Students from Year 11 and One-year GCSE Biology as well as from A-level Geography went on a trip to the Lapworth Museum of Geology at the University of Birmingham, Edgbaston. We walked on a sunny mid-March morning from MPW to the museum, through the University’s Vale Campus, giving them an early insight into University life in campus accommodation.

We initially arrived a few minutes early before the museum opened, but they let us in – despite not turning all of the lights on! It reminded me of Night at the Museum, but thankfully the dinosaurs did not come to life!

The museum itself is one of the oldest geological museums in the UK, dating back to the 1880s and is part of the Grade II listed Aston Webb building with an Edwardian interior. Whilst much of the museum is about Geology, there were some parts which were relevant for students studying Biology and Geography.

Students explored the museum, spending time reading the displays, observing the specimens in the glass cabinets and enjoying the various interactive elements. It does not take long to notice the imposing figure of an Allosaurus dinosaur towering over the cabinets in the centre of the room, apparently nicknamed ‘Rory.’ There is even a selfie spot sticker on the floor, where you can take a photo of yourself in front on this imposing beast!

The GCSE Biology students were learning about the theory of evolution by natural selection, originating from Charles Darwin and his famous 1859 publication ‘On the Origin of Species’. Additionally, they learnt about fossils and how they provide evidence for evolution and different ways that fossils form. The museum has an interesting and varied fossil collection of varied species and ages, from microscopic diatoms to a massive femur from a sauropod.

The most well know type of fossil, found throughout the museum, is a cast or impression. This is formed after the soft bodied part of the organism has decayed, the harder parts such as the bones or shell are gradually replaced by minerals forming a cast (most people think the fossil is the actual bone itself!). Another type of fossil is a trace fossil, such as imprint that the organism has left behind, and the museum contains a few dinosaur footprint trace fossils which were interesting to look at.

The students completed various activities and worksheets, identifying fossils in the museum, how they were formed. They also learnt about extinction and the different causes of extinction such as climate change and natural disasters, most famously exemplified by the asteroid that led to the mass extinction of 75% of all earth’s animals, including all of the non-avian dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic period. Although it was pointed out to the students that we are the reason why most organisms that have lived on our planet have gone extinct (ask the Dodo!)

A GCSE Biology student called Muneeb said this “I really enjoyed the trip, it was great to visit the museum and see some of what we have learnt in class in a visual way, I most enjoyed seeing the dinosaur fossils like the Ichthyosaur with the fossil remains of its last food inside of it”.

The A-Level Geography students were focusing on the displays about physical geography and geology, learning about earth systems and processes and tectonic plate movements, as well as natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanoes and their causes. Students enjoyed an interesting audio of the written account of sailors witnessing the Krakatoa volcanic eruption in 1883, one of the largest eruptions of all time which led blue moons and the cooling of the entire earth’s temperature by an average of 0.6 degrees for the next year!

One of the more stimulating geography exhibits is the ‘Active earth’ exhibit – a giant globe with an interactive display where the students could visualise various earth processes such as global temperatures, wind circulation and ocean currents.

All students enjoyed themselves for the short time that we were at the museum, walking back again in the sun, making it back to MPW in time for some well earnt lunch!