Edition 3 - August 2012


Welcome

Education Centre Updates is Geoscience Australia's newsletter for teachers in Australian schools. It is designed to keep you informed of recent developments in geoscience, teacher resources, upcoming events, and competitions for school pupils.

Geoscience Australia is a world leader in providing first class geoscientific information and knowledge which enables government and the community to make informed decisions about the management of resources; the management of the environment; the safety of critical infrastructure; and the resultant wellbeing of all Australians.

Latest news

  • Book release – Shaping a Nation: A Geology of Australia is the story of a continent’s geological evolution as seen through the lens of human impacts. This book is aimed at a geoscientific audience. Many teachers of both Geoscience and Geography will find much of interest with this comprehensive publication.

  • A bizarre bony-toothed, giant bird fossil, with a 5m wingspan, has been discovered in Victoria. Read more.

    Cover image of Shaping a Nation: A Geology of AustraliaThe 5-million-year-old giant bony-toothed bird Pelagornis.
    [Left] Cover image of Shaping a Nation: A Geology of Australia, Kings Canyon, Northern Territory). © Jim Mason
    [Right] The 5-million-year-old giant bony-toothed bird Pelagornis. Courtesy of Australian Geographic

  • Does the shape of countries determine their destiny? Researchers from University of Wollongong question this theory. Read more.


  • The discovery that marine algal blooms deposit organic carbon to the deep ocean answers some — but not all — of the questions about whether fertilizing such blooms is a viable strategy for mitigating climate change. Read more.


  • Read more news articles

About Us

Geoscience Australia is a world leader in providing first class geoscientific information and knowledge which enables government and community to make informed decisions about the exploitation of resources; the management of the environment; the safety of critical infrastructure; and the resultant wellbeing of all Australians.


Diary dates

7 Aug

Geoscience education day at International Geological Congress

7 Aug

Brisbane: Professor Iain Stewart public lecture “Living with a restless Earth”

11 - 19 Aug

National Science Week

19 Aug

Open Day – Geoscience Australia

31 Aug - closing date

GeoLogi short film competition

22 Sept - closing date

Top GeoShot Photographic competition

14 - 20 Oct

Earth Science Week

18 Oct

Careers Expo - Discovering careers in the Earth Sciences

Competitions for your students!

There is still time to enter our short film competition, GeoLogi 2012. The theme is "Discovering Geoscience".

Geologi 2012

Handy with a camera? Test your skill with Top Geoshot, and submit an image that captures the essence of earth science in Australia. There are two categories: open and student (to Year 12).

Top Geoshot 2012

The challenges of ensuring fresh water in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste had a population of just over one million people in 2010. Its economy and the livelihood of its people are heavily dependent on groundwater resources that are sensitive to the effects of climate change. Read more.

Resources for Educators

Classroom activities – Year 6 Earth and Space Sciences

For those teaching about natural hazards, Geoscience Australia’s Landslides: Teacher Notes and Student Activities booklet is now available. The new version includes recently updated information, colour figures and photographs as well as separate student activities and answers. Teachers should determine if the activities are suitable for their cohort of students. The booklet is available for download in low and high resolution from our website. Keep an eye out for future updated booklets on topics such as landslides and coastlines. Read more.

The Olympic Games of geology

The 34th International Geological Congress (the ‘Olympic Games of geology’) is currently underway, and researchers from Geoscience Australia are populating Facebook and Twitter with items on recent developments in the geosciences written in an easy-to-read style. Join in the conversation and keep up to date with this major conference of over 5200 delegates. You can share your ideas and post your favourite geoscience photographs.

Aerial photographs of Australian geography

For some spectacular photographs of Lake Eyre in flood, visit Australian Geographic’s gallery. The dramatic photographs show alluvial fans and algal blooms and mineral deposits in unprecedented floods.

To accompany these photographs, check out these satellite images of Lake Eyre.

Videos and digital interactives

For a fun, informative look at the rock cycle, try the BBC’s new online series ‘KS3 Bitesize’. As well as video with a voice-over, there are opportunities to interact with the video (with amusing comments from the commentator), and additional resources for revising and testing knowledge on the material presented.

Networking opportunities - TESEP

All teachers of Earth Science are encouraged to participate in the Teacher Earth Science Education Programme TESEP. TESEP is designed to support the teaching of Earth Science through professional development workshops, ideas for field trips, and most importantly, access to teachers experienced in this field. Contact your state coordinator for more information.

For a laugh


For more information on anything in this newsletter, contact education@ga.gov.au.

Topic contact: education@ga.gov.au Last updated: September 14, 2012