St Paul Students immerse in Earth Science Week projects
30 October 2023
To celebrate Earth Science Week last month, Australian Earth Science Education (AusEarthEd) headed to Karratha to provide hands-on learning experiences for students from three schools in the region, including St Paul’s Primary School.
St Paul’s Principal Ryan Powles said it was wonderful that students could deepen their understanding of the natural world through the Earth Science program presented by AusEarthEd.
‘This was not the first time we were included in this experience and we are extremely grateful to be considered.
“This was not the first time we were included in this experience and we are extremely grateful to be considered.
“Each activity was engaging and relevant to the real-world. Living in the Pilbara, the students were able to apply the taught concepts to their own region, particularly the activity ‘The Story of a Rock’. In this activity, students learnt about the process of how rocks are created over time, including igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
“The feedback received this year is that students were inspired by the engaging and interactive activities, as they cultivated student’s curiosity and encouraged them to ask questions and seek out further knowledge of the natural world. The incursion enabled students to take a greater interest in Earth Science and perhaps sparked an interest in potential future careers in the field.”
AusEarthEd Chief Executive Officer Joanne Watkins said the program supported by Woodside Energy delivers free earth science incursions that benefit both students and teachers.
“Having the engagement with, and support of, regional students and teachers is a vital part of what the team does to improve the quality of geoscience education.”
Mr Powles spoke about the learning experiences gained by teachers who participate along with students.
“When teachers see the excitement and engagement of their students during the incursion, they are inspired to bring that same enthusiasm into the classroom, reigniting a passion for the subject.
“As part of the incursion, valuable teaching resources were also made available, allowing teachers to continue the experience beyond the incursion.”
Student Sukhleen, Year 1 said, “We learnt about how all rocks, big and small, are made from the Earth and the most exciting part was getting to keep our very own pet rock!”
“The coolest part was seeing a real Megalodon tooth, it was very interesting. I learnt about how fossils are made and enjoyed making my own fossil,” Leo, Year 3 said.
