Baltasound Junior High School

North Mavine Geology

Subject: Other Age: Secondary Students: 25 pupils from Year S1-S2

Location: Scotland Year: 2009 Grant: £3000

Teacher: Mrs Emily Tulloch
Scientist: Ms Robina Barton, Project Officer - Geology, Shetland Amenity Trust

Pupils from the Shetland Islands were able to investigate the geology and environment of their home landscape – and how to conserve it – on a field trip to the North Mainland, at the site of an ancient supervolcano!

Learning about local geology.

This Partnership Grants project is part of a bigger, three-year project, to embed the study of Geology in local schools, following Shetland’s designation as a Geopark. Pupils and staff worked with Robina Barton and her colleagues from the Shetland Amenity Trust, including North Isles Ranger Rory Tallack.

Part of the project involved pupils working towards the John Muir Discovery Award. This entailed pupils discovering a wild place, exploring its wildness, taking practical action to conserve it and take responsibility for it and finally, sharing their experiences.

The trip started with a walk to the top of Ronas Hill, which at 450m is Shetland’s highest point, and along the way pupils were challenged to spot a range of different plants and animals. Over the following days, pupils took part in a range of activities including studying the differences between igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks; discovering the volcanic ash and lava which makes the coastline so distinct; exploring Braewick beach which is important for its range of geological features and fault line; simulating the way the landscape looked millions of years ago using sand and selecting the appropriate rocks to represent the desert, volcano and lakes; investigating layers of volcanic activity across the ages; and taking part in an exhilarating evening rock along the ancient lava flow with Shetland Islands Council Outdoor Education Instructor Pete Richardson.

Pupils also created posters about what they had learned, and these were later displayed at Breiwick Caravan Site.

 

A teachers’ pack of information and an accompanying pupils’ challenge pack was produced to guide the trip and to provide a good source of learning and evaluation for us. In the second year we hope to study the biodiversity of the North Isles of Shetland and in the third to examine the geology and human use of the landscape in the South Mainland of Shetland.

For more information, see the school’s website.