Years 3 & 5 students recently enjoyed all-day excursions. Here’s a Year 5 wrap from teacher Gordon Webb.
Year 5 teachers have been building students’ personal and social capabilities, with a focus on resilience, rights and respectful relationships. The Lady Northcote Discovery Camp provided the perfect opportunity for students to put these skills into action, with 160 Year 5 students taking part in The Amazing Race.
The event comprised 17 checkpoints completed in a set order, with teams working alongside their allocated instructor. Students were required to stay together, communicate clearly and solve problems as a group. What stood out across the day was how students began to settle into their roles, listen to one another and work more effectively as teams as each challenge progressed.
Several checkpoints quickly became highlights. Students enjoyed a fast-paced version of ‘Hungry Hippos’, racing against the clock to clear balls from a pool without stepping inside. At ‘Ring-a-Ring-a-Rosie’, teams worked to improve their times across multiple attempts, showing persistence and a willingness to refine their approach. The ‘Tallest Tower’ challenge saw students using pipes and connectors to build a freestanding structure, requiring careful planning, cooperation and a shared focus to ensure it remained standing.
As the day unfolded, it was evident that students were drawing on the skills they have been developing in the classroom. Teams that initially found challenges difficult began to organise themselves, support one another and approach tasks with greater confidence and purpose. The growth in teamwork, communication and resilience was clear, particularly as students worked together to meet the objectives of each activity.
It was pleasing to see students come together, take responsibility within their groups and demonstrate a strong sense of community. The day provided a valuable opportunity for students to apply their learning in a meaningful way, and it was rewarding to see how these skills translated beyond the classroom.
Students’ thoughts
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“I rate the camp 8/10. My favourite activity was mini golf. My least favourite was foosball human version.” – Aashif
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“It was amazing! We did games, it was fun. We also helped each other. It taught me to work as a team.” –Arohi
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“I loved the camp – 10/10! It was great. We got to stay extra. We built a campfire.” – Agastya
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“It was a really good time with our teamwork and the activities. 9.5/10!” – Jacob
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“It was really worth it! We did lots of activities and it helped us with our teamwork skills. It was really fun and overall I rate it a 9/10!” – Prayanshi
