Last week, Wentworth College IGCSE, AS and A Level Geography students travelled to Tongariro and the Taupo area for a three day field excursion. The trip provided opportunities to extend classroom learning through direct observation and experience. Power stations and sections of the Waikato River were visited including the release of the reservoir water at the Aratiatia Dam. The huge geothermal project, Huka Falls and the Taupo caldera were also covered. On the second day, the students headed out onto the volcanic flows and trekked in the rain to Taranaki Falls. Unfortunately, the cloud level turned the mountains into a grey plateau. The gondola at Whakapapa remained closed for our entire visit, so some quick schedule juggling allowed a visit to the spa pools and slides in Taupo on the journey home. An extensive array of subjects were observed and experience gained and despite the weather, students had an educational time away and managed to cover the work they needed to do in the field. It was a very enjoyable experience for all our students.
