Last week, 37 Year 9 students embarked on the annual epic trip to Iceland. The natural beauty of Iceland is staggering and the island, at the age of around 25 million years old (one of the youngest countries in the world!), is quite literally a geographer’s dream! From waterfalls to geysers and with tectonic plate boundaries in-between (literally!), it is safe to say that all students had a fantastic and enlightening trip.
Not only did the students have an awesome experience (Szymon, Iceland was….“magnificent!”, Jan Strzezek, Iceland was ….“great!”), but we also had the unique opportunity to immerse our students in real-life and real-time Geography in the field. One of the interesting challenges of the subject is relating textbook and classroom based experiences to real life when such features are 3000 miles away – Iceland therefore provided us with an opportunity to marry their class knowledge with field experience in the areas of tectonics, weather and climate and coastal Geography. Students saw close-up actual glaciers, geysers, tectonic fissures, moraines, and a whole abundance of Geogaphical goodies!
The trip also allowed our Year 9s to bond and cement long-term friendships, experience new cultures and learn how such Nordic and tough people survive in such a hostile yet friendly and highly memorable environment. Iceland was, indeed, “cool”.
Mark Stimpson
Head of Geography / KS3 - IB Geography / Iceland 2019 Co-ordinator.