Stage 1 Geography Excursion
On Wednesday 29 August, the Stage 1 Geography class went on an excursion to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) to examine the Cyclone Tracy exhibition. The class is currently studying a unit on natural hazards, with a focus on cyclones in the Northern Territory and other parts of Australia. This excursion formed part of the learning experience of students for this unit, allowing them to view artefacts and images from the cyclone and develop their understanding of the damage a cyclone can do to an area and its inhabitants.
While at the museum, students were required to move around the exhibit, answering a series of questions on the formation of the cyclone, its intensity, the extent of the damage, individual experiences of the cyclone, and the long term impacts. A particularly powerful part of the exhibition was a letter from Ian Haddow outlining his personal experience of living through the cyclone and the aftermath. Students commented on the terror he must have felt and the trauma he must have experienced after the cyclone passed. This, paired with their visit to the sound booth, allowed students to further develop their understanding of the physical and emotional impact a cyclone can have on a population.
After visiting the museum, students were able to make personal connections to their own experiences of living through cyclones, both in the NT and in other states. We made direct comparisons to Cyclone Marcus and discussed whether we thought Darwin could withstand another cyclone at the intensity of Tracy. This excursion was a valuable learning experience for students that was relevant to the area we all live in today. It generated good discussion about how much Darwin has changed since the cyclone and if there are any further improvements the city could make to better prepare for severe cyclones in the future.
