Curriculum

Teaching

The Collin County Adventure Camp instructors can teach all classes and activities. Many activities require a CCAC instructor to teach or be present for risk management purposes. Classroom teachers may teach some of the classes if they choose, as this draws a link between the indoor and outdoor classroom. We can provide written material for all classes upon request.

Core Classes

The core classes listed below are currently being taught at Collin County Adventure Camp. Each year classes are reviewed and revised based upon changes to local, state, and national standards as well as specific needs of the students we serve. Classes are generally 2-2.5 hours long.

During a traditional 3-day/2-night outdoor school program, teachers will choose 4 of the core classes listed below. During a traditional 2-day/1-night outdoor school program, teachers will choose 3 of the core classes. During a traditional 1-day outdoor school program, teachers will choose 2 of the core classes. Specialty classes or recreational classes can be substituted for core classes at the request of the lead teacher or school administrator.

Water Lab

Students learn about watersheds, the water cycle, and aquatic food webs by using nets, strainers and microscopes to discover macro-invertebrates and their roles in pond ecology.

Learning Targets:

I can use different scientific processes to identify macro organisms.
I can describe the health of the lake by the type of macro organisms living in the lake.
I can identify stages of complete and incomplete metamorphosis.

Water Lab is paired with canoeing and/or fishing to fulfill the 2.5 hour time allotted for class.

Exploring the Land

Students explore the biodiversity of the prairie and forest to identify a suitable place to settle and survive. Activities include biodiversity survey, erosion and deposition demonstration, soil profile, model shelter- and fire-building.

Learning Targets:

I can describe the importance of biodiversity.
I can describe the layers of the soil and the make-up of each of the layers.
I can explain the effects of erosion and deposition.
I can describe the characteristics of an area of land that man needs in order to survive.

Forest Adventure

Students hike through the forest and learn how forest organisms adapt to forest conditions, interact as an ecosystem, and how the ecosystem changes over time. Students learn basic tree identification, the carbon dioxide/oxygen cycle, and how man can and has affected the environment.

Learning Targets:

I can describe how inherited traits help organisms survive in their environment.
I can describe how succession impacts the ecosystems and give examples of ecotones.
I can give examples of the effects of weathering.
I can describe how the carbon dioxide/oxygen cycle and photosynthesis help trees and plants survive and thrive.

Outdoor Language Arts

Students will read nature-inspired poems and quotes along the trails and brainstorm ideas for their own poems. Students will review poetic techniques, figurative language, and poetic structure. Students will create their own nature-inspired poems.

Learning Targets:

I can understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry.
I can provide evidence from the text to support my understanding.
I can analyze how poets use sound effects to reinforce meaning in poems.
I can write a poem using poetic techniques such as alliteration and onomatopoeia.
I can write a poem using figurative language such as similes and metaphors.
I can listen and interpret other students' poems.

Challenge Course

Led by a CCAC instructor, students participate in series of outdoor games and challenges designed to increase teamwork, problem-solving skills, and communication.

Learning Targets:

I can describe why it takes teamwork to accomplish a goal.
I can describe the characteristics of a good leader.

Challenge course is paired with archery to fulfill the 2.5 hour time allotted for class. For school groups larger than 100 students who select climbing wall as a recreational option, challenge course will be paired with climbing wall.

Night Activities

The night activities listed below are available for your group as evening programs. A traditional 3-day/2-night program will select two night activities from the list below. A traditional 2-day/1-night program will select one night activity. Night activities generally start at dusk and are 1.5 hours long.

Nature Scene Investigation

Students investigate crime scenes of nature based on evidence found at each crime scene (fur, scat, and other evidence). Students use identification charts, critical thinking, and problem solving to solve the environmental crimes.

NSI is usually paired with group games to fulfill the 1.5 hour time allotted for the class.

Night Hike and Star Gazing

Groups take a nighttime hike with the intent of getting to know nature in the darkness, activating different senses than during their daily hikes. Activities emphasize sensory awareness and note differences between daytime and nighttime observations. Instructors will also point out seasonal constellations and tell folk stories about the stars and constellations.