Lighthouses School Program

The Lighthouses School Program is designed for grade-school students (Grades 2-3) on field trips to the Museum. It consists of a 15-minute arrival/welcome, a 30-minute presentation by a museum staffer or volunteer, a 15-minute restroom/snack break, and a 30-minute follow-up activity in which students are guided by staff around the museum grounds to visit the Bay Rock Lighthouse and learn about other navigation aids. The total program requires a minimum of 1.5 hours. Schools with more time available are welcome to extend the activity period and browse the museum at leisure.

Arrival (15 minutes): Students arrive, leave their bags at the BBQ area, and assemble in the Seafarers Gallery for a welcome, safety/housekeeping briefing, and overview of the program and follow-up activity. (15 minutes)

PowerPoint presentation (30 minutes): An interactive program that explores lighthouse history and technology and encourages student participation with a Q&A format.

Snack/restroom break at BBQ area (15 minutes)

 Lighthouses Activity (25 minutes): A guided walk with stops at Bay Rock Lighthouse, the red/green navigation buoys, and the channel range makers in the adjacent park. Students will learn about lighthouse life and how ships find their way into the port of Townsville.

 Departure (5 minutes): Students collect their bags and depart

 Take home: Model lighthouse cut-out

Pirate Trail School Program

The Pirate Trail School Program is designed for grade-school students (Grades 2-3) on field trips to the Museum. It consists of a 15-minute arrival/welcome, a 30-minute presentation by a museum staffer or volunteer, a 15-minute restroom/snack break, and a 30-minute follow-up activity in which students explore the museum to find the displays identified by a pirate icon. A handout with photos of the displays and a True or False Quiz about pirates is provided to each student. The total program requires a minimum of 1.5 hours. Schools with more time available are welcome to extend the activity period and browse the museum at leisure.

Arrival (15 minutes): Students arrive, leave their bags at the BBQ area, and assemble in the Seafarers Gallery for a welcome, safety/housekeeping briefing, and overview of the program and follow-up activity.

PowerPoint presentation (30 minutes): An interactive program that contrasts real-life piracy with fictional pirates and encourages student participation with a Q&A format. 

Snack/restroom break at BBQ area (15 minutes)

Pirate Trail Activity (25 minutes): Students divide into smaller groups to explore the museum and find the pirate-related displays using the handout provided. Students are requested to bring their own pencil and, if possible, a clipboard.

Departure (5 minutes): Students collect their bags and depart.

Take home: Pirate Trail handout, pirate mask cut-out

Shipwreck Trail School Program

The Shipwreck Trail School Program is designed for grade-school students (Grades 2-3) on field trips to the Museum. It consists of a 15-minute arrival/welcome, a 30-minute presentation by a museum staffer or volunteer, a 15-minute restroom/snack break, and a 30-minute follow-up activity in which students explore the museum to find the ship models identified by a shipwreck icon. A handout with photos of the models is provided to each student to guide their search and record the ships’ names. The total program requires a minimum of 1.5 hours. Schools with more time available are welcome to extend the activity period and browse the museum at leisure.

Arrival (15 minutes): Students arrive, leave their bags at the BBQ area, and assemble in the Seafarers Gallery for a welcome, safety/housekeeping briefing, and overview of the program and follow-up activity.

Video/PowerPoint presentation (30 minutes): An interactive program that highlights shipwrecks with connections to the Museum and Townsville and encourages student participation with a Q&A format. 

Snack/restroom break at BBQ area (15 minutes)

Shipwreck Trail Activity (25 minutes): Students divide into smaller groups to explore the museum, see the Yongala shipwreck artefacts, and discover the models and stories of ships that were wrecked using the handout provided. Students are requested to bring their own pencil and, if possible, a clipboard.

Departure (5 minutes): Students collect their bags and depart.

Take home: Shipwreck Trail handout, model ship cut-out