Outdoor Education

Objectives of Module

Be equipped with the knowledge and skills for building shelters and gain ideas on how to teach the module in a school environment
Gain understanding on how to integrate the 3 strands of OE in PE during shelter building lessons
Understand the relevance of shelter building as a outdoor living skill

The Outdoor Education framework depicts the 3 strands of OE in PE and the contexts in which the knowledge and skills will be applied.

Shelter Building

WHY learn Shelter Building?

Students are encouraged to develop healthy living habits and head outdoors to explore and play. Students will have opportunities to build shelters to keep themselves safe and comfortable while developing relevant outdoor competencies. The following are some reasons for learning shelter building:

Develop environmental and site awareness in the outdoors when building shelters
Develop safe and sustainable practices in the outdoors when building shelters
Pitch tents for resting and sleeping during overnight camping experiences
Build a temporary shelter over the outdoor BBQ pit, store personal belongings and seek shade during a picnic.

The following are the shelter building module learning outcomes from the 2014 PE Syllabus:

Apply key principles and considerations of setting up shelters appropriate for intended use
Identify hazards through the use of simplified risk assessment tool and manage risks to protect self and others
Demonstrate care for school and its neighbourhood
Appreciate the relationships between self, the school, and the environment.

types of shelter to build

Tent

Need to stay for the night and make your stay comfortable and safe.
Can be anchored down securely and can protect us from the weather elements and wildlife around the campsite.

Temporary Shelter

Recreational purpose e.g. picnic
Useful when caught in a sudden downpour or just stopping to prepare and eat a meal before continuing the journey.

General anatomy of a temporary shelter

Site selection for building shelters

Site selection for building temporary shelter or tent pitching is critically important for safety reasons.
Proper identification of site for shelter building will allow us to have a location that is safe and convenient to rest well and comfortably.

Knots Tying

Purpose of Knots and Hitches

Knots and hitches are key to building strong and stable shelters by securing the components of the shelter and anchoring the shelter to the ground and/or to other anchors (e.g. poles, railings, trees).
A good knot/hitch holds (does not slip) and is easy to untie or loosen when necessary. Knowing the right uses of the knots/hitches will also help to preserve the rope and prevent damage to the shelter equipment.

Overhand Knot (Thumb Knot)

The simplest of the single strand stopper knots, the Thumb Knot is one of the most fundamental knots.

Clove Hitch

Temporary camping knot that holds something in place that would not put much stress on the rope (e.g. tying back tree branches, attaching gear to a carabiner or other suspended objects, such as hanging cooking pots and pans). It should not be used to hold something securely in place.

Round Turn and Two Half Hitches

Anchoring the ridge line to quickly secure the end of the rope to the anchor point.

Reef Knot

To tie and secure two bunches of objects together or lengthen the rope by joining 2 ropes of the same thickness.

Shelter Building

We will need the following equipment:

2 x 1.2m dowel poles
2 x ground sheet
8 x pegs

Roll of twine that is self-measured and cut into the following lengths:

1 x 2.5m
4 x 2m
4 x 1m

How to measure?

Steps to building a Basha:

Step 1:

Using the 2.5m twine, connect 2 dowel poles that are 2m apart at waist height. You can secure it with a clove hitch.

(Why do you think the shelter should be at our waist height?)

Knot Used: Clove Hitch

Step 2:

Secure both poles into the ground. Ensure tautness on the ridge line.

Knot Used: Clove Hitch

Step 3:

Using a clove hitch, secure each dowel pole with 2 guy lines (2 m ropes) from the ridge line height.

Knot Used: Clove Hitch

Step 4:

Secure the other side of the line to the peg using a round turn and 2 half hitches. Pull it to the ground at a 45-degree angle and peg it into the ground.

Knot Used: Round Turn and 2 Half Hitches

Step 5:

Drape the groundsheet over the ridge. The centre eyelet of the long edge of the ground sheet should rest on the ridge line.

Step 6:

Using a thumb knot or clove hitch, tie a twine (1m) to each corner of the ground sheet. On the other end of the same twine, secure a peg using a round turn and 2 half hitches. Lastly, secure the basha to the ground by applying equal tension on all 4 pegs at a 45-degree angle and peg it into the ground. Ensure that the basha is taut. (Why does it have to be taut?)

Knot Used: Thumb Knot or Clove Hitch, Round Turn and 2 Half Hitches

Rubrics for Tent Pitching

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