Year 10 Geography Students Embark on Coastal Adventures

February 26, 2024

Field trips are highly anticipated events in our school calendar, allowing students to bridge theoretical concepts with real-world observations.

On Friday, 41 Geography students conducted fieldwork at Hillary’s, Scarborough, Cottesloe and Port beaches. While classroom learning utilises diagrams, photographs, and maps to illustrate geographical concepts, fieldwork provides students the opportunity to observe the interaction of the natural and built environments firsthand. Head of Professional Learning, Michelle Carrick, tells us all about the day:

The Year 10 Geography syllabus focuses on environmental change and management through an in-depth study of a specific environment. At Santa Maria College, coastal environments were chosen due to our students’ strong connection and familiarity with the coast.

Leading up to the field trip, students learn about coastal environments, focusing on naturally occurring coastal processes, human impacts, and sustainable management practices. This preparation helps them understand the complexities of coastal systems and how human activities impact these environments.

The field trip included visits to four key locations: Hillarys Marina, Scarborough Beach, Cottesloe Beach, and Port Beach. Each site offered unique insights into the interaction between human activities and natural coastal environments. For example, at Hillarys Marina, students observed how the development of a marina has altered the natural coastline and considered the management strategies in place to mitigate these impacts. At Scarborough Beach, they investigated the challenges of managing high-density tourism in a coastal area. Cottesloe Beach provided an opportunity to study coastal management issues and strategies, including the role of stakeholders in decision-making processes. Finally, at Port Beach, students explored the short-and long-term management strategies in place to address threats such as erosion and sea level rise.

Overall, the Geography field work was a valuable experiential learning opportunity for our students, allowing them to connect classroom learning with real-world issues and develop a deeper appreciation for the complexities of environmental management whilst developing their observation, analysis, and critical thinking skills. These pursuits are in perfect harmony with our College’s overarching vision of ‘Connecting Learning to Life’, thus ensuring that our students are adequately equipped to meet the challenges of the future.

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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.