All Events

All webinar times are given in Australian Eastern time - SA, NT, QLD and WA will need to adjust for time zone differences accordingly.

Rocks and Minerals for the classroom 1 - T1 2023

February 27, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

Minerals for the classroom

Monday February 27 @ 4.00pm AEDT. Register here, it's FREE.

What makes a good mineral for use in classroom teaching? What doesn't?

What minerals shouldn't be in the classroom at all?

This PD will take no more than 30-45 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

GM muscovite

Do you have a mystery mineral or two in your prep room?

Take some good quality photographs and send them through ahead of time* and we'll try and do some virtual ID for you too!

 

* Send photographs of mystery minerals here. Good resolution and depth of field is essential. Make sure photographs include some form of scale.
NOTE: Identifying minerals can be hard at the best of times and doing it from photographs is far from ideal and we make no promises we can indentify anything or get it right even if we give it a try!  However, one thing is for sure: if we cannot easily identify a specimen chances are it should not be in a school teaching set!

Fossils, Evolution and Extinctions 1 - T1 2023

March 01, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

INTRODUCTION TO FOSSILS, EVOLUTION AND EXTINCTIONS

This webinar will look at the 5 big mass extinctions through geological time and what might have caused them-using fossils. We will look at the evolutionary niches that were created by some of these extinctions, including the rise of hominids.
 
 
If you have a mystery fossil that you want us to identify, please send an image of it to here (please use a coin for scale).
 

 

Rocks and Minerals for the classroom 2 - T1 2023

March 06, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

ROCKS FOR THE CLASSROOM

Monday March 6 @4.00pm AEDT. Register here, it's FREE.

What makes a good rock for use in classroom teaching? What doesn't?

What rocks shouldn't be in the classroom at all?

This PD will take no more than 30-45 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

GM muscovite

Do you have a mystery rock or two in your prep room?

Take some good quality photographs and send them through ahead of time* and we'll try and do some virtual ID for you too!

 

* Send photographs of mystery rocks here. Good resolution and depth of field is essential. Make sure photographs include some form of scale.
NOTE: Identifying rocks can be hard at the best of times and doing it from photographs is far from ideal and we make no promises we can indentify anything or get it right even if we give it a try!  However, one thing is for sure: if we cannot easily identify a specimen chances are it should not be in a school teaching set!

Fossils, Evolution and Extinctions 2 - T1 2023

March 08, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

FOSSILS AND ASTROBIOLOGY

This webinar will look at how we are made of star stuff and may even be extra-terrestrials! Mass extinctions and evolution of life have been affected by the passage of the solar system around the Milky Way Galaxy and by meteors smashing in to Earth and we will see this with fossils.

 SmallAsteroidImpacts Frequency Bolide 20141114

If you have a mystery fossil that you want us to identify, please send an image of it to here (please a coin for scale).

 

 

Rocks and Minerals for the classroom 3 - T1 2023

March 13, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

IGNEOUS ROCK BASICS

Monday March 13 @ 4.00pm AEDT. Register here, it's FREE.

What are the features of a rock that identify it as igneous?

Are all igneous rocks identified the same way?

This PD will take no more than 30 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

GM muscovite

Do you have a mystery rock you think might be igneous?

Take some good quality photographs and send them through ahead of time* and we'll try and do some virtual ID for you too!

* Send photographs of mystery rocks here. Good resolution and depth of field is essential. Make sure photographs include some form of scale.
NOTE: Identifying rockss can be hard at the best of times and doing it from photographs is far from ideal and we make no promises we can indentify anything or get it right even if we give it a try!  However, one thing is for sure: if we cannot easily identify a specimen chances are it should not be in a school teaching set!

Fossils, Evolution and Extinctions 3 - T1 2023

March 15, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

FOSSILS AND PLATE TECTONICS

This webinar looks at plate tectonics and how it has affected life on Earth. We will look at fossils from black smokers at the mid-ocean ridges, and at Permian fossil leaves that allowed us to understand sea floor spreading. Many of the 5 Great Extinction events have large igneous provinces associated with them and fossils will show extinctions related to them.

1024px Glossopteris sp. seed ferns Permian Triassic Houston Museum of Natural Science DSC01765 

If you have a mystery fossil that you want us to identify, please send an image of it to here (please use a coin for scale)

 

 

Rocks and Minerals for the classroom 4 - T1 2023

March 20, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

SEDIMENTARY ROCK BASICS

Monday March 20 @ 4.00pm AEDT. Register here, it's FREE.

What are the features of a rock that identify it as sedimentary?

Are all sedimentary rocks identified the same way?

This PD will take no more than 30-45 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

GM muscovite

Do you have a mystery rock you think might be sedimentary?

Take some good quality photographs and send them through ahead of time* and we'll try and do some virtual ID for you too!

* Send photographs of mystery rocks here. Good resolution and depth of field is essential. Make sure photographs include some form of scale.
NOTE: Identifying rockss can be hard at the best of times and doing it from photographs is far from ideal and we make no promises we can indentify anything or get it right even if we give it a try!  However, one thing is for sure: if we cannot easily identify a specimen chances are it should not be in a school teaching set!

Afternoon PD Workshops: Our Place in Space, and Round and Round with Rocks and Minerals

March 22, 2023 @ 2:00 PM

Our Place in Space discusses the evolution of Earth and our Solar System. The PD will investigate meteorites, the formation of the moon, the impacts of the Earth’s rotation and tilted axis, and compares Earth with Mars and the other planets. Participants will be able to touch a piece of the moon, and view meteorite samples from Geoscience Australia’s National Mineral and Fossil Collection.

Round and Round with Rocks and Minerals looks at the rock cycle and crustal geology. This PD is a guided journey through the rock cycle from intrusion to mineralised veins, volcano to sediment, sand deposition to metamorphic processes, as well as the important role minerals and geo-resources play in society and nature. The PD will also discuss some of the principles of geology, with local examples. The workshop will include resources from Geoscience Australia’s Education Centre and National Mineral and Fossil Collection.

The PD workshops will include hands-on classroom exercises, an overview of the integrated TESEP rock kit, plate tectonic poster and online resources, and an opportunity to learn more about the role of Geoscience Australia, their displays and Education Centre. Presentations will be available to attendees. The topics are focused at teachers of years 7-10 secondary science students and will be of interest to upper primary science years 4-6. Afternoon tea will be provided

Download the flyer and registration form here.

Fossils, Evolution and Extinctions 4 - T1 2023

March 22, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

FOSSILS AND HOMINID EVOLUTION

This webinar will look at hominid evolution-us! These are the rarest of all fossils and their evolutionary changes in the Great Rift Valley of Africa are driven by changes in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. We will look at how we evolved using fossils and what makes us “human”.

1280px Mrs Ples Face 

If you have a mystery fossil that you want us to identify, please send an image of it to here (please use a coin for scale).

 

 

RocksExpo 2-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet @ Hamilton

March 27, 2023 @ 3:40 PM

This PD is two for one!

  • Rocks (and how to use the TESEP rock kit) plus
  • Plate Tectonics
  • Volcanoes/Sth Grampians Fieldtrip - Sun 26 March 2023

School: Baimbridge College, 59 Baimbridge Rd, Hamilton, Vic
Meeting Room: Library
Date: Mon 03 April 2023 PD workshop, Sun 26 March Fieldtrip, Facilitator: Yvette Colquhoun

Download the flyer and registration form here (PDF).

Download the flyer and registration form here (WORD).

Rocks and Minerals for the classroom 5 - T1 2023

March 27, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

METAMORPHIC ROCK BASICS

Monday 27 March @ 4.00pm AEDT. Register here, it's FREE.

What are the features of a rock that identify it as metamorphic?

Are all metamorphic rocks identified the same way?

This PD will take no more than 30 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

GM muscovite

Do you have a mystery rock you think might be sedimentary?

Take some good quality photographs and send them through ahead of time* and we'll try and do some virtual ID for you too!

* Send photographs of mystery rocks here. Good resolution and depth of field is essential. Make sure photographs include some form of scale.
NOTE: Identifying rockss can be hard at the best of times and doing it from photographs is far from ideal and we make no promises we can indentify anything or get it right even if we give it a try!  However, one thing is for sure: if we cannot easily identify a specimen chances are it should not be in a school teaching set!

Fossils, Evolution and Extinctions 5 - T1 2023

March 29, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

ECONOMIC FOSSILS

This webinar will look at some of the economic uses of fossils from dating of rocks, to fossil swamps and algae that drove the Industrial Revolution and our modern world. We will look at the formation of iron ore, the uses of diatoms, amber and even gems such as opal.

Fossil frog in amber
If you have a mystery fossil that you want us to identify, please send an image of it to here (Please use a coin for scale).
 

 

RocksExpo 2-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet @ Pyramid Hill

March 30, 2023 @ 3:30 PM

This PD is two for one!

  • Rocks (and how to use the TESEP rock kit) plus
  • Plate Tectonics

School: Pyramid Hill College, 97 Kelly St, Pyramid Hill, Vic
Meeting Room: go to front office to sign in & be directed to meeting room
Date: Tue 30 March 2023 PD workshop, Facilitator: Elizabeth Fox

Download the flyer and registration form here (PDF).

Download the flyer and registration form here (WORD).

Rocks and Minerals for the classroom 6 - T1 2023

April 02, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

THE ROCK CYCLE

Monday 3 April @ 4.00pm AEDT. Register here. it's FREE.

What is the rock cycle? GM muscovite

Is it really a cycle like the water cycle and nutrient cycles?

This PD will take no more than 30-45 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

RocksExpo 2-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet @ Horsham

April 03, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

This PD is two for one!

  • Rocks (and how to use the TESEP rock kit) plus
  • Fossils, Evolution & Extinctions
  • Tue 16 May 4pm-6pm Fieldtrip, Rock Stories, Northern Grampians

School: Holy Trinity Lutheran College, 25 Trinity Dve, Horsham Vic
Meeting Room: Agora meeting space - Senior School building, Reception
Date: Mon 03 April 2023 PD workshop, Tue 16 May Fieldtrip, Facilitator: Paige Moore, Horsham

Download the flyer and registration form here (PDF).

Download the flyer and registration form here (WORD).

Fossils, Evolution and Extinctions 6 - T1 2023

April 05, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

MICRO-FOSSILS

This webinar will look at the uses of micro fossils. We will cover single celled organisms such as forams, dinoflagellates and diatoms, as well as the mysterious acritarchs. We will show how important micro fossils are in tell ing the geological time as well as interpreting ancient environments.

 SmallAsteroidImpacts Frequency Bolide 20141114
If you have a mystery fossil that you want us to identify, please send an image of it to here (Please use a coin for scale).
 

 

RocksExpo 2-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet @ Stawell

May 09, 2023 @ 3:30 PM

This PD is two for one!

  • Rocks (and how to use the TESEP rock kit) plus
  • Fossils, Natural Hazards & Volcanoes
  • Tue 16 May 4pm-6pm Fieldtrip, Rock Stories, Northern Grampians

School: Stawell West PS, Cooper St, Stawell, Vicic
Meeting Room: Meeting Hall
Date: Tue 09 May 2023 PD workshop, Tue 16 May 4-6pm Fieldtrip, Facilitator: Principal Anthony Cain

Download the flyer and registration form here (PDF).

Download the flyer and registration form here (WORD).