JCPE - Junior Cycle Physical Education Support Service

Level 2: Adventure Activities

Level 2 adventure activities builds on the experiences, skills and knowledge gained at level 1. It is recommended that two activities be undertaken at level 2, one as a minor option and the other as a major option. These terms are indicative of the time the activities are allotted and the level of achievement to be attained. The minor option receives one third of the class time, while the major option receives two thirds. It is understood that the minor objectives are achieved as part of the major option.

To allow for variations in resource availability, student ability and teacher expertise, there is greater opportunity for teacher discretion with regard to choice of activities at level 2. Hence, a menu of activities is provided for the three components provided here. The teacher can design a programme most suited to the individual teaching situation by linking the objectives listed, with the activities outlined in the teaching package.

Orienteering, team challenges and campcraft formed the bulk of level 1 subject matter. While these activities can be continued at level 2, there is also opportunity for the inclusion of other pursuits on the understanding that the teaching is being undertaken by suitably qualified personnel. To facilitate and guide the learning in these instances, a set of objectives relating to the individual activities is provided on page 70.

Learning Outcomes

The student will:

• participate in a variety of activities and contribute to the decision-making processes they entail
• advance their level of technical competence in selected activities
• demonstrate an understanding of the need for safety procedures, both personal and group
• exhibit an awarenes of appropriate personal equipment and clothing
• display their respect for the natural environment and enhance their understanding of important environmental issues
• demonstrate responsible personal and social behaviuor in adventure activity settings
• reflect on and evaluate adventure experiences.

Content Framework 

Teacher Guidelines 

Orienteering: Where orienteering is selected as a minor option, the emphasis will be on providing enjoyable and challenging activities, aimed at consolidating basic orienteering skills and strategies introduced at level 1.

As a major option, orienteering at level 2 aims to build on core skills and strategies by focussing on a limited number of orienteering strategies - distance estimation, use of collecting features and aiming off. It is important at the initial stages to revisit the basic orienteering skills of symbol identification, map setting and thumbing. It is acknowledged that the possibilities for orienteering on many school grounds may be exhausted at this stage and that orienteering may need to be taken off site. The natural setting for orienteering is a forested area. Every effort should be made to provide this context. Thorough reviewing of these skills and strategies with the students is critical to the learning that will take place.

Team Challenges: Whether the course being provided is a major or minor option within the adventure activities element, care must be taken in selecting a range of team challenges to ensure the objectives are achieved. Teachers should also attempt to choose team challenges most appropriate to the students involved and the context in which they are set.

At level 1 the key issues to the implementation of team challenges were safety, planning and team organisation. While these issues continue to be important at level 2, the focus is now on introducing and guiding the review process at the end of the activity phase. This is a crucial part of the lesson, which assists the students in reflecting on their feelings and thoughts concerning their experience. Without this step, students will not retain or transfer what they have learnt. The processing time also serves as lesson closure. To structure this review process the questions in the report card should be discussed in some depth during class and completed by students, possibly as a homework activity.

CampCraft: The focus of level 2 campcraft is the planning, safety and care for oneself, the group and the natural environment. It is important that students are aware of the careful preparation and planning necessary for an overnight camp. To promote a more authentic understanding of campcraft, students should use the material in this unit in preparation for an overnight camp on suitable school grounds, at an outdoor education centre, or as part of an expedition on a chosen site. The focus of level 2 campcraft is on the preparation of students for safe and competent campcraft, in consideration of the natural environment in which campcraft occurs and the students' impact on it.

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