This course is designed for students interested in exploring the natural world. Students will have the opportunity to deepen their relationship and knowledge of the natural world, ecological processes, and careers rooted in sustainability. Classes will be structured around hands on activities and experiences in the form of projects and trips that apply skills and knowledge for safe environmentally responsible outdoor activities. The course recognizes that junior high students need to make sense of the world in a personal way, establishing a sense of self through personal challenges, and establishing new relationships with peers, others and the environment. Students learn to understand the consequences of human actions on environments. Through the study of environments in a variety of urban, rural and natural settings, these effects become evident. The course provides an opportunity for integrating personal experience and formal learning.

General Learner Outcomes

The student will:

1. Demonstrate basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for safe, comfortable outdoor experiences in all seasons 
2. Demonstrate understanding, respect and appreciation for self, others and their views 
3. Demonstrate awareness and appreciation of living things and understanding of basic ecological processes 
4. Demonstrate skill, judgment, confidence and sensitivity in a wide range of environmentally responsible activities in outdoor settings 
5. Develop knowledge and skills by investigating the effects of human lifestyles on environments 
6. Develop lifestyle strategies that foster contact with the natural world, encourage responsibility for local and global environments and encourage living in harmony with others.

Student Expectations

1. Be respectful and polite, arrive on time, be prepared for class, and try your best every day. 
2. Take responsibility for your learning. Engage in all class activities, ask for help, complete all learning tasks to reflect your  best effort, find out what you missed if absent, and communicate with your teacher about any concerns, questions, or issues that affect your learning. Conduct yourself as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct (Ian Bazalgette Student Handbook) at all times. 
3. Be prepared and meet all expectation required for off campus excursions. 
4. This course will provide the students with the opportunity to participate in a few outdoor activity based field trips some of which may have a small fee. More information and parent acknowledgement of risk forms will be sent home to parents about each specific trip closer to the trip dates. These costs resulting from transportation, service provider / user fees, equipment, food and some substitute teacher costs