Minerals project

The Australian Schools Innovation in Science, Technology (ASISTM) project is part of the Australian Government's Boosting Innovation, Science, Technology and Mathematics Teaching (BISTMT) Programme which funds innovative projects that focus on improving teaching and learning in schools in the areas of science, technology and mathematics.

The Science and Minerals Schools Clusters project is one such ASISTM project run in partnership between the NSW Minerals Council and the Department Education and Training. As the context for this project was mining and minerals, two clusters of schools, representing government and non-government schools drawn from two mining regions, Illawarra and Orange, developed a range of resources for this project.

The following range of resources have been developed by the cluster schools as part of the ASISTM project to assist schools with the implementation of the Stages 4 and 5 Science syllabus and the Stage 6 Earth and Environmental Science syllabus.

Locating the Earth’s Shadow Zone Practical activity where students examine the refraction of light to form a ‘shadow zone’.	Stage 4
Earth’s resources – an electronic test Assessment activity incorporating multiple-choice and short-answer questions on the internal structure of the earth, natural resources and the rock cycle.	Stage 4
To Mine or Not to Mine Assignment based on De Bono’s thinking hats, where each member of the group presents arguments based on a particular perspective.	Stages 4 - 5
Metals in the home Worksheet, Assignment, Test activity based on the NSW Minerals Council interactive CD – Down to Earth, Metals Matter. This can be downloaded from the Minerals Council of Australia website.	Stages 4 - 5
Researching Minerals Research activity where student research information about different minerals and incorporate the information into a spreadsheet	Stages 4 - 6
Modelling the extraction of an ore Practical activity involving the extraction of chocolate chips (the ore) from cookies and muffins (ore bodies) in an environmentally and not-so-environmentally safe way.	Stages 4 - 6
Mining and the environment Assignment – students are presented with a mining scenario for which they research information.	Stages 4 - 6
Rocks, minerals and mining Animations, simulations and interactive websites. A range of very interesting and informative websites on a range of geological processes.	Stages 4 - 6
Finding Earth’s wealth Practical activity that simulates magnetic surveying techniques to locate magnetic and metallic ores.	Stages 4 - 6
Rock Identification Assignment or assessment where students look at images of rocks and determine the rock features and type.	Stages 4 - 6

The teaching and learning resources were developed in collaboration with:
• Department of Education and Training
• NSW Minerals Council
• Cadia Valley Mines (Orange)
• North Parkes mines (Parkes)
• Cluster Schools

Illawarra Cluster schools
Keira Technology High School	Marty Schmidt
Smiths Hill High School	Chris diLeva
The Illawarra Grammar School	Martin Sormus
Wollongong Performing Arts High School	Julie Gosper, Barry Baird
Warrawong High School	Barbara Weir

Orange Cluster schools
Canobolas High School	Jim Finn
James Sheahan Catholic High School	Patricia Harvey
Orange High School	Jude Bertolin
Parkes High School	David Neale
St. Stanislaus College	Virginia Van Gend
West Wyalong High School	Paul Martensz