Download Multimedia Summary - South Australian Museum

th Science topics
Advanced Ear
Earth
Computer interactives and geological specimens
This Outreach Education Program
for schools is made possible by the
partnership between the South
Australian Museum and the
Department of Education and
Children’s Services. Outreach
Education is a team of seconded
teachers who are based in public
institutions.
© Department of Education and
Children’s Services and SA
Museum
This work may be reproduced by
South Australian teachers for use
with their students. For all other
uses contact the S.A. Museum
Education Service.
Authors: Chris Nobbsand Simon Langsford
South Australian Museum Education Program
Phone: (08) 8207 7429 • Fax (08) 8207 7430 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.samuseum.sa.gov.au
Visiting the museum
Student expectations
We would like you, and all our visitors, to enjoy visiting the museum.
• Please stay with your group.
• Walk safely around the exhibitions to see all the best parts.
• Share the space with other visitors.
• Talking is an important part of learning. Please remember to use a quiet voice.
• The museum glass cases can get dirty or scratched. Please enjoy looking without touching.
• Please use the stairs and avoid the lifts. (They are slow and are needed by people who can’t
use the stairs.)
• Help keep the museum clean. Please eat and drink outside on the lawns.
Visiting the museum
Student expectations
Bookings are essential for all school visits to the museum.
Please supervise your groups of learners at all times. If your visit involves visiting more
than one gallery, divide your class into small supervised groups. Respect the needs of
other classes that have booked particular galleries. Parents must specifically consent to
students under 18 participating in activities involving indirect supervision.
When you arrive please let the staff at the front desk know. If the weather is fine, your
students can enjoy the outside lawn area while they wait.
Do not use clipboards with metal backings and clips. For your convenience and for the
safety of our exhibits, cardboard backings are available at the front desk.
The coffee shop and the museum shop do not cater for large groups. Small groups can
visit, with adult supervision. Bags must not be taken into either shop.
Only students with special needs should use the lifts. (The number of students in the
museum would causes excessive delays for people who really need lifts.)
Note that the Discovery and Indigenous Information Centres are only available to groups
by special arrangement.
Unfortunately the museum has limited capacity to store bags. A large crate or two
for lunches is easier to keep secure.
Supervisors’ bags must be left at the security desk, or be inspected and tagged by
the security officers.
South Australian Museum Education Program
Advanced geological studies
Mawson Gallery computers & specimens
The Mawson Gallery
Seeking the South Magnetic Pole
This gallery is a tribute to one of Australia’s most
famous and heroic explorers. An exhibition of
Mawson’s work would not be complete without an
explanation of the great driving force that was behind
his work, namely his thirst for scientific knowledge,
particularly geology.
This exhibit outlines the story of Mawson, David
and Mackay’s hunt for the South Magnetic Pole.
The interactive is suggested for Middle Years and
Senior students
Therefore the gallery shows many geological
concepts quite clearly. This is often done by means
of intriguing computer interactives. The student
activity cards for this program encourage students
to explore some of these interactives and learn
more about the geology of our planet. These
teacher notes will give you some background
information about the content covered.
We recommend that you discuss some of the main
concepts with students in class before their visit. This
will enable them to get the most out of their
engagement with the interactives.
Student activities
The student activities that form part of this program
are a set of cards which can be reproduced, cut up
(there are two cards to a page), and distributed to
student groups to guide their research. It is important
that your class is split into no more than nine groups
and that each group only has one of the research
cards. (There are only a limited number of computer
stations and if two groups try to use a computer at the
same time, confusion is inevitable. By asking each
group to report back to you and return their activity
cards in exchange for a new one you can monitor their
progress and coordinate their use of the gallery
resources.)
Please remind your students that other visitors to
the Museum may wish to access the computers as
well. Discuss with them appropriate behaviours to
ensure that all visitors have a worthwhile experience.
The italicised text indicates animations that are not
targeted by the student activity cards. You may
choose to include work on these interactives by
substituting your own activities. (Remember that
only one group can access a computer at a time.)
Computer interactives in this case
Earth’s Magnetic Field
The first animation shows a bisection of the Earth
to see the molten material surrounding its solid iron
core. This is followed by an explanation that the
circulation of this material around the core
generates an electric field and hence a magnetic
field. The periodic reversal of the magnetic field is
also mentioned.
Magnetism in minerals
This animation shows that the Earth’s magnetic
field aligns magnetic minerals in rocks that are
created when magma cools. It then shows how the
periodic reversal of the Earth’s field results in
“stripes” of magnetically aligned minerals in the
upwellings created by sea-floor spreading.
Weather Records
This display gives some statistics about Antarctic
weather and information about Mawson’s efforts
collecting weather data.
Computer interactives in this case
Earth’s changing climate
A video explains some of the factors that have
affected climate in the past, including the position
of continents and CO2 levels. Mention is made of
the value of extracting atmospheric samples from
ice cores to judge the composition of air in the past.
The video concludes with a map of Australia with a
side menu showing geological periods. Students
can click on a period to find the climate at the time.
They can then click on “Evidence” to find
geological clues that supports the hypothesis about
the climate.
South Australian Museum Education Program
Advanced geological studies
Mawson Gallery computers & specimens
Computer interactives in this case
These interactives can all be seen on a big screen
above the smaller screen at the station. It is possible
for a class to sit on the floor to see and discuss the
animations together.
Rocks, Radioactive and Igneous
Glacier Formation
Some of Mawson’s work on radioactive minerals is
highlighted.
This is a spectacular animation of a glacier forming
(in an accelerated time frame). After watching this,
students can select from a number of glacial
features to see animations of their formation or to
read about them in more detail. Topics include;
moraine, chatter marks, dropstones, crevasses,
striated pavement, tillite, melt water, maps showing
where to find glacial features near Adelaide and in
Brachina gorge.
Computer interactives in this case
Recommended for Middle and Senior Years.
Igneous rocks.
This puzzle begins by showing a cross section of
the Earth’s crust and explaining the formation of
igneous rocks. It explains that the properties of an
igneous rock depend on factors such as the way it
was formed and the silica content of the magma it
was made from. The student can then choose to
“make” a rock. They can vary the way it is formed
and the silica content. After completing all the
possible combinations of factors, they can test their
knowledge by matching some real igneous rocks in
the exhibit with possible creation scenarios
presented by the computer.
Radioactive decay.
This simple animation shows the transmutation of
a radioactive atom in a mineral lattice and briefly
explains how this phenomenon can be used to date
rocks.
Moving Ice
This case shows some of the work Mawson did
studying ice in the Antarctic and glaciation in Australia.
It is adjacent to a case showing the evidence that
would have alerted Mawson to the fact that glaciers
once crossed Australia. Glacial till, drop stones,
scratches on rocks and rock pavements are exhibited.
Changing sea level
This interactive poses the problem of what could
make sea levels rise or fall. Students can choose to
examine either the rise and fall of the land surface
(erosion, mountain building, isostasy) or the rise
and fall of the sea (changing temperatures). After
the viewing the information on the effects of
temperature on sea levels, students can examine
some of the possible causes of global temperature
fluctuation. They can choose to learn more about
orbit change, atmospheric gasses or ocean
currents.
Alternatively they can watch a video in which a
museum scientist shows fossil evidence for climate
change.
Flinders Ranges
The case to the right of this interactive shows some
of Mawson’s work in the Flinders Ranges and they
include a number of sedimentary rocks.
Computer interactives in this case
These interactives can all be seen on a big screen
above the smaller screen at the station. It is possible
for a class to sit on the floor to see and discuss the
animations together.
South Australian Museum Education Program
Advanced geological studies
Mawson Gallery computers & specimens
Try your hand at what Mawson did.
sediments is interesting.
This interactive is attractive to most students. A
computer-generated landscape can be folded or
faulted at will by the student. After watching what
happens to the land as a result of some of these
deformations, the student can be challenged to click
on the quiz button.
Clues to changing sea levels.
In the quiz they are presented with computergenerated faulted or folded landscape and
challenged to scroll through a series of actual
photographs to match one with the landscape.
Sedimentary rocks
This animation starts with a computer generated
landscape with most types of sedimentary rock
represented. A side menu allows students to
investigate their formation. The animations show
how rock can be formed from volcanic ash; from
materials moved by glaciers, rivers, and wind;
from marine sediments; and from ancient plant
materials. The marine sediment animation
subdivides sedimentary rocks into deep water,
submarine slump, limestone, shallow water and
shoreline types.
Mawson in the field
This is a long, and slightly tedious animation that
shows the formation of the Flinders Ranges, layer
by sedimentary layer. The right hand side of the
screen shows layers building, while the left shows a
diagrammatic version of the deposition. An
animation of glacier formation and the sudden
crash of the meteorite livens up a fairly
predictable set of static images. The final
animation of the folding and buckling of the
This is a quick video in which one of the
palaeontology staff from the Museum explain some
of the clues that indicate sea levels have changes in
the past. At the conclusion of the movie, a map of
Australia appears with a side menu of geological
periods. Students can select a time period to see
what Australia’s coastline has looked like in the
past. In each period they can also click in the
“Evidence” button to see one of the geological
clues that indicate where the water lay.
An observation explained
This case focuses on the progress of science, and
the way new ideas build on the old. Mawson did
not subscribe to the theory of Continental Drift, and
his reservations are described in this case.
Computer interactives in this case
An animation of the drifting continents begins this
interactive. Students can then choose to learn more
about the evidence for continental drift (in this case
the evidence is provided by comparing glaciation
episodes), or the effects of continental drift (in this
case how the evolution of turtles and marsupials was
affected by the drifting continents.)
South Australian Museum Education Program
Advanced geological studies
Mawson Gallery computers & specimens
Other computer interactives in the gallery do
not relate directly to Earth Science.
They include;
Mawson’s Epic Sledge Journey
This interactive is next to a case that contains the
sledge, sleeping bag and other materials
associated with Mawson’s heroic journey in
Antarctica on which his two sledging companions
died.
Computer interactives in this case
This interactive tells the story of Mawson’s famous
sledging journey. The main interface is a map,
from which viewers can select various incidents.
We recommended that the story be followed in
chronological order when first viewed. When an
incident is selected, the first screen shows an entry
from Mawson’s diary pertaining to the event. The
viewers can then choose from;
diary extracts
a re-enactment of the journey (video)
a photo album of relevant (generally archival)
images
provided on the machine.
Discovering new species
Recommended for Early and Primary Years This is a
very simple spot the odd one out exercise for younger
participants. The actual specimens are on display, as
well as their photographs to assist in picking the
animal that belongs to a different species.
Southern Ocean Biodiversity
This interactive begins with a fairly long video clip
that discusses the unique nature of the marine fauna
in southern waters. In the fascinating interactive that
follows the film a small ship sails across the screen. It
can be stopped at any time and weird and wonderful
animals can be “collected” in its net. The animals
can be studied in more detail and information about
them is available on the computer.
Why collect specimens?
Recommended for Middle and Senior Years. In this
short video one of the Museum’s scientists explains
why they collect animals and points out some of the
more modern approaches being taken at the
Museum.
Science from Ships
This case contains a variety of specimens preserved
in alcohol or formalin. The specimens on the lower
shelf are from Mawson’s BANZARE trips. The
upper shelf contains other animals from similar
regions. There are three bottles of specimens in the
base of the cupboard from which animals were
selected to make the rubber copies used for the
identification exercise in the multimedia.
THE FOLLOWING PAGES MAY BE REPRODUCED
TO GUIDE STUDENTS IN THEIR EXPLORATION
OF THE GALLERY.
Computer interactives in this case
Identifying animals
Recommended for Middle and Senior years. An
introductory video explains the importance of
correctly identifying animals. The interactive that
follows requires the student to look carefully at
three isopods in a special moveable container and
identify them according to the dichotomous key
South Australian Museum Education Program
Weather records
Mawson’s team measured wind speed and temperature to find out about Antarctica’s
weather. He also knew that some rocks could tell him about what the weather was like long
ago.
LOOK AT THE MOVIE: EARTH’S CHANGING CLIMATE
What are some of the factors that have affected climate in the past?
We have evidence that Australia’s climate was different in past times.
Give some examples.
What is the evidence?
Can you think of a reason that scientists today are very interested in these changes in the
Earth’s climate and the effects they had?
South Australian Museum Education Program
Mineral display cases
Douglas Mawson was the curator of minerals at the South Australian Museum for many
years. He ordered some special cabinets to show off the Museum’s collection.
Can you find the black case of minerals (near the big penguin models)?
This is the last remaining case of the set that Mawson bought.
Use the information in this case to find out about the development of the mineral collection
at the Museum. Make a quick summary of the information in this case.
Look at the large display case next to Mawson’s black display cabinet. What does this
display case show? What are the most spectacular specimens in it?
South Australian Museum Education Program
Rocks: radioactive and igneous
Rocks that form from magma are called igneous rocks and they show a variety
of forms.
FIND THE COMPUTER ANIMATION: IGNEOUS ROCKS (In the case ‘Rocks, radioactive and
igneous)
Explain how to tell the difference between an igneous rock that formed from rapidly
cooling magma and one that formed from slow cooling magma.
How does the concentration of silica affect the final rock?
What kind of igneous rocks are in the Mount Erebus case?
South Australian Museum Education Program
Flinders Ranges (Specimens)
Sand, mud and other sediments can be compressed to make sedimentary rocks.
By studying these rocks we can tell the story of their formation. What does this rock tell us
about conditions when it formed?
Find this sedimentary r ock in the Flinders Ranges exhibit.
Then choose two other kinds of sedimentary rocks from the exhibit.
Name them and explain what clues they yield.
Now look at the case to the right of the Flinders exhibit. Write down two things people can
learn from this case about how rocks can change.
South Australian Museum Education Program
Flinders Ranges (Computer)
Sir Douglas was very interested in the way rocks could bend and move. Try your
hand at investigating some rock structures.
FIND THE COMPUTER ANIMATION: TRY YOUR HAND AT WHAT MAWSON DID.
(Look at the computer in the Flinders Ranges section.)
Explore the animation.
What does this diagram show?
Select two other rock structures from this computer interactive. For each one draw the
layers that show either a fold or a fault, name it and use arrows to show the force that
caused the structure.
After you have looked at three or more animations, the Quiz button will start flashing. Click
on the button and try the quiz. How many did you get right?
South Australian Museum Education Program
Moving ice (Computer)
Douglas Mawson’s first interest in Antarctica was to find out how glaciers affected rocks.
FIND THE COMPUTER INTERACTIVE: GLACIER FORMATION. (Look in the Glacier case)
Explore the interactive to find out as much as you can about glaciers. Write down three
things that you have learnt about glaciers that you did not know before you used the
computer.
Millions of years after a glacier has melted away, rocks would show evidence that it had
existed. Using what you have learnt about glaciers, explain what sort of evidence you
would expect to be left behind.
South Australian Museum Education Program
Seeking the South Magnetic Pole
On Mawson’s first expedition to Antarctica he was set the task of finding the South
magnetic pole and all his Antarctic expeditions gathered more information about the Earth’s
magnetic field. Since his day we have learnt a lot more about the field. Understanding
magnetism in rocks has given us evidence that the continents have been moving.
FIND THE COMPUTER ANIMATION: MAGNETISM IN MINERALS.
(Look in the case ‘Seeking the South Magnetic Pole’.)
How does magnetism in rocks help show that the sea floor is spreading?
Where is the sea floor spreading near Australia?
South Australian Museum Education Program
Moving ice (Specimens)
While exploring the rocks of South Australia, Mawson found evidence that glaciers
had once covered parts of South Australia.
Find the “Glacier” case (Near the ice on the eastern wall).
Describe two pieces of rock that give clues to the existence of ancient ice sheets
and explain what clues they give.
1.
2.
South Australian Museum Education Program
The difficulties of research
Douglas Mawson was one of the earliest explorers in Antarctica. His equipment and
supplies were quite different from those used by today’s explorers. Spend five or ten
minutes looking around this gallery and make some notes about the kind of equipment he
used. Here are some issues you might like to address;
How did the scientists protect themselves from the cold?
What forms of transport did they use?
What safety equipment did they use?
What kind of accommodation did they have and what sort of fittings were used?
What else can you find out about how these scientists lived?
Do any scientists today live such adventurous lives?
South Australian Museum Education Program
Mount Erebus
Mount Erebus is a special mountain. Find the exhibit which features Mount Erebus. What is
special about its mountain?
Douglas Mawson was in the first party to climb it. Some of the photographs he took are
quite spectacular. Describe a couple of these photographs.
Volcanos occur all around the world, but there is a pattern to their distribution. Why are
they concentrated in some parts of the world, but are quite rare in other parts?
Where can you go in South Australia if you want to see a real volcano?
South Australian Museum Education Program