What

Museum Staff-led

When

Terms 1 to 4, Monday to Friday

Duration

90 minutes

Year level

Years 7 to 10

Minmum student numbers

Minimum 15 students

Maximum student numbers

Maximum 30 students

Cost

Free for government schools as part of Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

Booking information

Bookings 13 11 02

School visit information

Students visit Melbourne Museums newest permanent exhibition Gandel Gondwana Garden, an immersive palaeontological outdoor garden, and to explore the origin of life in Victoria to understand their role in shaping a positive future. 

This new 90-minute program, Exploring Deep Time, takes students on an immersive journey to engage with the big questions of our time.

Beginning in the Learning Lab Studio, students are introduced to the concept of Gondwana and connections to modern day biogeography and speciation. Using Inquiry Based methodologies, students examine both fossil and taxidermy specimens in the museum galleries to explore evidence for evolution and concepts such as geographical distribution, speciation, adaptation, comparative anatomy, co-evolution, transition fossils, and convergent evolution. 

The program is designed to connect students to curriculum areas including: 

• Science as a Human Endeavour, for levels 7 to 10 
• Biological Science (Interactions between organisms can be described in terms of food chains and food webs and can be affected by human activity), for levels 7 to 8
• The theory of evolution by natural selection (explaining the diversity of living things and is supported by a range of scientific evidence), for levels 9 to 10

Also embedded are Science Inquiry Skills including communicating, analysing and evaluating and critical and creative thinking capabilities. 

Developed as part of the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series

 

Victorian Curriculum links

Biological science

Level 7 to 8: Interactions between organisms can be described in terms of food chains and food webs and can be affected by human activity.

Level 9 to 10: The theory of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of living things and is supported by a range of scientific evidence.

Science inquiry skills

• Communicating
• Analysing and evaluating
• Critical and creative thinking capabilities.