• Outdoor Ed Syllabus

    Introduction:

    Welcome to Outdoor Education, Wilsonville High School’s exciting offering in Physical Education. The course is designed to take advantage of the extensive variety of outdoor adventures that Oregon has to offer. Throughout the semester you will learn by participating and doing as we engage in many hands on activities. It is my goal that you will not only learn about the many recreational activities in our environment, but also about outdoor safety and how to become better stewards of our great outdoors.

    Expectations:

    1. Because this course involves your active engagement, participation is crucial to your success. The effort and participation you display throughout the semester will determine approximately 40% of your final grade. Many activities that we do will be very hard to make-up and may involve weekends. Regular attendance is a must!
    2. A positive attitude is essential because we will be trying many activities that may be new to you. Look at it as a great way to build new experiences and you will find it rewarding.
    3. Appropriate dress will be necessary on days when we go outside for activities. I will notify you in advance and you will need to bring proper clothing for the weather and the activity we will be doing. I will allow ample time for you to change both at the beginning and end of our class. We WILL be going outside in all kinds of weather, and yes, even if it is pouring down rain! We will discuss the appropriate gear for each activity throughout the semester, but generally you will need clothing that allows you to be active, maintain proper body temperature, and stay safe. For example, if it is cold and raining, you will need a waterproof jacket, a insulated mid-layer, and possibly boots instead of just a T-shirt and tennis shoes.
    4. At times, we will be in the classroom or porches doing research, and during those times standard classroom rules of behavior apply such as being on task and acting appropriately.
    5. Please see me when you miss a class so that either another student or I can fill you in on what you need to make-up. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed and complete the make-up.

     Units of Study:

    • Wilderness Medicine 1st Aid in the field
    • Land Navigation  geography, topographic maps, using a compass, orienteering
    • Outdoor Survival  types of gear and how to survive in the wilderness
    • Water Safety/SCUBA Introduction  practice water survival/safety and SCUBA dive in a pool
    • Rock Climbing
    • Snow Shoeing and winter safety
    • Fitness Training  get in shape for the outdoors

    Grading:

    • Class work
    •  Participation and Appropriate Dress
    • Performance Assessments
    • Written Tests and Final Exam

    Needs:

    • Athletic gear including comfortable tennis/hiking shoes.
    • Outdoor clothing including “grubbies” for field work and getting muddy and dirty.
    • Waterproof rain jacket, waterproof pants, gloves, and boots for snowshoe trip.
    • A first aid kit – you’ll be building one for class.
    • A bicycle in decent working condition. A helmet is mandatory regardless of age.

    Texts Used:

    The Complete Wilderness Training Book, Hugh McManners

    Deep Survival, Laurence Gonzales

     

    Have fun learning about the outdoors and have a rewarding semester!

     

    Mr. Michael Ryan