New HPE Curriculum Links for School Camps in Victoria
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Campcraft – Curriculum Alignment (HPE Years 5–8)
This page maps the Campcraft activity to the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (HPE). Teachers can print or save it as a PDF for lesson planning.
Overview
Activity: Campcraft introduces students to essential outdoor living and camping skills including tent setup, campsite organisation, cooking, safety, and environmental care. It builds independence, teamwork and respect for nature in a practical setting.
Key outcomes
- Develop practical camping and outdoor living skills in a team environment.
- Apply safe and sustainable practices when setting up and maintaining a campsite.
- Collaborate with peers to plan, prepare and cook simple camp meals.
- Enhance problem-solving, initiative and resilience through hands-on learning.
- Understand environmental responsibility and minimal impact camping principles.
Curriculum strands
- Movement & Physical Activity
- Personal, Social & Community Health
Mapped for Years 5–6 and Years 7–8. Suitable for outdoor education and life skills programs.
Years 5–6
| Curriculum content description (HPE) | How the activity links | Sample session feature |
|---|---|---|
| Practise and apply movement skills and safety strategies in outdoor environments (v9: AC9HP6M04) | Students learn physical coordination and teamwork while pitching tents, setting up camp and handling equipment safely. | Tent-pitching practice; camp setup relay challenge. |
| Plan and practise strategies to promote personal and community health, safety and wellbeing (v9: AC9HP6P07) | Students learn about hygiene, food safety, hydration and safe campfire management in group settings. | Group meal preparation; campfire cooking demonstration with hygiene checklist. |
| Demonstrate ethical behaviour and respect for the environment (v8.4: ACPMP069) | Students practise Leave No Trace principles and minimise their environmental footprint during camp setup and pack-down. | Environmental impact discussion; rubbish sorting and site inspection task. |
| Apply critical and creative thinking to outdoor challenges (v8.4: ACPMP068) | Students identify efficient methods for campsite organisation, cooking and resource management. | Problem-solving challenge: building a windbreak or designing an efficient cooking area. |
Years 7–8
| Curriculum content description (HPE) | How the activity links | Sample session feature |
|---|---|---|
| Plan and implement outdoor movement and teamwork strategies (v9: AC9HP8M01) | Students plan camp layouts, assign roles and refine teamwork to maintain safety and organisation. | Leadership rotation; team planning of campsite zones (sleeping, cooking, storage). |
| Analyse and refine techniques to improve performance and safety in outdoor contexts (v9: AC9HP8M03) | Students review and improve camp setup efficiency, safety and sustainability practices. | Peer review: comparing tent structures and environmental impact outcomes. |
| Plan and implement strategies for connecting to natural environments to promote health and wellbeing (v9) | Students reflect on how living outdoors promotes wellbeing, teamwork and appreciation of the environment. | Reflection journal or discussion on group cooperation and mental wellbeing. |
| Select, use and refine strategies to support inclusion, fair play and collaboration (Achievement standard link) | Students lead shared camp tasks and ensure equitable participation and cooperation within teams. | Camp roster creation; shared responsibilities and inclusive leadership rotations. |
Teacher notes
Before the activity: Discuss safety, hygiene and environmental care. Assign roles for setup, cooking and cleaning to promote shared responsibility.
During the activity: Encourage problem-solving, teamwork and sustainability during each camp task. Reinforce safety around fire, tools and food.
After the activity: Reflect on teamwork, independence, and sustainable practices that can be applied in everyday life.
This activity supports the Movement & Physical Activity and Personal, Social & Community Health strands for Years 5–8.
Book or ask a curriculum question
Need this page as a PDF or curriculum alignment for another activity? Email enquiries@scoutadventures.com.au.
