Program Outlines
We offer the following education programs.
Click on the title for a more detailed description.
To discuss your requirements or request an information package on any program/s of interest, including curriculum linkages, student tasks, background information and suggested pre- and post-activities, please contact learning activities staff on Ph (07) 4726 0626 or learning.mtq@qm.qld.gov.au.
Pre-School - Grade 3 |
Grades 4-7 |
Grades 8-10 |
Grades 11-12 |
100 Million Years Ago
Students explore Queensland's fossil heritage through putting together a floor puzzle, handling real fossils, drawing ancient animals, measuring themselves against dinosaur legs. Grade 3 students do a matching activity.
Recommended for G1-3. (The Arts, English, Science, SOSE, Technology)
(60 minutes)
Adaptation and environment
Students apply skills of observation to explore adaptations to environment under different circumstance, by rotating around a number of tasks and areas within the Discover Tropical Queensland Gallery. They make observations about mangrove habitat, deep sea habitat, a third habitat, and coral growth forms.
Recommended for G8-10. (Science or G11-12 Biology)
(50 minutes)
All Aboard
Students dress up in costume to role play a sailor on the Pandora, research aspects of the Pandora ship, crew and cannons; and draw an artefact. Students participate in the 'Running out the gun' - loading and firing a replica 6 pounder canon. The timing of the visit should coincide with the scheduled 'Running out the gun' at 11:00 and 2.30pm daily.
Recommended for G4-5. (The Arts, English, SOSE, Technology)
(90 minutes)
Animal Spotter
This program can be conducted as a led program with MTQ learning activities staff or self-led by the teacher. Students locate and identify native animals in the gallery and mark them off on their worksheet. They sketch and label an animal of their choice.
Recommended for G1-3, designed for students with minimal reading/writing skills. (Science)
(45 minutes)
Circle of Life
Students investigate the mangrove life stages and survival mechanisms, identify and sketch animal nests, and investigate an insect life cycle.
Recommended for G3-5. (Science)
(50 minutes)
Classification
Students rotate around a number of tasks and areas within the Discover Tropical Queensland Gallery to identify the wallaby using a key, research characteristics of one insect , make observations on three birds (one paired set plus another bird) to create a dichotomous key, and key out some crustaceans in the mangrove display on observable characteristics
Recommended for G11-12 Biology. (Senior biology)
(75 minutes)
Fossil Researcher
Students handle real fossils, gather research information about a prehistoric animal and a palaeontological dig, and interpret information presented as a map.
Recommended for G4-7. (The Arts, English, Science, SOSE, Technology)
(60 minutes)
Hamilton's Legacy
This program can be conducted as a led program with MTQ learning activities staff or self-led by the teacher. Students gain an appreciation of different language constructions in the past, and some aspects of life in another period of time (a sailor on the Pandora in 1791) by conducting research using 3-dimensional objects and text panels in the Pandora Gallery.
Recommended for G8-10. (English, SOSE)
(60 minutes)
It's the Life
Students dress up in costume to role play a sailor on the Pandora, identify different crewmen (and colour him in), and draw an artefact and find out its use.
Recommended for G1-3. (The Arts, English, SOSE, Technology)
(60 minutes)
Maritime Conservation
Students gain an understanding of the processes involved in the conservation of maritime objects, with a behind the scenes tour of conservation areas (wet and dry labs and collection store) and a brief talk by a curatorial staff member. They collect information about the four main phases of conservation for either a wooden or iron object. They also complete record sheets for 1 metal and 1 non-metal item.
Recommended for G11-12 Ancient History.
(75 minutes)
Maritime Heritage
Students rotate around a number of tasks and areas within the Pandora Gallery to research one of 8 vessels on the 'Shipwreck Trails' computer interactive, search for additional material on the Shipwrecks Database, try out other multi-media interactives (replicate decisions faced by the original sailors and duplicate actual techniques involved in recovering artefacts from a wreck), gain an understanding of the process involved in the conservation of artefacts, and complete record sheets for a metal and a non-metal item.
Recommended for G10-12 Marine Studies, Ancient History.
(90 minutes)
MindZone - Junior Experimenter
Each student tries out activities, records 3 throws on the speedball radar and their favourite activities. They then form into groups, select an apparatus, take an instant photo (camera provided) and make notes about it (for presentation in class, if desired).
Recommended for G3-5. (Science)
Note that the language skills required are too high for students younger than Grade 3 (with moderate reading/writing skills) to participate in a formal program but they are welcome to schedule time in the Centre trying out the activities.
(60 minutes)
MindZone - Intermediate Experimenter
Each student tries out their choice of activities and researches aspects of the science. They then form into groups, select an apparatus, take an instant photo (camera provided) and make notes about it (for presentation in class, if desired).
Recommended for G5-7. (Science)
(60 minutes)
MindZone - Senior Experimenter
Each student tries out activities in the MindZone Science Centre, records observations and describes the science demonstrated by an apparatus.
Recommended for G8-10. (Science)
(60 minutes)
Mini Beast Study
Students observe a range of insect features and match these to their use. They then focus on one mini beast and draw it.
Recommended for G1-3. (Science)
(45 minutes)
Other
Talk to the Learning Activities Officer about tailoring a program to your needs.
Pandora's Trail
Students fill in a 'trail' worksheet to gain a better understanding of the Pandora story. They have to use a range of skills and different sources of information. Students participate in the 'Running out the gun' - loading and firing a replica 6 pounder canon. The timing of the visit should coincide with the scheduled 'Running out the gun' at 11:00 and 2.30pm daily.
Recommended for G6-7. (The Arts, English, HPE, Mathematics, Science, Technology)
(60 minutes)
Reef Life
Students identify and sequence stages of coral reproduction, identify and sketch coral growth forms, and find out about and sketch a deep sea specimen.
Recommended for G6-7. (Science)
(50 minutes)
Science in the Community
This program can be conducted as a led program with MTQ learning activites staff or self-led by the teacher. Students try out activities in MindZone, relating equipment to everyday use and users. They then move to the Discover Tropical Queensland Gallery to focus on ways scientific work is applied.
Recommended for G1-3. (The Arts, Science, Technology)
(45 minutes)
