Vicious Volcano & Earthquake Challenge
Erupt a volcano, shake a city and build to survive!
Pairs compare runny and thick lava, push tectonic plates together, measure shaking with a home-made seismograph and see how a volcanic ash cloud blocks sunlight. Then they turn engineer: design a building, test it on the shake table and rebuild it to survive the next quake.
Years 3–6 + HPGE
Hands-on
Investigations
Inquiry Based
Primary School Workshops
Customise
Your
Experience
What's In Vicious Volcano & Earthquake Challenge?
A hands-on workshop about volcanoes and earthquakes: how can we live safely on a moving planet? Every student investigates with a challenge card matched to your stage.
Every session opens with a surprise that shows the power of the Earth, and ends with teams testing whether their designs survive.
Inside · pairs
Inside · pairs · fair test
Inside · pairs
Inside · pairs
Inside · pairs
Inside · pairs · design
Year Levels
Years 3–6 + HPGE
Duration
60 or 90 minutes
Group Size
Up to 32
Price (incl GST)
$690 (60 min)
$21.56 per student
$790 (90 min)
$24.69 per student
Differentiated challenge cards matched to your class
Choose experiences to match your class interests
Predict, test, observe and explain
THE CRAZY SCIENTIST DIFFERENCE
Multiple Investigations. Learning Matched to Every Stage
Differentiated challenges and syllabus-connected learning across the workshop.
Explore the learning at your stage.
Stage 2 — Vicious Volcano & Earthquake Challenge
Stage 2 cards challenge students to work out what makes volcanoes and earthquakes so different and design a building that survives a shake.
Relevant NSW Science & Technology outcomes (2024)
Every group works from a Stage 2 challenge card written for these outcomes.
✓ ST2-SCI-01 — Forces shape Earth’s surface
Research and describe the changes to the landscape caused by earthquakes and volcanoes
✓ ST2-SCI-01 — Forces shape Earth’s surface
Research, describe and model the internal structure of Earth
✓ ST2-DDT-01 — Design is a process of creating and innovating
Build, test and evaluate a designed model
See the Science in Action
LEARNING BEYOND THE WOW
What Students learn & How We Support Teachers
What Your Students Will Learn
Describe how volcanoes and earthquakes change the Earth's surface
Compare runny and thick lava
Design and test a structure
Use test results to improve a design
Differentiated challenges and syllabus-connected learning across the workshop.
Differentiated challenges and syllabus-connected learning across the workshop.
How we support teachers
Challenge cards for every stage, used by
students during the session.
Classroom follow-up experiments to keep the learning going
Risk assessment, Working With Children Check and public liability insurance details, sent before your visit
Thinking skills students practise
READY TO BOOK?
Workshop Requirements & Bookings
Everything You Need to Know
Up to 32 students per session
Group Size
60 minutes
Session Time
A classroom with tables for 16 pairs. Everything runs inside.
Space & Setup
All materials, equipment, safety glasses and stage challenge cards.
What we Provide
“Want something to take home? Ask about our take-home extras when you enquire.”
Enquire About This Workshop
30+ Years Teaching Science
Experienced science teacher designing activities that keep children engaged, involved and learning.
We Bring Everything
Experiments, equipment and materials come with us — you just provide the space and the kids.
Tailored to Your School
Activities are adjusted to suit your class’s stage
Fast Availability Reply
Tell us your preferred date and we’ll get back to you with availability, packages and suitable extras.
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