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Bottle Racer

This activity invites students to engineer a bottle racer: a plastic water bottle propelled by energy stored in a wound-up rubber band. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions ...

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Secret Bells

This activity invites students to make a sound system with a coat hanger and a string, producing musical sounds that only they can hear. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions ...

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Flower Dissection

This activity invites students to dissect a flower to explore the form and function of plant reproductive structures. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further activities.

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Cranky Contraptions

This activity invites students to make Cranky Contraptions, kinetic sculptures that animate a character or scene when a handle is turned. These automata are powered by a simple crank slider mechanism which provides the basic motion. Everyday materials around can be repurposed into these contraptions. The activity includes ...

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Introduction to tectonic plates (primary)

This short video is targeted at upper primary students but is suitable for a wider audience. It introduces the concept of tectonic plates making use of a tectonic plates puzzle. Students are asked to predict the direction and speed of plate movement and consider where and why earthquakes happen on the Australian Plate.

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The Geology of Minecraft

This short video discusses bedrock, obsidian and redstone using real rock samples and references to the Minecraft game.

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Earthquake monitoring

This video introduces earthquake monitoring using seismometers and seismographs. It also features the National Earthquake Alert Centre. Students are asked to try making earthquakes at home using the accelerometers in their smartphones.

Downloadable

Exploring Minerals and Crystals: Teacher Notes and Activities

This 101 page booklet explores minerals and crystals. The resource includes sections on identifying minerals, significant minerals and gem resources in Australia and the uses of crystals. The booklet contains activity ideas and experiments for teachers and students.

Downloadable

Volcanoes : Teacher notes and student activities

This 80 page booklet covers a range of topics concerning volcanoes. It includes information about causes of volcanic eruptions, volcano types, where volcanoes are found and why, Australia's hot spot volcanoes and the hazards and benefits of volcanoes. Activities cover the science of eruptions and their impact on people, ...

Downloadable

Geological Timewalk Booklet

This 58 page booklet explores geological timescales in the context of the Australian continent. Each section discusses a single geological time interval, and outlines the major geological, climatic and biological events which occurred in that interval, including continental drift, the break-up and amalgamation of continental ...

Downloadable

Tsunami - Teacher Notes and Student Activities

This 35 page booklet explores tsunamis, what generates tsunamis, where they occur, what happens when they reach land, how tsunamis impact Australians, and the role Geoscience Australia plays in providing the Australian Tsunami Warning System. The booklet contains a glossary, links to online resources, activity ideas and ...

Video

Liquefaction In Action

This short video examines the process of liquefaction and its impact on buildings and other structures. The video encourages students to investigate some of the ways engineers lessen the impact of earthquakes on buildings and to make their own liquefaction demonstration and extend it into an inquiry activity.

Downloadable

Volcanic hazards: What would an Emergency Manager do?

This activity examines a hypothetical city and its vulnerability to volcanic hazard risk. It includes background information for teachers, PowerPoint presentation, student activity sheet and worked answers.

Downloadable

Spaghetti Quakes

This activity explains commonly used magnitude scales, provides background information on earthquake intensity and includes an extension task to map the impact of an earthquake. The worksheet activity can be adapted for student needs.

Downloadable

See how they run

This activity introduces lava viscosity and influence on volcanic cone shape. The download includes background information for teachers and an activity sheet for students. The activity involves making lava slime and racing this down a slope. Participants are asked to predict how lava viscosity might influence volcanic shape ...

Downloadable

Sugar Shake: Erosion experiment

This activity introduces weathering and erosion by investigating why river pebbles are often rounded. The download includes background information for teachers and an activity sheet for students. The activity demonstrates the process of erosion using sugar cubes. Students are asked to predict what might happen (a hypothesis) ...

Downloadable

Ice Power

This activity demonstrates how much water expands when frozen. Students quantify water's expansion when it freezes and establish how this can lead to weathering (breakdown) of rocks in areas exposed to frequent freezing and thawing temperatures. It is best to set up the demonstration one day ahead and examine the results ...

Downloadable

Plate tectonics globe tennis ball activity

This activity is designed to help students visualise plate boundaries on a spherical Earth, rather than on a flat map. The downloadable PDF includes a model to cut out that shows major plate boundaries, boundary types and highlights our own Indo-Australian plate. The activity includes assembly instructions and pieces to ...

Downloadable

Make your own microbit seismometer instructions and classroom activities

This 12 page guide explains how to set up a micro:bit as a mini seismometer that will detect shaking, and how to collect and display the data. The guide also includes classroom-ready activities on how to introduce and explore vibrations and earthquake monitoring.

Downloadable

Tectonic Plates Jigsaw Puzzle

This activity invites students to develop their understanding of tectonic plates using a kinaesthetic puzzle. The teacher guide includes the puzzle pieces to print and cut, equipment and instructions, suggestions for student activities and links to further information and videos about tectonic plates.