The science behind natural disasters

Stage 3 students are investigating natural disasters in science. In library lessons, we are particularly looking the properties of these disasters, and how they form.


How do tornadoes form? – James Spann [TED-Ed]


What are hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones?


On this day 24th of December | Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin [1974]


What is an earthquake? | The Dr Binocs Show | Educational Videos For Kids


On this day 28th of December | 1989 Newcastle earthquake


How tsunamis work – Alex Gendler [TED-Ed]


Tsunamis 101 | National Geographic

The International Space Station and beyond

Stage 3 students are investigating the International Space Station (ISS) in information literacy and science lessons in the library:


Tour the International Space Station – Inside ISS – HD


James May rides the Vomit Comet – Astronaut training – James May: On the moon – Brit Lab

Averting exploration disasters:


What if Apollo had crashed on the moon?

Mars awaits:


Mars or the moon – Where do NASA manned missions go next?

Built environments and interior design

This term, Stage 2 students are investigating aspects of Built environments in their science lessons. In the library, we shall extending this work by exploring the interior designs of: railway carriages, aeroplanes, ferries and cars. Also, how do people move within the interior of a built environment? ie. stairs, escalators, lifts/elevators.


German ICE train ICE 122 interior – Frankfurt HBF – Amsterdam Centraal


Airline: the story of Pan Am – YouTube trailer version


How to design an aircraft cabin


Simara ACE – ACE link – ferry exterior styling and interior design


Making of BMW i3: interior design [electric car]


20 attractive wooden staircase design


Spiral staircase design | Beautiful collection of staircase designs as modern interior


Sydney wooden escalator at Wynyard (Walkabouter’s guide) #84 [railway station]

And if you’ve ever wondered where the Wynyard Station wooden escalators originally came from…


Luna Park big slide [Coney Island, Milson’s Point]


Elevators – How do they do it?


Otis traction scenic red elevators @ Westin Bonaventure Los Angeles CA


Elevator machine room tour: 1965 Otis gearless traction elevator relay logic unit


Beautiful 100 year old Van Emon elevator @ Golden Gate Hotel San Francisco CA


Tiny vintage Curtis traction elevator @ 100 W 23rd st New York City New York

More about national parks and feral animals

Stage 2 students are continuing their explorations into Australia’s national parks.


Australian National Parks


Springbrook National Park and Lamington National Park, Rainforest Australia in HD

We have also been investigating the onging threat from feral animals in Australia, another threat to our national parks, farms and rural communities:


Australian Feral Camel Management Project 2013


Feral pig control

Another controversial issue is the suggestion that Australia’s marine parks, and “no take” fishing laws, be extended. Some excellent examples of persuasion here, from both sides of the debate.


60 Minutes – Marine parks in Australia

Wheels, wheels, wheels

Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students are investigating transport. This week we are looking at the wheel, which researchers now believe may be an invention from about 5000 years ago. Some texts state the wheel was an invention of prehistoric peoples, but the evidence has not supported that assumption.


History of the wheel – claymation


Hidden histories: The wheel


Horrible histories – Pioneers of transportation

Frogs and their life cycle


Aesop: biography of a great thinker

Following their investigations into variations on Aesop’s fable of The exploding frog (aka The bull and the bullfrog, aka The frog and the ox), plus Sally Murphy & Simon Bosch’s picture book, The floatingest frog, students in Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 are learning about factual information on frogs in science & technology.

Investigating Australian birds

Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students have been reading the Aboriginal Dreaming story of Pheasant and Kingfisher, in a big book version by Catherine Berndt & Raymond Meeks.

We used a Google Images search to locate online photographs of Australian pheasants and Australian kingfishers. The additional descriptor of “long tail” helped us find images of kingfishers “with firesticks stuck in their bottom”.

We discussed why images of peacocks (not Australian!) and lyrebirds turned up in the pheasant image seach, and why kookaburras turned up in the kingfisher search. We then used Youtube to locate examples of a pheasant saying its name, “Bookbook”, as in the story, and a kingfisher saying “Bered-bered”.


Common pheasant making quick repeated sounds while taking a walk


Pheasant – common pheasant bird call


Pied Kingfisher catching fish in split second – BBC wildlife

The next week, we moved our investigations into factual information on Australian birds:


Aussie beauties – a tribute to Australian birds

Ancient buildings

As a component of Stage 2’s science & technology investigations into Buildings & Bridges, we will be learning about ancient structures in the library.


1 The Great Pyramid of Egypt, how it was built – new solid theory, new evidence. JP Houdin. 2011


Why did we stop building pyramids?


Lost temples: Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza


Athens Acropolis and the Parthenon


Rome, Italy: The Colosseum


The lost city of Pompeii


Ancientvine – Virtual Roman house 3D reconstruction


Stonehenge prehistoric monument


Hadrian’s Wall


Everything you need to know about the Great Wall of China

Learning about Buddhism and Judaism

The following Youtube clips should provide some field knowledge for the Stage 2 students’ research into Buddhism:


BUDDHISM the history and belief explained (using first five mins only)


What is Buddhism?

Mahabodhi Temple at dusk 6
“Mahabodhi Temple at dusk 6” by Triratna Photos on Flickr Creative Commons


Facts about Judaism