Earth & Space
Natural Disasters
Students model convection currents, tectonic plate movement, water erosion, underwater volcanic eruption and tornado formation, connecting each process to real-world natural disasters.
Year 5–6
90 min
up to 30 students
$490 + GST
What students will do
Students observe convection currents using food dye in hot and cold water to understand how heat drives weather systems including cyclones and tornadoes. Working in pairs, they model how rainfall reshapes landscapes by eroding sugar cube 'cliffs' with a pipette. Sandpaper blocks on carpet simulate tectonic plate movement, and students draw as 'human seismographs' to record the resulting shockwaves, reinforced by a working seismograph demonstration. A test tube, funnel and Alka-Seltzer tablet models underwater volcanic eruption, and a tornado maker (two connected water bottles) demonstrates cyclonic rotation. Discussion throughout connects each model to the processes behind real natural disasters.
Curriculum outcomes
Victorian Curriculum v2.0 content descriptions addressed in this session.
- VC2S6U06
Investigate how convection currents in water and air drive weather systems and contribute to cyclones, tornadoes and storms
- VC2S6U06
Model geological processes — including tectonic plate movement, seismic activity and volcanic eruption — that cause rapid changes to Earth's surface
- VC2S6U05
Explain how natural disasters are driven by rapid geological or meteorological processes, and discuss how human responses can reduce their impact
Often booked alongside
Physical Sciences
Electricity
Students build working circuits, classify conductors and insulators, compare series and parallel configurations, and investigate how different energy sources (including hand-powered generators) produce electricity.
Physical Sciences
Light
Students investigate reflection, refraction and diffraction using mirrors, lenses and diffraction gratings, with laser beam demonstrations bringing the physics of light into sharp, visible focus.
Chemical Sciences
Reactive Chemistry
Students investigate reversible and irreversible chemical change through real reactions: a polymer reversal, a sealed reaction bag and a teacher-led Elephant's Toothpaste demonstration.
Bring Natural Disasters to your school
Tell us your year levels and preferred dates. We'll confirm availability and bring everything with us.
Limited dates each term — one facilitator, one school per day.