This BLOSSOMS lesson will help students conceptualize the enormity of geologic time …
This BLOSSOMS lesson will help students conceptualize the enormity of geologic time and learn about important events in Earth s history. Students will also learn how geologic time can help explain seemingly incomprehensible processes, like the formation of the Himalayan Mountains from a flat plain to their current height, and the evolution of a tiny group of reptiles into enormous dinosaurs. During the breaks, students will construct a geologic timeline of their own in the classroom and do simple calculations to determine how long amounts of time can lead to impressive changes in the height of the Himalayan Mountains and the size of a group of reptiles.
This is a 10-day field experience class that focuses on the geology …
This is a 10-day field experience class that focuses on the geology of the Grand Staircase of the Colorado Plateau, culminating in a rim-to-rim backpack trip across the Grand Canyon, Arizona.
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This activity is a field investigation of the geological features of Minnehaha …
This activity is a field investigation of the geological features of Minnehaha Falls, how they have changed and why, how they are changing and what could be done to preserve the falls.
This is a lab activity that is designed to help introductory, non-science …
This is a lab activity that is designed to help introductory, non-science majors integrate their geological knowledge near the end of the course. In this activity, students work in self-selected groups of up to four per group on the history of a sketch geological map.
Each student in the Geological Oceanography class writes a series of one-page …
Each student in the Geological Oceanography class writes a series of one-page papers for topics throughout the semester, presents one topic as a 3 to 5 minute oral presentation, and revises all papers as a portfolio for submission at the end of the semester. The eight topics are objects in the solar system, minerals, rocks, hydrothermal vents, volcanoes & earthquakes, marine sediments, hurricanes & typhoons, and tides.
This lab serves to introduce students to geologic time and serves as …
This lab serves to introduce students to geologic time and serves as an outline for the course through the semester.
Students use a tape register and must mark out the corresponding length of each Geologic Era and Eon towards the beginning of the course. Above Western time line Navajo students construct their own time line correlating events as best as possible. As the course progresses starting from 4.6bya each week they must draw major events that occur marking correct subdivisions of time and ages ago. As fossil life gets more complex such as beginning in the Paleozoic students are must take different categories of fossils or different periods so all are doing different things but working together. (Similarly the Navajo time line builds. This time line is taped around the room---and I would have liked to paint the two time lines along the corridor of the building but Maintenance axed it.
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Students work in groups to develop content for am online hiking tour …
Students work in groups to develop content for am online hiking tour which is matched to the geologic time scale. This project has been used as a semester group work project in an introductory geologic history course, but could be adapted for high school or upper level and graduate courses focused on outreach.
When you ask the question What is geology? most people will initially …
When you ask the question What is geology? most people will initially respond that it is the study of rocks. This is true, but geology is also so much more than that. The truth is that geology is an intricate part of your everyday life.
This is a short writing assignment given in the second semester of …
This is a short writing assignment given in the second semester of an introductory geology course. Students are encouraged to come up with ideas for places around the world that they wish to investigate with respect to geology. The instructor cross-compares lists and assigns locations maximizing global spread of the places covered. Students must review not only the geological history of the location but how society in that place is influenced by the underlying landscape (e.g., mining for resources, natural hazards, etc). Goals include a) encouraging their curiosity about geology with respect to places that may have meaning to them, b) strengthening research and writing skills, and c) using this assignment as a way to synthesize concepts learned in class as related to a particular location around the world.
Short Description: This is an inquiry based field investigation where students gather …
Short Description: This is an inquiry based field investigation where students gather data on the Credit River from the rocks in the river bed, water speed, and maps. Students interpret their findings and develop new questions.
In this culminating activity, students will be assessed on what they have …
In this culminating activity, students will be assessed on what they have learned during the Geology unit of their Earth Science class. After conducting classroom and field studies on geology students will utilize this knowledge to interpret the rock layers and formation of the Grand Canyon. Outside of class students will read/review a website and complete a study guide to be reviewed by the teacher to assess students' learning. Following teacher review of study guides, the next class period(s) will be a discussion and questioning session(s) on the formation of the Grand Canyon.
In this culminating activity, students will be assessed on what they have …
In this culminating activity, students will be assessed on what they have learned during the Geology unit of their Earth Science class. After conducting classroom and field studies on geology students will utilize this knowledge to interpret the rock layers and formation of the Grand Canyon. Outside of class students will read/review a website and complete a study guide to be reviewed by the teacher to assess students' learning. Following teacher review of study guides, the next class period(s) will be a discussion and questioning session(s) on the formation of the Grand Canyon.
This is a set of four, one-page problems about the distance craft …
This is a set of four, one-page problems about the distance craft travel on Mars. Learners will use the Pythagorean Theorem to determine distance between a series of hypothetical exploration sites within Gale Crater on Mars. Options are presented so that students may learn about the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission through a NASA press release or by viewing a NASA eClips video [6 min.]. This activity is part of the Space Math multi-media modules that integrate NASA press releases, NASA archival video, and mathematics problems targeted at specific math standards commonly encountered in middle school.
Students choose a place that is named based on its relationship to …
Students choose a place that is named based on its relationship to geomorphology. They research and describe the geologic template, geologic processes and time involved in the formation of their chosen place and use Google Earth to report their results.
This two-week long laboratory exercise examines the linkages between the endogenic (tectonic …
This two-week long laboratory exercise examines the linkages between the endogenic (tectonic and isostatic) and exogenic processes that created the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) landscape. The landform analysis portion of the exercise focuses upon recent basaltic volcanism and the Menan Buttes, the St. Anthony dunes and the fluvial drainage patterns that developed in the region.
Georgetown, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of …
Georgetown, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of Colorado's Historical Mining Towns with links to additional Colorado resources for a mining town database and mines by county. Western Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a strong primary source resource that can be used for a variety of class research projects. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
Former Museums of Western Colorado: Dinosaur Journey Intern/Volunteer and recent Colorado Mesa …
Former Museums of Western Colorado: Dinosaur Journey Intern/Volunteer and recent Colorado Mesa University graduate, Tabitha McFarland talks about her "accidental" path to paleontology as well as her research on living animals like pikas.
This geotechnical project allows the student to become familiar with laboratory soil …
This geotechnical project allows the student to become familiar with laboratory soil report and construction site maps. Student gain insight to the responsibilities of a Geotechnical Soil Scientist through determining the best use of soils and location for building structures and retention ponds. The student is the on-site soil scientist/engineer for a construction project. The project is to build a local farm stand. Three site maps are provided: a topographic map of the site, a topographic map showing the location of the building pad and boreholes; a site map showing the topography after the construction is complete. The building pad will be at 27' and be the foundation for the farm stand. In this lab, students will solve problems that typically arise during the design and construction phase of a project. To help complete the lab, students need to create a soil laboratory report (see my activity: Soils as Construction Materials).
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The purpose of this lesson is to teach the students about how …
The purpose of this lesson is to teach the students about how a spacecraft gets from the surface of the Earth to Mars. The lesson first investigates rockets and how they are able to get us into space. Finally, the nature of an orbit is discussed as well as how orbits enable us to get from planet to planet specifically from Earth to Mars.
GetWET Water Education (Special Training Required for teachers prior to use, read …
GetWET Water Education (Special Training Required for teachers prior to use, read about the requirements on the linked page). The Natural Sciences Education & Outreach Center collaborates with CSU faculty, National Parks and citizen science programs to translate their current scientific research into unique STEM experiences for students in the form of Educational Kits that can be checked out. Each kit contains just about all of the materials needed (minus common things like water and paper towels) to explore some really interesting scientific research topics.The kits are available for teachers and informal educators in Colorado to check out for a duration of a week by submitting either a local pickup form or a delivery form available at the linked website. This kit is provided free for educational use. This Kit is available in Spanish.
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