Grade 10 Adventure Program 2022/2023
Explore the different activities that the Grade 10's have participated in during the 2022/2023 school year!
The Grade 10 Adventure Program, which is intrinsically linked to the Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives program within the BC Curriculum, focuses on five learning pillars:
- Student Leadership
- Service
- Duke of Edinburgh Award program
- Indigenous Learning
- Outdoor Education
The Adventure Program is incredibly beneficial to students’ learning as it focuses on providing regular opportunities to connect learning to real-life contexts, both globally and locally. The program provides an excellent way for students to connect with individuals within their community, as well as explore the exceptional outdoor education experiences that Vancouver Island has to offer! Focused heavily on developing the International Baccalaureate’s Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills, Aspengrove’s Adventure Program helps students to foster valuable abilities that allow them to become successful lifelong learners. These skills include Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Self Management Skills, Research Skills, and Social Skills.
WestCoast Wild Zipline Adventures and Indigenous Culture Tour
For the first trip of the year, the class participated in a zipline adventure tour along the Kennedy River Canyon. They also learnt how the mystical ancient rainforest and steep narrow canyon carved from solid stone helped to sustain the local Tla-o-qui-aht indigenous people for many generations. They're a people who carved canoes from giant cedar trees to hunt whales off the wild west coast of Vancouver Island!
Duncan Totem Pole Self Guided Tour
Known as “The City of Totems”, Duncan has over 40 beautifully carved totems scattered all around the City. With rich history behind each totem student embarked on a journey of culture and history by following the yellow footprints through a self-guided walking tour.
McNab's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Picking
In November and December we had Sotaro, an exchange student from Japan, join the class. On Halloween we took him to McNab's Corn Maze where we completed the corn maze in teams, and then chose pumpkins which we carved later on back at school.
NIRD Drama Festival
NIRDfest is an awesome gathering of schools from Ladysmith, north to Port Hardy. Students and their teachers meet over three days, show their one-act plays, receive adjudication on their work, and participate in amazing workshops given by theatre professionals.
This year the Grade 10 students, led by Lisa Martens (MYP Performing Arts Teacher), performed a play called "Wait, Wait, Bo Bait", a silly comedy about how the misuse of apostrophes are ruining the lives of students!
Duke of Edinburgh Award
As part of the Grade 10 Adventure Program students get to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Program.
This is global program that challenges, empowers, and recognizes young people between the ages of 14 and 24. The Award empowers them to discover hidden talents, develop untapped leadership potential and make a difference in their community.
This year all students worked towards completing their Silver Award, with Ocea Fawkes achieving her Bronze Award before the year even started!
Lost Arts Club - Living Lab Art Project
In this activity we took a trip to the locally run Lost Arts Club where students designed concrete garden ornaments for the school's Living Lab!
Ice Skating
As part of another student leadership activity the class visited the NAC for an ice skating masterclass led by Haohao!
Thank you to Haohao for organising this event!
Snowshoeing at Mount Washington
Students visited Mt. Washington for a snowshoeing adventure where they practiced navigation and winter survival skills. They completed a 9km backcountry snowshoe trip starting at the Nordic Centre to Lake Mackenzie and Battleship Lake. We had over 6 inches of snow that day meaning that all of the trails were covered up and students were literally blazing trails through the trees!! Students had to use all their map skills - matching features on the map to the terrain of the area to enable them to safely reach their destination.
Students displayed excellent resilience and determination in some challenging conditions, making this an awesome learning experience!
Environmental Student Conference at UBC
This awesome experience saw students participate in an Environmental Youth Conference organized by 20 ISABC schools along with 300 other students. This year we were joined by Norm Kaethler (MYP Science & DP Biology Teacher).
Personal Project
In Grade 10, Aspengrove School students are required to complete a journey of learning that stretches, inspires, and empowers their minds to create one all-encompassing project based on a passion of theirs or on a learning goal.
This year projects ranged from silversmithing, blacksmithing, crocheting, digital art, quilting, studying and learning complex piano pieces, Chinese paper cutting, and creating a lo carbon footprint Baked Alaska dessert!
Emergency First Aid Course with St. John's Ambulance
Students all received Emergency First Aid Training with CPR-C/AED with the St. John’s Ambulance. They spent 8 hours learning practical skills from their excellent instructor, Wayne. All students students passed their exam and are now first aiders!
Metallurgy on Gabriola Island
This two-part session involved the class visiting Zoë Cripps' residence on Gabriola Island to participate in a knife making masterclass led by Zoë and her dad, Ken! In the first session we chose our knife blanks (already created by Zoë), followed by forging and quenching the blades to harden the steel, polishing the blade, and finally cutting the wood for the handles before pinning and glueing them to the blade. In the second session we shaped our wooden handles for the knives followed by creating sheaths for them.
We had a fantastic time learning so many new skills! Thank you to Zoë for hosting this event as part of her leadership activity!
Geocaching and Orienteering
Mountain Biking in Cumberland
In this student leadership session organised by Ocea, the class spent the day honing their mountain biking skills in Cumberland. Ocea, who holds her PMBIA Level 1 Mountain Biking Instructor certificate, taught the rest of the class a range of biking skills before taking them out on some trails to practice their new skills!
Science World
As part of this student led activity, the class planned a trip to Science World as part of their Science curriculum, led by David Riendl (MYP Science and DP Physics Teacher).
Students were able to:
Paradise Park Mini Golf
“As a way to round of the year and celebrate their Personal Project achievements, the Grade 10’s chose to play mini golf at the Paradise Fun Park, Parksville, where Owen and Ocea were the King and Queen of golf, winning both of their respective rounds! We then went on the bumper boats which was a highlight for everyone!
Cuckoo Trattoria and Pizzeria
WAs part of the celebration day we also went to Coombs where we enjoyed a very civilised lunch at Cuckoo’s followed by gelato. The highlight of the day had to be watching Mr. Vincent squirm through eating a chilli pepper and then get roasted by the waitress.
Strathcona Park Outdoor Education Trip
As part of a joint Outdoor Ed trip with Grades 8 and 9, the Grade 10 students spent three nights off campus in Strathcona Park at the Outdoor Education Centre. Students went backcountry hiking and camping, do their own food prep and cooking, read maps and compasses, and gain increased independence. They also had the opportunity to do rock climbing, zip lining, and high ropes and low ropes challenges.
As part of this trip, students also completed their practice Adventurous Journey as part of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Grade 4 and 5 Outdoor Education Trips
In the last two Friday sessions of the year, the Grade 10 class helped out during the Grade 4 and 5 Outdoor Ed trips which were held on campus.
During these sessions the Grade 10's planned and prepared a variety of activities designed to help their younger peers learn navigation and orienteering skills. Students participated in a navigation treasure hunt as well as an orienteering course around the school grounds!