In mathematics, students will learn how to analyse patterns and trends in data, interpret maps and diagrams, and calculate the elapsed time between the formation of a seamount and a volcanic island. Timeline and units are introduced, such as Ma (Millions of year, cm/year). The students will develop their numeracy skills. In science, students will learn new concepts, such as hot spots and hot spots volcanoes. In technology, students will learn how to conduct research online about hot spots volcanoes, and how to create and organise data into a database.
Bybee (1997) suggested an instructional teaching and learning model, named the 5 E’s model, which comprises of five phases, such as engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration and evaluation.
Engage
Once the students arrive at the Glass House Mountains site, ask them what they know about tectonic plates and volcanoes and help them to make connections between the moving tectonic plates, magma, convection currents and hot spots. How did the Glass House Mountains (GHM) form? Is Australia situated near the tectonic plate’s boundaries? Ask the students to make inferences about how the GHM looked like 27million years ago. Where is the Australian continent situated in relation to the plate’s boundaries? What is a hot spot? At this stage, students receive a field trip booklet and they start researching answers.
The Glass House Mountains Field Trip 