Experience water like you never have before! Join us for a 4-day experiential learning adventure in the Bow Valley Watershed. Earn 3 credits in a Locally Developed Course (LDC2492) while developing your moving water canoeing and leadship skills and investigating the impacts of water
REGISTER!General Water Experience 25 Course Information
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Water Experience 25 is a locally developed course offered by Canadian Rockies Public Schools.
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Water Experience 25 is open to students in Grade 10-12 students who have completed Water Experience 15.
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This is a 3-credit course with approximately 75 hours of instruction.
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Water Experience 25 can accommodate up to 16 students.
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Water Experience 15 is prerequisite course as is a basic level of physical fitness.
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Students are expected to provide their own outdoor clothing and footwear suitable for the activity. A gear list will be provided.
General Water Experience 25 Learning Outcomes
The objectives of this course are to build water navigation, aquatic ecosystem knowledge and leadership skills in a context of critical thinking. It also highlights best practice methods for inquiry research, problem solving, and analysis.
It is our intention that through this course students will:
- Display a level of familiarity with techniques and technology that allows them to confidently respond to emergency situations
- Demonstrate understanding of flatwater and moving water canoeing safety
- Develop familiarity with basic navigation and personal safety equipment
- Develop informed decision making skills and build leadership capacity
- Access and apply online risk management resources
The aforementioned skills will be delivered in the context of the following:
- Teach and model high quality best practice risk management skills across the outdoor education community
- Foster and appreciation for terrain diversity
- Appreciate the global nature of environmental issues
- Demonstrate appropriate use of multiple technologies
Lake and Moving Water travel
- technique development (Students have the opportunity to earn a Paddle Canada Certificate)
- terrain and hazard evaluation
- assessment of risk
- emergency situations
- trip planning
Knowledge and understanding
- water ecosystems and water quality testing
- the Rocky Mountain watersheds
- risk management process
Leadership and Social Skills
- communication skills
- community building and acceptance of others
- self-reflection
Appreciation and values
- stewardship
- role modeling
- active ambassadorship
Fitness
- personal water skills
- nutrition
- lifelong healthy lifestyle choices
Detailed Water Experience 25 Course Outline
*exact program activities, locations and timings of course elements are subject to change.
Online Course work |
|
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Duration |
Activity |
1 hour |
The Bow River and water diversion |
1 hour |
Water Ecology |
1 hour |
Water Quality and Measurement |
1 hour |
Water Recreation and Paddling Review |
1 hour |
Data analysis |
Day 1 |
|
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Time |
Activity |
8:45 am |
Arrival at Outdoor Learning Centre |
9:00 am |
Gear check and any rain gear. Startup briefing, setting the tone |
9:45 am |
River Rescue and Hazard Assessment Review |
10:15 am |
Bus to flat water |
12:30 pm |
Lunch |
1:30pm |
Strokes and maneuvers skill development |
3:00pm |
Water Quality Testing 1 |
4:00 pm |
Pack Up Equipment / Transport to CROLC |
4:30 pm |
Gear management / Journals / Free Time |
6:00 pm |
Dinner |
6:45 pm |
Trust Activity |
7:30 pm |
Trip planning |
8:30 pm |
Water Footprints Activity |
9:30 pm |
Campfire |
10:30pm |
Lights Out |
Day 2 |
|
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Time |
Activity |
7:00am |
Breakfast |
8:00 am |
Transport to river |
10:00 am |
Canoe Skills – on water activities |
11:00am |
Water Quality Testing 2 |
12:30 pm |
Bag lunch |
1:00 pm |
Canoe Skills continued |
3:00 pm |
Water Quality Testing 3 |
4:45 pm |
Pack up Gear/Dry off and change into dry clothes |
5:00 pm |
transport to CROLC |
5:45 pm |
Dinner |
6:45 pm |
Free Time / Journaling / Final Project |
7:10 pm |
Group Game |
7:40 pm |
Trip Planning |
9:30 pm |
Campfire |
10:30pm |
Lights Out |
Day 3 |
|
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Time |
Activity |
7:00 am |
Breakfast |
8:00 am |
Depart CROLC |
9:45 am |
Dam tour |
10:30am |
Water Quality Testing 4 |
11:45 am |
Skill Development - Paddling Day Trip |
12:30 pm |
Bag lunch |
1:30 pm |
Skill Development - Paddling Day Trip cont’d |
3:30pm |
Water Quality Testing 5 |
4:30 pm |
transport from to CROLC |
545 pm |
Dinner |
6:45 pm |
Free Time / Journaling |
6:45 pm |
Teach Back Topics |
7:45 pm |
Data Interpretation |
8:45 pm |
Trip Planning |
9:30 pm |
Campfire |
10:30pm |
Lights Out |
Day 4 |
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Time |
Activity |
7:30 am |
Breakfast |
8:30 am |
Transport to River |
9:30 am |
Water Quality Testing 6 |
11:00 am |
Paddling Day Trip and Assessment |
12:00 pm |
Water Quality Testing 7 |
12:30pm |
Bag lunch |
1:00pm |
Water Treatment Plant Tour |
1:45pm |
Water Quality Testing 8 |
2:00pm |
Solo Reflection and Closing Circle |
3:15 pm |
Pack Up Gear / Load Canoes |
3:30 pm |
Depart for home |
Water Experience 25 Assessment
Students will be given a variety of assignments throughout the Water Experience 25 course. Student work will be collected by the course administrator to be used to evaluate their learning. Some course work will be submitted using Google Classroom (online pre-course work), while other assignments (such as the Course Journal) will be completed on site. Online course assessments are valued at 40% of the final grade. Immersion participation, activities, and assignments are valued at 60% of the final grade.
Special resources, facilities or equipment necessary
Students will need access to a computer and sign in instructions for Google Classroom in order to complete the online course work. All trip accommodation, food, resources, and equipment is provided by the Canadian Rockies Outdoor Learning Centre.
Risk assessment and Safety
Training and Certification
Winter Travel 15 is facilitated by Canadian Rockies Public Schools teachers and/or outdoor professionals who possess current industry standard training and certifications and experience working with groups in the outdoors.
Water Environment
The water environment can present challenges with immersion in cold water and moving water related hazards. Gear lists will be issued to students prior to the course and will be checked upon arrival. Extra clothing and gear will be on hand for students to borrow in case of inadequate preparation. Students will be briefed thoroughly on the appropriate dress and layering technique for outdoor clothing, use of safety equipment, as well as hazard awareness and mitigation. Students will spend time practicing rescue scenarios.
Transportation
Transportation to and from the course start and end locations are the responsibility of the visiting school or student unless arranged otherwise.