A school trip to Iceland is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your young scientists to see physics, chemistry and biology in action in one of the most spectacular places on earth!
Iceland is one of the youngest landmasses on the planet and is famous for its volcanic activity. Your students will have the opportunity to learn more about how volcanoes work, especially with a visit to the interactive LAVA Centre, and this will help them to better understand how this activity produced the Earth’s early atmosphere.
Then, to find out more about the effects of climate change, we would highly recommend a visit to the glacier Solheimajökull. This glacier is 8km long and has retreated by 1km in the last decade, prompting many to fear that it will disappear within the next 100 years.
At Hellisheidi Power Plant and Hellisheidi Geothermal Park, your students will find out how the Icelanders are harnessing the natural geothermal power available to them to create sustainable energy resources, which allows them to heat their homes and greenhouses to produce fruit and flowers that would otherwise be impossible in Iceland’s harsh environment.
Chemists will enjoy finding out about the minerals contained in volcanic rock. At Kerid Crater these are clear to see in the brilliant colours of the rock around the caldera. At the Secret Lagoon, you’ll enjoy the benefits of bathing in the mineral-rich geothermal waters that are so important to Icelandic culture.
And if you’re very lucky, you may have the opportunity to see the Northern Lights and learn about the physics behind the world’s most incredible natural light show!
Don't forget, Iceland is a fantastic destination for geography groups too, making this a great option for a cross-curricular visit.
