Geography in Action for Students Years 11 and 8

It has been a busy start to the term for Year 11 Geography and Year 8 IAS students. 

The Year 8 IAS excursion included exploring the different topics we had learnt in class at Currumbin and Tallebudgera beach. Personally, I had a great experience, finally being able to put the skills I had learnt in class into action. It was such a great way to spend time with my friends, yet still be productive and push myself. I really love collaboration so this was such a fun way to learn. Although, what I found most interesting on this excursion, was being able to identify new things like long-shore drift and micro berms. It was like I had gone to the beach for the first time again, because I was noticing so much more, in much greater depth. As a Gold Coaster, I go to the beach quite often, but it really was eye-opening to be able to recognise how everything was happening, being able to understand why, how and where, and over all just knowing that there was a reason behind everything!  In all honesty I think this was such a memorable experience. It combined collaboration, hard-work, inquiry and fun, I don't think a school trip could get better than that.

Arya Denzongpa-Bathols, Year 8 Veivers

Our Year 11 Geography class went on an excursion to Palm Beach and Currumbin. We measured the impact of coastal processes on the beaches and how human activity has altered these processes at the different beaches. We started at the Tallebudgera Rock groyne, then went on to the artificial reef at Palm Beach and finished at Currumbin near the surf club where there has been planting of vegetation and mesh fencing. We measured dune profiles and recorded vegetation succession on the dunes, as well as measuring Longshore Drift, wind speed and wave types.  Whilst we got hit with windy weather it was a great day getting to see real life results of the coastal management strategies that we had learnt about in class.  We now really understand how human action and biophysical processes influences the beaches we visit every day. However, the highlight of the day had to be the ice-cream stop at the end which was the perfect way to finish the day having been sand blasted all day by the very windy weather!

Aveline Rounsley, Year 11 Andrews

The students in Year 11 are now working hard to write a field report for their first QCAA Internal Assessment, while the Year 8 students have had an opportunity to graph their findings and will use a lot of the information gathered to assist them in completing their upcoming examinations. We look forward to reading the students work later this term.