Inspiring Hearts and Minds

Water Experience 15

Water Experience 15

3 credit course; Group Bookings Available

Experience water like you never have before! Join us for a 3-day experiential learning adventure in the Bow Valley Watershed. Earn 3 credits in a Locally Developed Course (LDC1492) while learning flat water canoeing skills, hazard awareness and assessment, trip planning, Bow River watershed history and ecology, and leadership. 

 

General Water Experience 15 Course Information

  • Water Experience 15 is a locally developed course offered by Canadian Rockies Public Schools.
  • Water Experience 15 is open to students in Grade 10-12 students.
  • This is a 3-credit course with approximately 75 hours of instruction.
  • Water Experience 15 can accommodate up to 40 students.
  • A basic level of physical fitness is required.
  • Students are expected to provide their own outdoor clothing and footwear suitable for canoeing and outdoor activities. A gear list will be provided.

General Water Experience 15 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 safety
  • Develop familiarity with basic navigation and personal safety equipment
  • Develop informed decision making skills and build leadership capacity
  • Recognize hazards and ways to mitigate them

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 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 watershed health
  • the Bow River Watershed and impacts on this watershed
  • risk management procedures

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 15 Course Outline

*Exact program activities, locations and timings of course elements are subject to change.

Online Course work

Duration

Activity

1 hour

Watersheds & Canada's Hydrologic Diversity

1 hour

Local Water Challenges and Issues

1 hour

Your Personal Connection with Water

1 hour

Hazard Assessment and Safety

1 hour

Water Images and Course Themes

 

Water Experience 15 - Schedule

Locations & activities may change due to weather, timing, attending school policy, etc.

Day 1

Time

GROUP 1-Activity

Time

GROUP 2-Activity

9:30am

Welcome/Introductions

9:30am

Welcome/Introductions

10:30 am

Tandem Canoeing 

10:30 am

Tandem Canoeing 

12:30 pm

Lunch

12:30 pm

Lunch

1pm-3 pm

Tandem Canoeing 

1pm-3 pm

Tandem Canoeing 

3:30 pm

Load Boats 

3:30 pm

Load Boats 

4:45 pm

Return to OLC

Self Care & Gear Management

4:45 pm

Return to OLC

Self Care & Gear Management

5:15 pm

DINNER

5:15 pm

DINNER

5:45 pm

Dishes / Clean up

5:45 pm


Dishes / Cleanup

6:30pm


Watersheds Poster Activity / Presentation

6:30 pm

Compass / Navigation 

7:45 pm

Compass / Navigation 

7:45 pm 

Watersheds Poster Activity / Presentation

8:45 pm

Debrief Day / Schedule for tomorrow / Review Journal / Knot Tying

8:45 pm

Debrief Day / Schedule for tomorrow / Review Journal / Knot Tying

10:00pm

Students turn in phones & head to cabins

10:00 pm

Students turn in phones & head to cabins

10:30pm

Lights out

10:30pm

Lights out

Day 2

Time

GROUP 1-Activity

Time

GROUP 2-Activity

7:00am

Wake up

7:00am

Wake up

7:30am

Breakfast

7:30am

Breakfast

8:30 am

Weathering the Storm / Knots

8:30 am

Weathering the Storm / Knots

9:45 am

Tandem Canoeing

9:45 am

Tandem Canoeing

12:00 pm

LUNCH 

12:00 pm

LUNCH 

PM

Tandem Canoeing / Throw Bags

PM

Tandem Canoeing / Throw Bags 

3:00 pm

Load Boats 

3:00 pm

Load Boats 

3:45 pm

Return to OLC

Self Care & Gear Management

3:45 pm

Return to OLC 

Self Care & Gear Management

4:00

Wash Wetsuits / Knot Tying 

4:00

Wash Wetsuits / Knot Tying 

5:15 pm

Dinner

5:15 pm

Dinner

5:45 pm 

Dishes / Clean up

5:45  pm 

Dishes / Clean up

6:30 pm

Fire Lighting 

6:30 pm

Shelter Building 

7:45 pm 

Shelter Building 

7:45 pm

Fire Lighting 

8:45 pm 

Debrief Day / Schedule for tomorrow / Review Journal

8:45 pm

Debrief Day / Schedule for tomorrow / Review Journal

10:00pm

Students turn in phones & head to cabins

10:00 pm

Students turn in phones & head to cabins

Day 3

Time

GROUP 1-Activity

Time

GROUP 2-Activity

7:00 am

Wake up

7:00 am

Wake up

7:30 am

Breakfast

7:30am

Breakfast

8:00 am

Clean up kitchen/main lodge/cabins

 

Pack buses/bags

8:00 am

Clean up kitchen/main lodge/cabins

 

Pack buses/bags

8:30 am 

Leave for Big Boating 

8:30 am 

Leave for Big Boating 

9:30 am

Big Boating 

9:30 am

Pond Study 

11:00 am

LUNCH 

11:00 am

LUNCH  

11:30 pm

Pond Study 

11:30 pm

Big Boating 

1:00 pm

Head back to OLC

1:00 pm

Head Back to OLC 

2:00 pm

Closing Circle, Wood Cookie, T Shirts

2:00 pm

Closing Circle, Wood Cookie, T Shirts

2:30pm

Buses/Students Leave OLC

END COURSE

2:30pm

Buses/Students Leave OLC

END COURSE