Each student group will have 2 Saturdays on geology and 2 on medical science.

Igneous is Bliss! (geology)

Students will immerse themselves in the different types of rocks, their composition and how they are formed. Further to this, they will explore plate tectonics and the impacts they have on the earth, through the formation of Volcanoes, Mountain Ranges along with how they cause earthquakes.

Geology Presenter

Michelle Galea is a 3rd year mineral geoscience student at the University of Adelaide who studies rocks, minerals and how these form on our earth. This includes volcanoes, mountains, and earthquakes. In her holidays Michelle works at a mine underground doing 3D mapping of large rock bodies. She Identifies where the waste rocks and the ore rocks are and uses science and mapping to identify where the ore is moving, as well as grading ore to determine the percentage of minerals within a rock.

B. Cereus! A microbiology primer

Alternatively this term groups will get a chance to explore the world beneath ours as they explore things through a microscope. From Microbiology to Haematology & Immunology, they will discover there is more to this world than what we can physically see.

The groups will also have a chance to explore DNA and how it makes us, us!

Medical Science Presenter

Joelene Galea, graduate of the Laboratory Medicine (Honours) program at the University of South Australia has two years’ experience as a laboratory technical assistant, specialising in immunology and microbiology including tuberculosis identification. Joelene is currently, employed as a transplantation and immunogenetics scientist at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.

Junior program (5-8yrs)

Session 1 : Geology: Introduction to rocks and the rock cycle

Basic explanation of the three-rock types, (Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary) and how they become one another through the rock cycle. Identify three rocks to their rock type and therefore the basics of their formation. A hands-on activity using play-do to examine how rocks move through the rock cycle.

Session 2 : Geology: Introduction to tectonic and tectonic products

Students learn the basics to tectonic settings and the types of environments they can cause, including volcanoes, earthquakes, and the building of mountain ranges. As well as the types of rocks these can form. We will examine this using the crackers to see how earth’s pressures can move tectonic plates around the earth. Followed by sketching the different environments to fully understand the effects.

Session 3 : Medical Science: What is DNA ?

Students will follow my demonstration in extracting DNA from strawberries.

Session 4 : Introduction to Haematology.

Describe the different blood cells. Draw and colour in different types of blood cells/play an easier version of spot the difference.

Intermediate and Senior program (8-16yrs)

Session 1 : Microbiology introduction

What is microbiology? Microbiology activity:

Students to freely collect swab samples.

Students to hypothesise results.

Session 2 : Examine plates.

Can draw results; ask questions, I can look at their plate to examine their technique. Perform Gram stains using acquired colonies.

Examine prepared slides and discuss.

Session 3 : Introduction to rocks and the rock cycle

Basic explanation of the three-rock types, (Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary) and how they become one another through the rock cycle. Identify three rocks to their rock type and therefore the basics of their formation. A hands-on activity using play-do to examine how rocks move through the rock cycle.

Session 4 : Introduction to tectonic and tectonic products

Students learn the basics to tectonic settings and the types of environments they can cause, including volcanoes, earthquakes, and the building of mountain ranges. As well as the types of rocks these can form. We will examine this using the crackers to see how earth’s pressures can move tectonic plates around the earth. Followed by sketching the different environments to fully understand the effects.