and apply safety management procedures and crisis management in an outdoor adventure activity.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ncea/physed2_8Av1_30dec01.doc

Camp cooking

HomeEc/1/1 – K version 3
This assessment material entitled “School Camp” involves students preparing a one-day food plan for a school camp and preparing and serving one meal from the plan.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ncea/homeec1_1Kv3_30june02.doc

Camp-associated activities

Let's Go Camping
In this level 1 unit intended for years 1 and 2, students are involved in developing camping skills. Students will be encouraged to share and record experiences using transactional writing.
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/kamp_kapers/home.html

Camp Evaluation – ICT PD Cluster Material 2000
This resource has a mathematics curriculum base, with a statistics focus. It includes the use of a spreadsheet, a database, and desktop publishing to present students' evaluations of a school camp.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ict/ictpd/camp_evalu_e.php

Places to visit

Department of Conservation – Showcase Areas
This part of the Department of Conservation website highlights the 13 conservancies where the public can see conservation work at its best. Among the areas profiled are Trounson kauri park, Tiritiri Matangi Island, Ruakuri caves scenic reserve, and the Otago central rail trail.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/Showcase-Areas/index.asp

Great Walks of New Zealand
This part of the Department of Conservation website provides information about walks in New Zealand including the Abel Tasman, Heaphy, Kepler, Lake Waikaremoana, Milford, and Routeburn tracks, the Tongariro northern circuit, and the Whanganui journey.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/CustomSummary.aspx?id=42468

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council
The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council develops and monitors training programmes, produces technical manuals, provides administrative support and information, and publicises outdoor safety. The website provides access to courses, resources, and local branch contacts.
http://www.mountainsafety.org.nz

New Zealand Tramper
A website about tramping in New Zealand. It includes information on tracks and where to tramp, articles, a noticeboard, and other links relevant to tramping.
http://www.tramper.co.nz

Project Adventure New Zealand
The Project Adventure New Zealand site includes an overview of the philosophy of adventure-based learning, information on a range of courses available and a contact for relevant resource material.
http://www.panz.org.nz

Please note: These links were valid when this page was posted. However the Web is very volatile, and TKI has no control over outside websites. Please let us know if you find anything inappropriate, if you find a broken link, or if you have an update for a link by emailing links@tki.org.nz. Te Kete Ipurangi recommends that teachers view all websites we link to before using them with students.

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