CHE: Elementary Adventure Leadership
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Please direct all questions to michaela@ventureoff.org
Course Description:
This course will provide the students with foundations for outdoor recreation and nature exploration. This includes teaching and training for camping, climbing, outdoor safety and leadership. We will expand students’ skills through different activities and challenges, and explore new aspects of creation through discovery. Most importantly, Elementary Adventure students will be given the opportunity to learn and show leadership and teamwork while discovering new recreational activities.
Course Objectives:
In this class, students will practice:
- Navigation
- Climbing/Camping Skills
- Hiking Experience
- Knot Tying
- Outdoor Safety
- Basics of Wilderness First Aid
- Teamwork
- Servant Leadership
- Critical Thinking
- Patience and Stress Management
- Wisdom and Decision Making
- Communication Skills
- Wilderness Exploration
Certifications:
With successful completion of this course, students will gain an Elementary Adventure certification.
Scope and Sequence:
This course is designed to stir students' passion for outdoor leadership, give them valuable outdoor skills, and put them in situations where humility, teamwork, and perseverance will be expected of them. As an Elementary Adventure program, this course is ideal for students looking to start their journey of discovery with outdoor recreation and provide a foundation for the CHE: Junior High Adventure Leadership Class.
Course Materials and Resources:
In class daily:
- Water Bottle
- Appropriate active wear - for the current weather conditions
Gear:
Occasionally, various technical gear will be required throughout the course. All technical gear will be provided for in-class activities and outdoor activities. A thorough gear list will be provided prior to an upcoming trip.
Schedule:
CHE Elementary Schedule
CHE Elementary - Fall 2025 Schedule
| # |
Class Type |
Date Range |
Topic |
Hours |
| 1 | Day Camp | 8/26 - 8/29 | Day Camp | 25 |
| 2 | Class | 9/1 - 9/6 | Introduction to Adventure, outdoor preparedness | 3 |
| 3 | Class | 9/8 - 9/13 | Compass and Maps | 3 |
| 4 | Simulation | 9/8 - 9/13 | Camping Simulation | 5 |
| 5 | Class | 9/15 - 9/20 | Tent Setup | 3 |
| 6 | Class | 9/22 - 9/27 | First Aid | 3 |
| 7 | Class | 9/29 - 10/4 | Animals and Plants in Nature | 3 |
| 8 | Day Trip | 9/29 - 10/4 | Hike | 5 |
| 9 | Class | 10/6 - 10/11 | Intro to Climbing | 3 |
| 10 | Class | 10/13 - 10/18 | Climbing Language and Rocks | 3 |
| 11 | Class | 10/20 - 10/25 | Belaying | 3 |
| 12 | Class | 10/27 - 11/1 | Bouldering | 3 |
| 13 | Day Trip | 10/27 - 11/1 | Climbing Day Trip | 5 |
| 14 | Class | 11/3 - 11/8 | Canyoneering Intro | 3 |
| 15 | Class | 11/10 - 11/15 | Rapelling Intro | 3 |
| 16 | Class | 11/17 - 11/22 | Rapelling Practice | 3 |
| 17 | Class | 12/1 - 12/5 | Guided Rappel | 3 |
| 18 | Adventure Race | 12/1 - 12/5 | Adventure Race | 5 |
| 19 | Class | 12/8 - 12/12 | End of Year Review | 3 |
| 20 | Party | 12/15 - 12/20 | Party | 3 |
| Total Hours | 90 |
CHE Elementary - Spring 2026 Schedule
| # |
Class Type |
Date |
Topic |
Hours |
| 1 | Day Trip | 1/19 - 1/24 | Climbing | 5 |
| 2 | Class | 1/26 - 1/31 | Review first semester and Maps and orienteering | 3 |
| 3 | Class | 2/2 - 2/7 | First Aid and rescue | 3 |
| 4 | Day Trip | 2/2 - 2/7 | SkyZone Day Trip | 5 |
| 5 | Class | 2/9 - 2/14 | Creation formation - mountains, canyons, caves | 3 |
| 6 | Class | 2/16 - 2/21 | Weather and clouds | 3 |
| 7 | Class | 2/23 - 2/28 | Caves, crystals, and spelunking | 3 |
| 8 | Class | 3/2 - 3/7 | Rapelling and knot Practice | 3 |
| 9 | Day Trip | 3/2 - 3/7 | Cave of the Winds Day Trip | 5 |
| 10 | Class | 3/9 - 3/14 | Ecosystems and food chains | 3 |
| 11 | Class | 3/16 - 3/21 | Animals of the rockies | 3 |
| 12 | Class | 3/30 - 4/4 | Birds of the air (make a bird feeder) | 3 |
| 13 | Class | 4/6 - 4/11 | Rappelling and knot Practice | 3 |
| 14 | Day Trip | 4/6 - 4/11 | Zoo Day Trip | 5 |
| 15 | Class | 4/13 - 4/18 | Building fires and fire safety | 3 |
| 16 | Class | 4/20 - 4/25 | Hiking and plant identification | 3 |
| 17 | Class | 4/27 - 5/2 | Shelter building and design | 3 |
| 18 | Class | 5/4 - 5/9 | Nature Art and observation | 3 |
| 19 | Party | 5/12 - 5/14 | Review/Party | 3 |
| 20 | Day Camp | 5/18 - 5/22 | Day Camp | 25 |
| Total Hours | 90 |
Grading Policies:
As a homeschool enrichment class, we do not issue grades or credits. However, this class is designed to help gain certifications in outdoor recreation and works towards official Venture Off certifications, which require successful completion of material to gain certification.
Cost:
Families are being offered access to this class at no cost because this class is a Colorado Homeschool Enrichment (CHE) program. CHE is a publicly funded program to benefit homeschooled and private schooled students with programs to enrich their standard course load. All students must enroll with CHE starting in the spring to be prepared to start class in the fall. Eligible students must NOT be enrolled in any other publicly funded program at the time of enrollment.
Ineligible students may pay $4500 out of pocket for the course.
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