Download UNIT AS GL2a OR GL2b - Earth Science Teachers` Association

Produced by Jo Conway, Jane Ladson,
Alison Quarterman & Peter Copley
Edited by Ruth Richards
Issue 3
The aim of this guide is to help you get started teaching A-Level geology. It
was produced by a working party on behalf of the Earth Science Teachers’
Association (ESTA).
CONTENTS:
Page
1. Specifications and Contacts
3
2. ESTA Contacts
4
3. Paper Based Resources
5
4. Specifications and Resources Available
11

OCR
11

WJEC
19
5. Specimens and Equipment
27
 Rocks
 Fossils
 Minerals
 Maps
 Laboratory Equipment
 Field kit
 Suppliers
 Fieldwork Examples
 Websites
 Videos
 Possible Laboratory Practical Activities
2
27
28
29
31
31
33
34
35
46
51
52
1. SPECIFICATIONS AND CONTACTS
WJEC
OCR
245 Western Avenue,
Cardiff,
CF5 2YX
Tel: 029 2026 5000
Subject Officer: Jonathan Owen
http://www.wjec.co.uk
1 Hills Road
Cambridge
CB1 2EU
Tel: 01223 553998
Subject Officer: Nikki Edwards
www.ocr.org.uk
The Chief Examiners for both boards can be contacted via the subject
officers for the relevant board. They would be more than happy to answer
any queries from prospective new centres.
3
2. ESTA CONTACTS
Website: www.esta-uk.net
Membership Secretary
Mike Tuke
ESTA Membership Secretary
Old Farm House
Waterloo Farm
Great Stukeley
Cambridgeshire
PE28 4HQ
E-mail: [email protected]
Chairman
Cally Oldershaw
E-mail: [email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Maggie Williams
Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences,
Jane Herdman Building,
Brownlow Street,
Liverpool L69 3GP
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
Secretary
David Bailey
E-mail: [email protected]
General Enquiries
E-mail: [email protected]
4
3. PAPER BASED RESOURCES
These resources have been put into categories to enable the teacher to prioritise texts.
The sections (a) to (d) are the most important of these.
(a) Recommended Class Sets – Text books:
Armstrong, D., Mugglestone, F., Richards, R., and Stratton, F. (2008). Geology.
Pearson Education Limited. ISBN: 978-0-435-69211-7
Edwards, D. and King, C. (1999), Geoscience – Understanding Geological
Processes, Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-68843-2
McLeish, Andrew (2001), Geological Science, Nelson. ISBN: 0-17-448221-3
Webster, David (1987), Understanding Geology, Oliver and Boyd.
ISBN 0-05-003664-5
(b) Dictionaries
Allaby, A., & Allaby, M. (1991), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Earth Sciences,
Oxford. ISBN: 0192861255
Whitten, D.G.A. with Brooks, J.R.V. (1972), The Penguin Dictionary of Geology,
Penguin books. ISBN: 0140510494
(c) Practical Activities
Richards, R., 2010. Geology Post 16, How Science Works. Badger Publishing.
Tuke, Mike (1991), Earth Science: Activities and Demonstrations, John Murray.
ISBN: 0719549515
(d) Recommended Teacher Resources for Initial Development:
Barker, A.J. (1999), Introduction to Metamorphic Textures and Microstructures,
Blackie A&P. ISBN: 0751401528
Barnes, J., (2004), Basic Geological Mapping, Wiley. ISBN: 0471960314
Black, Rhona M. (1989), The Elements of Palaeontology, Cambridge University
Press. ISBN: 0521348366
British Caenozoic Fossils (1990), The Natural History Museum. ISBN: 0113100248
5
British Mesozoic Fossils (1983), The Natural History Museum. ISBN: 0565008722
British Palaeozoic Fossils (1983), The Natural History Museum. ISBN: 0565056247
Duff, D. (1993), Holmes’ Principles of Physical Geology, Chapman and Hall. ISBN:
0748743812
Fry, Norman (1991), The Field Description of Metamorphic Rocks, Wiley. ISBN:
0471932213
MacKenzie, W.S. and Adams, A.E. (1999), A Colour Atlas of Rocks and Minerals in
Thin Section, Manson Publishing. ISBN: 1874545170
Milsom, C., and Rigby, S., (2003), Fossils at Glance, Blackwell Publishers. ISBN:
0632060476
Park, R.G. (1993), Foundations of Structural Geology, Blackie A &P. ISBN:
0751401382
Stow, D. A.V. (2005), Sedimentary Rocks in the Field: A Colour Guide, Manson
Publishing. ISBN: 1874545693
Thorpe, R., and Brown, G., (1985), The Field Description of Igneous Rocks, Wiley.
ISBN: 0335100406
Tucker, M. (1991), The Field Description of Sedimentary Rocks, Wiley. ISBN:
0471932817
Tucker, M. (2001), Sedimentary Petrology, Blackwell Scientific.
(e) Recommended Resources for Further Development:
Anderton, R., Bridges, P.H., Leeder, M.R. and Sellwood, B.W. (1979), A Dynamic
Stratigraphy of the British Isles – A study of crustal evolution, Chapman and
Hall. ISBN: 0412445107
Clarkson, E.N.K. (1998), Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution, Harper Collins.
ISBN: 0045600104
Cox, B., (1995), Fossil Focus: Ammonites, British Geological Survey.
Cox, B., and Penn, I., (2000), Fossil Focus: Brachiopods, British Geological Survey.
ISBN: 0852723466
Doyle, P., (1997), Understanding Fossils, John Wiley. ISBN: 0471963518
Molyneux, Stewart (1999), Fossil Focus: Trilobites, British Geological Survey. ISBN:
0852723385
6
Montgomery, Carla. W. (1994), Environmental Geology, WCB. ISBN: 069715811X
Open University (1983), The Geological History of the British Isles, Open University
Press. ISBN: 0335161405
Press, F. and Siever, R. (1986), Earth, W. H. Freeman and Company.
ISBN: 071671776X. Now in its fourth edition with a CD-rom and internet links.
Price, M., (1995), Introducing Groundwater, Chapman and Hall.
ISBN: 0412485001
Raymond, L. A. (1995), Petrology: The Study of Igneous, Sedimentary and
Metamorphic Rocks, WCB. ISBN: 0697001903
Rigby, S., (1997), Fossils – the story of life, British Geological Survey. ISBN:
0852722842
van Rose, S., (2000), Catastrophes – time’s trail of destruction, British Geological
Survey. ISBN: 0852723547
van Rose, S., and Mercer, I. F., (1999), Volcanoes, The Natural History Museum.
ISBN: 0565091387
Skinner, B.J., Porter S.C. and Park J. (2003), The Dynamic Earth, John Wiley. ISBN:
0471451576. Includes CD-ROM and Internet links.
Stanley, Steven, M. (1989), Earth and Life Through Time, W. H. Freeman and
Company. ISBN: 0716719754
Waltham, A.C. (1993), Foundations of Engineering Geology, E & FN SPON. ISBN:
0419248706
Wilkinson, I., (1999), Fossil Focus: Plants, British Geological Survey. ISBN:
0852723237
Wilkinson, I, Rigby, S., and Zalasiewicz, J. (2002), Fossil Focus: Graptolites, British
Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723903
Wilkinson, I., and Scrutton, C., (2000), Fossil Focus: Corals, British Geological
Survey. ISBN: 0852723490
Woodcock, N. (1994), Geology and Environment in Britain and Ireland, London: UCL.
ISBN: 1857280547
Woods, Mark (1999), Fossil Focus: Bivalves, British Geological Survey. ISBN:
0852723288
The books were currently in print when this booklet was produced:
7
(f) Out of print resources:
The following resources are out of print but could still be available second hand (try
bookshops or the internet), from libraries or neighbouring schools. They are all still
valuable to have on your shelves.
Atherton, M. & Robinson, R. (1981-1982) Study the Earth. Vol. 1: Water at Work;
Vol. 2: Rocks and Earth History; Vol. 3: Useful materials from the Earth; Vol. 4: Air and
Earth. London: Hodder and Stoughton
Copley, Peter (2003), Talk to your science department – using Physics equipment
to teach Geology, TES vol 28 no ¾
ESTA 1990-92. Science of the Earth Units (for Key Stage 4) (14-16)
1 Will my gravestone last?
2 Earthquakes - Danger Beneath Our Feet.
3 Fluorspar - Is it worth mining?
4 Building Sedimentary Structures.
5 Waste and the Hole in the Ground Problem.
6 Nuclear Waste - The Way Forward?
7 Neighbourhood Stone Watch.
8 Moving Ground.
9 Groundwater Supplies.
10 Astrogeology and the Clues on the Moon.
11 The Water Cycle - A Natural Recycling Process.
12 Which Roadstone?
13 The Geological Timescale.
14 Who's for a Hot Tight Squeeze in Inner Space?
15 Rock Power! Geothermal Energy Resources.
16 Earth's Patchwork Crust - An introduction to Plate Tectonics.
17 Cool It! Liquid magma to solid rock.
18 Salts of the Earth.
19 The Day the Earth Erupted - Volcanoes.
20 SOS - Save our Sites: Earth Science Conservation in Action.
Fisher, J. & Harley, M. (1988), Earth Science fieldwork in the Secondary School
Curriculum, Peterborough: Nature Conservancy Council (English Nature) 36 pp.
King, Chris (1992), Sedimentology Book 1: Processes and Analysis, Longman.
ISBN: 0582022002
King, Chris (1992), Sedimentology Book 2: The Depositional Environments, Longman.
ISBN: 0582085071
National Curriculum Council (1993), Earth Science for Primary Teachers. An INSET
Handbook, York: NCC Resources Unit.
8
National Curriculum Council (1993), Earth Science for Secondary Teachers. An INSET
Handbook, York: NCC Resources Unit.
Peers, R. (1993), A/AS Geology. Supported Self Study, Hatfield, ASE
Peers, R. (1993), Fieldwork Pack, Sunderland, Northumberland County Council
Education Dept. (10, Grange Crescent, Stockton Rd, Sunderland SR2 7BN).
Watson, J. (1983), Geology and Man - an introduction to applied earth science, Allen
and Unwin. ISBN: 0045530017
(g) Related General Reading For Teachers:
Baxter Stephen (2003), Revolutions in the Earth (James Hutton and the True Age
of the World), Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN: 0297829750
Binding Paul (2003), Imagined Corners: Exploring the World’s First Atlas, Headline
Book Publishing. ISBN: 0747230404
Bryson Bill (2003), A Short History of Nearly Everything, Doubleday. ISBN:
0385408188
Courtillot Vincent (1999), Evolutionary Catastrophes: The Science of Mass
extinction, Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521891183
Crichton Michael (1995), The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Arrow. ISBN: 0099240629
Cutler, Ian (2003), The Seashell on the Mountaintop, William Heinemann. ISBN:
0434008575
Fortey Richard (2004), The Earth: an intimate history, Harper Collins.
ISBN: 000-570114
Fortey Richard (2000), Trilobite! Eyewitness to evolution, Harper Collins. ISBN:
0002570122
Gould Stephen Jay (2000), The Lying Stones of Marrakech (Penultimate reflections
in natural history), Jonathon Cape. ISBN: 0224050443
Harris Robert (2003),Pompeii, Hutchinson. ISBN: 0091779251
Lewis Cherry (2002), The Dating Game – One man’s search for the Age of the
Earth, Cambridge Univ Press. ISBN: 0521893127
McIntyre, Donald, B. and McKirdy, Alan (2001), James Hutton: The Founder of
Modern Geology, National Museums of Scotland Publishing Limited. ISBN:
1901663698
9
Monks Neale and Palmer Philip (2002), Ammonites, National History Museum. ISBN:
0565091697
Osborne Roger (1999), The Floating Egg, Episodes in the making of geology,
Pimlico. ISBN: 07126-66869
Walker Gabrielle (2003), Snowball Earth, the great catastrophe that spawned life,
Bloomsbury. ISBN: 074756051
Winchester Simon (2001), The map that changed the World, Viking/Penguin. ISBN:
0670884073
Winchester Simon (2003), Krakatoa, the day the World exploded, Viking/Penguin.
ISBN: 0670911267
10
4. SPECIFICATIONS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE
There are two examination boards that produce specifications for Geology AS and A2
level; namely OCR and WJEC. Both specifications contain the QCA Core Content, so
there is overlap in some places. However, the interpretation of these core statements is
different in the two different exam boards, allowing choice to the teacher establishing a
new A level.
OCR - SAMPLE RESOURCES AND ONLINE SUPPORT
The online specification can be found at:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/science/geology/index.html
A summary of key documents related to the Geology specification can be found at:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/science/geology/documents/index.html
Details of possible field localities with associated paperwork including marking schemes
are available from OCR, just contact Nikki Edwards for details. Nikki can also be
contacted about details of training events for OCR.
Specimen assessment materials are available at:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/science/geology/documents/index.html
Other OCR teaching materials can be supplied by contacting Nikki Edwards, the
Subject Officer for Geology. A selection of online support can be found below:
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Each Scheme of Work and set of sample Lesson Plans is provided in:


PDF format – for immediate use
Word format – so that you can use it as a foundation to build upon and amend the
content to suit your teaching style and students’ needs.
The Scheme of Work and sample Lesson plans provide examples of how to teach this unit and
the teaching hours are suggestions only. Some or all of it may be applicable to your teaching.
The key to the symbols used in these support materials is shown on page 12.
11
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
Topic outline
8 hrs
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
8 hrs
Topic outline
1.1.1 An overview of planetary geology and
ideas for the origin of the solar system
(a) Describe the overall structure of the solar system
including gas giants and terrestrial planets with a
dense inner core, and current theories of its origin
and age.
(b) Describe how space exploration has contributed to
knowledge of the geology of the Earth's moon, Mars,
Venus and the asteroid belt.
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note
o Practical activity: Use planet info cards
and corridor spacing exercise to produce
scale model. Use the scale model to
illustrate the difference in the two groups
of planets.
o Model solar system or materials to
make display of solar system.
a. Emphasise that students need not
memorise tables of data about the
planets.
o Use scale models or graphs of planets in
the solar system to illustrate the difference
in scale of the two groups of planets.
o Book, ‘Lunar Geology’, or ‘Moon,
Mars and Meteorites’ published by
the Geological Museum.
o View animations to view the
formation of the solar system.
o Tray of sand, preferably two colours
in two layers. Drop ball bearings or
larger spheres to simulate impact
craters. Different coloured ejecta
should be visible around the impact
site.
(c) Describe the different types of meteorites as iron, stony
and carbonaceous chondrites.
(d) Describe the evidence for impact craters caused by
asteroids and meteorites colliding with the Earth and
other bodies in the Solar System.
(e) Describe how volcanic activity has been identified on
the moons of Jupiter, especially Io, as well as on Mars
and Venus.
(f) Explain how the age of the Earth and other planets
can be determined by radiometric dating methods.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/geo/egeo/a
nimations/ch1.htm and
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_scienc
e/terc/content/visualizations/es0401/es0401pa
ge01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
o Students research Olympus Mons on the
internet and compare with other planets.
o Practical Activity: Use sand and different
objects dropped from a height to simulate
impact craters.
o Discuss composition of meteorites.
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/dynamic
earth/composition/meteorites/index.htm
o Introduce the concept of radiometric
dating. Use coin tossing to represent the
ideas of half lives.
13
o Information about half lives from
OCR text book, p. 274, and p. 2 – 5.
o Use link to access National
Geographic solar system and space
videos.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video
/player/news/space-technology-news/ratheartapvin.html?source=G2114c&kwid=Conte
ntNetwork|1008200725 and
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_s
cience/terc/content/visualizations/es2701/
es2701page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualiza
tion
http://www.nasa.gov/home/
b. Teachers can refer to the following
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureonline/space/meteorites-dust/
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureonline/space/planets-solarsystem/index.html
http://www.thirteen.org/savageearth/
volcanoes/html/sidebar3.html
http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/m
ethods/quantlit/RadDecay.html
http://www.classzone.com/books/eart
h_science/terc/content/visualizations/
es2702/es2702page01.cfm?chapter_
no=visualization
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko
qwOchXgFo
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/a
stronomy/Astro_Lectures/planets.ht
ml
http://geology.com/meteor-impactcraters.shtml
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure
/dynamicearth/flash_gallery/composi
tion/solar_system.html
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
8 hrs
Topic outline
1.1.2 Build up a cross section knowledge of
the internal structure of the Earth
(a) State the depths of the main layers of the Earth:
inner core, outer core, mantle, asthenosphere,
continental crust and oceanic crust.
(b) Describe how the thickness of the crust varies
under continents and oceans.
(c) State the depth of the discontinuities: Lehmann,
Gutenberg and Moho.
(d) Describe the nature of these discontinuities and
the changes that occur at them.
(e) Describe the probable composition of each of the
layers of the Earth: inner core, outer core, mantle,
asthenosphere, continental crust and oceanic
crust.
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note
o Model, or cut away diagram of the
Earth’s interior. Apples can be used
as an analogy.
c. Emphasise the importance of
being able to draw fully labelled
diagrams.
o Video, ‘’Open University – Into the
Earth – the Earth’s internal structure’.
d. Teachers can refer to the following
resources for information.
o Use models to show the scale of
the different Earth layers. Use
animation to introduce and make
links with earthquakes.
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodie
s/elearning/module06swf.swf
o Practical activity: Use a light source and a
beaker of water to illustrate refraction of
seismic waves by the liquid outer core to
form shadow zones.
o Practical activity: Use plasticine or other
active medium to make models of the
crust and mantle.
o Beaker, water, light source.
o Plasticine.
o Prepared laminated A4 sheets with
Earth outline (structure).
o Card sort.
o Use OCR Geology textbook, p.6 – 7.
o Draw the main layers of the Earth with
associated data.
Past paper questions:
o Construct a table to locate the positions of
the different discontinuities. Explain that
discontinuities are a change in
composition, temperature and state.
Jun 06 q. 3 c
Starter / plenary ideas:
Jan 04 q. 1
o Use mini whiteboards and timed
responses to test understanding
of Earth structure.
May 03 q. 4
o Construct card sort exercise with
numerical info and terms.
14
Jan 07 q. 1
Jan 06 q. 2d
May 05 q. 1
Jan 03 q. 3
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/
module_viewer.php?mid=69
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/how
ell/goodies/elearning/module06swf.s
wf
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/
dynamicearth/flash_gallery/index.htm
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/
dynamicearth/flash_gallery/compositi
on/index.htm
http://geology.com/articles/mohorovic
ic-discontinuity.shtml
Jan 02 q. 5a
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/
dynamicearth/flash_gallery/layered_
earth/vdepth.html
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note
1.1.3 Understand the asthenosphere and
lithosphere within the Earth and their role in
plate tectonics
e.
o Chocolate chip cookies, microwave.
o Use OCR Geology textbook, p. 7.
j. Emphasise the importance of
being able to draw fully labelled
diagrams.
(a) Describe and explain the nature of the asthenosphere as
f.
Past paper questions:
k. Emphasise the meaning of the
terms crust, lithosphere, mantle
and asthenosphere.
8 hrs
Topic outline
a rheid, plastic layer with 1 – 5% partial melting.
Describe how this layer can be identified using P and S
waves and its role in plate tectonics.
g.
(b) Describe the lithosphere as a rigid, brittle layer made of
part of the crust and upper mantle that is divided into
plates.
Practical Activity: Partial melting can be
illustrated by the melting of chocolate in
chocolate chip cookies. (Use microwave).
Explain how partial melting of rock alters its
characteristics.
Practical Activity: DIY “potty putty” made
from sodium tetraborate (borax) and PVA glue
as an analogue for the plastic asthenosphere.
h.
Show animations of P and S wave movement
through the Earth (see earthquakes section).
i.
Discuss the difference between the terms
lithosphere and asthenosphere.
May 05 q. 1
May 03 q. 2d
l. Teachers can refer to the following
resources for information.
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/how
ell/goodies/elearning/module06swf.s
wf
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/
dynamicearth/flash_gallery/layered_
earth/vdepth.html
http://www.deafhoosiers.com/sci/soa
rhigh/lithosphere/lithosphereComp.ht
ml
15
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
8 hrs
Topic outline
1.1.4 Understand how the internal structure
of the Earth can be inferred using direct
evidence.
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note

Students prepare powerpoint presentations
about mantle xenoliths and / or ophiolites.
o ICT facilities.
m.
Teachers can refer to the
following resources for information.

Use info from flash animation to
introduce kimberlite pipes.
o Use OCR Geology textbook, p. 8 – 9.
(a) Explain how evidence from rocks seen in deep mines up
to 5 km below the surface or deep boreholes up to 13
km below the surface can be used as evidence for the
composition of the crust.
(b) Explain how rocks brought to the surface by
volcanic activity – in kimberlite pipes as mantle
xenoliths – provide evidence of mantle rocks.
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/diam/KimberliteEN/Kimberlite.swf

Compare density and composition of mantle
rocks with surface rocks. (See section 1.1.5).

Practical activity: Study peridotite, gabbro and
different types of dolerite as an introduction to
ophiolites.
(c) Explain how ophiolites and rocks exposed by
erosion, provide evidence for the structure and
composition of oceanic crust.

Students look at case studies of Troodos
(Cyprus) and Lizard (UK).
Starter / plenary ideas:

Students use website to
produce puzzles www.puzzlemaker.com
these can then be swapped for others to
complete.
o Rocks – peridotite, gabbro, dolerite.
http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Ko
la:Superdeep:Borehole.html
Past paper questions:
May 05 q. 1d
May 02 q. 5a
Jan 01 q. 5a
http://www.slb.com/media/services/re
sources/oilfieldreview/ors95/jan95/01
950422.pdf
http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/9IKC/
00163/9IKC-A-001631.pdf?PHPSESSID=aa8d4e5da867c
91b77c682776d5e4336
http://www.womenoceanographers.o
rg/Default.aspx?pid=28EF75D5D130-46c0-947E5CCBC627B0EE&id=KathrynGillis
http://www.eos.ubc.ca/courses/eosc2
21/rock_cycle/ophiolite.html
http://www.projects.ex.ac.uk/geominc
entre/06The%20Lizard.pdf
16
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
8 hrs
Topic outline
1.1.5 Understand how the internal structure
of the Earth can be inferred using indirect
evidence.
(a) Explain how the variation in P and S wave velocities
can be used to identify layers within the Earth.
(b) Explain how the properties of P and S waves result in
shadow zones which can be used to determine the state
and depth of the inner and outer core of the Earth.
(c) Explain how the density of the whole Earth and the
rocks at the surface can be used to infer the density of
the core and mantle rocks.
(d) Explain how stony and iron nickel meteorites from
within the solar system can be used to infer the
composition of the mantle and core.
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note
o ICT facilities.
n. Teachers can refer to the following
resources for information.
o Introduce earthquake waves, with the idea
of completing this in more depth later.
o Practical activity: Use a light source and a
beaker of water to illustrate refraction of
seismic waves by the liquid outer core to
form shadow zones.
o Practical activity: Use eureka cans to
calculate density of surface rocks.
Compare with real data.
o Print out of density and property
data.
o Eureka cans, various rock types (eg
gabbro, granite, peridotite, various
nickel and iron ores.
o Prepare odd one out lists.
o Analyse data about density from website:
o Use OCR Geology textbook, p. 10 –
11.
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/dynamic
earth/flash_gallery/composition/composition_t
able.htm
Past paper questions:
o Students use information from website and
evaluate its meaning.
Summary of important points
then teacher led.
May 08 q.2c
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/dynamic
earth/flash_gallery/layered_earth/index.htm
May 04 q. 1
o Discuss variation in meteorite composition
and density. Compare with the structure
of the Earth.
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/
dynamicearth/flash_gallery/layered_
earth/basics.html
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/aboutus/news/2007/june/news_11934.html
May 05 q. 1e
Jan 05 q. 4
http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/lo
uie/class/plate/composition.html
Jan 04 q. 1c
May 03 q. 4
May 02 q. 5a
Starter / plenary ideas:
Jun 01 q. 3
o Construct odd one out lists of
the properties of different parts
of the Earth.
Jan 01 q. 5a
17
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/structure/dyn
amicearth/flash_gallery/composition/ind
ex.htm
http://meteorites.wustl.edu/metcomp/
index.htm
EXCERPTS FROM THE OCR GEOLOGY – Support Materials
Geology H087: Global Tectonics F791
Suggested
teaching
time:
Topic
Module 1: Earth Structure
Topic outline
Suggested teaching and homework
activities
Suggested resources
Points to note
1.1.6 Know about the Earth’s magnetic field.

o. Bar magnet, iron filings and
r. Teachers can refer to the following
resources for information.
8 hrs
(a) Describe, and explain the probable origin of the Earths
magnetic field.
(b) Describe palaeomagnetism in rocks and magnetic
reversals.
(c) Describe and explain the variation of magnetic
Practical Activity: Use a bar magnet, iron
filings and plotting compasses as an
analogy of the Earth’s magnetic field.
compass / compass clinometer.
p. Dynamo effect - solenoid (coil of

Discuss remnant magnetism
(palaeomagnetism).

Describe the origin of the Earth’s magnetic
field as the dynamo effect.
q. Use OCR Geology textbook, p. 12 –
13.

Practical activity / demo: construct model
to show dynamo effect.
Past paper questions:

Show videos about geomagnetism from
the USGS education website.
inclination with latitude.
wire), magnet, ruler, voltmeter,
leads.
May 08 q. 1a
May 05 q. 2b
http://education.usgs.gov/common/video_anim
ation.htm#geomag
Jan 03 q. 4b, c

May 02 q. 4b
Use animation showing
magnetic reversals to introduce
the topic.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/geo/egeo/an
imations/ch2.htm
Jan 01 q. 2
http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/geomag/field/fi
eld_e.php
http://www.m-manserphysics.co.uk/23664.html?*session*i
d*key*=*session*id*val*
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3gibo/
How%20to%20do%20field%20studie
s/properties_of_magnetic_field_at_.h
tm
Jan 99 q. 4 c
https://www.umassk12.net/sess/gps/
GPSSeminarSlides.pdf
Starter / plenary ideas:

Jun 01 q. 2
http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/Hbase/magnetic/MagEa
rth.html
Brainstorm ideas as to why the magnetic
inclination varies with latitude.
18
SAMPLE RESOURCES AND ONLINE SUPPORT AVAILABLE FROM
WJEC
The online specification can be found at:
http://www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?level=21&subject=61
Freely available resources produced by WJEC examiners and teachers can be found
using the following link:
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/eng/vtc-home/vtc-aas-home/vtc-aas-geology
Specimen assessment materials are available at:
http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/1799.pdf
Training is available from WJEC, just contact Jonathan Owen for details.
Other WJEC board materials can be supplied by contacting Jonathan Owen, the
Subject Officer for Geology. A selection of online support can be found below:
EXCERPTS FROM THE WJEC GEOLOGY – Teachers’ Guide
(A full version can be found on the WJEC website at: http://www.wjec.co.uk)
1.2
Overview of the Specification
ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY
(3 units GL1, GL2, GL3)
ADVANCED
(AS plus the following A2 units GL4, GL5, GL6)
UNIT AS GL1
UNIT A2 GL4
FOUNDATION GEOLOGY
(17.5%)
Written Paper
1 hour
INTERPRETING THE
GEOLOGICAL RECORD
(17.5%)
Rock forming processes
Rock deformation
Matter
Energy
Short answer data
response questions.
Time and change
Past life & past climate
Written Paper
2 hours
Integrated short answer paper
interpreting a variety of data
including geological maps.
Geological map
interpretation
UNIT AS GL2a OR GL2b
UNIT A2 GL5
INVESTIGATIVE GEOLOGY
(Internal Assessment)
(15%)
GEOLOGICAL THEMES
(17.5%)
GL2a Internal
Controlled Practical
Assessment
1 hour 30 mins
Field, laboratory and simple
geological map skills.
Mineral Data Sheet
available.
Set and moderated by
WJEC. Administered and
marked by centre to WJEC
mark scheme.
2 of 4 Themes
Written Paper
2 hours
(1hr per theme)
1. Quaternary Geology
Integrated problem
solving paper based on a
geological map,
photographs, specimens
and other data.
Compulsory data response
question and choice of one
essay for each theme.
2. Natural Resources
3. Evolution of Britain
4. Lithosphere
OR
GL2b Internal Field
Assessment
One field-based
geological investigation.
UNIT AS GL3
UNIT A2 GL6
GEOLOGY AND THE HUMAN
ENVIRONMENT
(17.5%)
Written Paper
1 hour 15mins
Natural Hazards
Human Hazards
Engineering Geology
GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
(Internal Assessment)
(15%)
Planning
Implementing
Compulsory data
response and one
structured essay.
Analysing evidence and
drawing conclusions
Evaluating
20
Internal
assessment
Two visits to each of the four
criteria. Minimum 50% field
evidence. Max 50% (optional)
from the laboratory.
EXCERPTS FROM THE WJEC GEOLOGY – Teachers’ Guide
2.1
Generic Resources for the Specification as a whole
The following resources are available from the WJEC and represent the free INSET
materials produced for the old WJEC Geology specification, much of which is still
relevant to the new specification. New materials will be available at future annual INSET
meetings to cover the newer aspects of the course.
INSET 2002
AS Revision Handbook (doc)
Carn Brea – Virtual Fieldtrip (ppt)
Fluorite – (ppt)
Godrevy – Virtual Fieldtrip (ppt)
Granite (ppt)
Metamorphism (ppt)
Sediment analysis (Excel worksheet)
Barytes (ppt)
Cligga Head – Virtual Fieldtrip (ppt)
Geological powerpoint instructions (ppt)
Godrevy - Virtual Labwork (ppt)
Images from the Net (doc)
GL6 feedback 2002(ppt)
Geological websites (doc)
INSET 2003
AS Mapwork (ppt)
A2 Mapwork 2 (ppt)
GL6 feedback 2003 (ppt)
Mineral Guide (ppt)
Seisvole (application)
A2 Mapwork 1 (ppt)
GL4 feedback 2003 (ppt)
Mineral Classification (ppt)
Physical Property of Minerals (ppt)
Weathering (ppt)
INSET 2004
Absolute Dating (ppt)
Clastic Sedimentary Rocks (ppt)
GL6 feedback 2004 (ppt)
Large Igneous Provinces (ppt)
Mantle Plume (movie clip)
Paper Mapwork Models (ppt)
Sedimentary Structures (ppt)
Volcanic Hazards (ppt)
Volcanic Case Studies (ppt)
As Guide to Igneous Rocks (ppt)
GL4 feedback 2004 (ppt)
Improve your Grade (ppt)
LIPs (pdf) & LIPs references (doc)
Organic and Chemical rocks (ppt)
Phase Diagrams (ppt)
Sedimentary Practical (ppt)
Volcanic Monitoring (ppt)
INSET ESTA CONFERENCE – EDINBURGH 2004
As above plus
Edible Geology (ppt)
Exam Techniques (ppt)
VARK (ppt plus doc)
INSET 2006
A level GCSE Criteria 1(pdf)
Blockbusters (ppt)
Call my Geological Bluff (ppt)
GL4 feedback 2006 ppt)
GL5 Nat Res feedback 2006 (pdf)
GL5 Lithosphere feedback 2006 (pdf)
La Palma Tsunamis Threat (ppt)
Play your Earthquakes Right (ppt)
Question of Geology (ppt)
Question of Volcanoes (ppt)
Rocky Scrambles – students (doc)
A level GCSE Criteria 2 (pdf)
Brainstorming Faults& Folds (doc)
Geological Catchphrase (ppt)
GL5 Quaternary feedback 2006 (pdf)
GL5 Evolution feedback 2006 (pdf)
Jurassic Challenge (ppt)
Marked GL1 2 and 3 scripts (pdf)
Question of Fossils (ppt)
Question of Minerals (ppt)
Rocky Scrambles – Teachers (doc)
Shotcrete at Holt Castle (ppt)
21
St Aidan's case Study (ppt)
Mining Hazards (ppt)
Water in Tenerife (ppt)
WJEC OLD Specification (doc)
22
EXCERPTS FROM THE WJEC GEOLOGY – Teachers’ Guide
INSET 2007
All AS and A2 Summer Papers and resources (maps, data sheet etc) (pdf)
Exploration Techniques (ppt)
New WJEC Geology GCE Specification (pdf)
WJEC Geology Specimen papers (pdf)
New WJEC GCSE Geology update (doc)
GL1 Past Papers (ppt)
GL3 Past Papers (ppt)
GL5 Quaternary feedback 2007 (pdf)
GL5 Nat Res feedback 2007 (pdf)
GL5 Evolution feedback 2007 (pdf)
GL5 Lithosphere feedback 2007 (pdf)
Groundwater (ppt)
Symmetrical folds (ppt)
What is a Fossil? (ppt)
Changes to WJEC A level Geology (ppt)
2.3
General DVDs/video
Of those that are readily available
Earth Story- The shaping of our World by Aubrey Manning, (BBC DVD) (2006)
Earth : The Power of the Planet by Iain Stewart, (BBC DVD) (2008)
The Truth about Killer Dinosaurs by Bill Oddie, (BBC DVD) (2005)
British Isles: A Natural History by Alan Titchmarsh, (BBC DVD) (2004)
2.4
General Websites
www.geolsoc.org.uk
www.esta-uk.net
www.wjec.co.uk
Also See INSET 2002 Geological websites (doc)
23
A2 Internal Assessment Unit – GL6 Geological Investigations
EXCERPTS from WJEC A2 ASSESSEMENT CRITERIA
Assessment Criteria for GL6
P
I
The candidate has:
1-2 marks
* shown limited ability in
planning an investigation
* required assistance to make
modifications to originally
suggested procedures
*
*
A
*
*
*
E
*
*
*
*
made some appropriate data
collection
some record of the information
which may be haphazard and
inappropriate
*
added little to the report of the
investigation through the
presentation of graphical
and/or numerical analysis
some difficulty in interpreting
the data, the work is mainly
descriptive
made superficial conclusions
*
limited awareness of the
investigation's potentialities or
techniques
identified the level of reliability
of collected data and the
resultant conclusions
*
*
3-4 marks
shown ability to plan investigation
but the design may lack sense of
purpose
adequately organised some
procedures but needed help in others
collected most of the required data
showing competent use of equipment
methodically recorded most of the
data required
carried out the work in the
appropriate context
used some graphical and numerical
methods accurately which have added
to the communication of the
investigation
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
interpreted and analysed the data
*
made relevant conclusions, though
not all aspects are considered
*
*
Shown awareness of the suitability
and reliability of the methodology,
identifying improvements
evaluated the level of reliability of
the evidence recognising any
anomalous results
*
*
*
5-6 marks
carefully planned the investigation
with a clear sense of purpose
devised, and fully detailed, suitable
procedures
*
*
7-8 marks
fully justified an investigation that is related to
geological knowledge and understanding, is
meticulously planned and related to any
predictions
individualised the procedures to the specific
investigation
collected data to the highest level of accuracy that
can be expected
collected all relevant data
required to obtain appropriate
information with precision and skill
considered sources of error
fully recorded accurate data
*
*
*
taken appropriate steps to minimise error
succinctly and clearly recorded all relevant data
accurately used appropriate graph
and/or numerical methods which
fully appreciate the data and highlight
any anomalies
interpreted, analysed, explained and
synthesised the data competently
recognising sources of error and
limitations
made thoughtful and appropriate
conclusions related closely to the data
and to knowledge and understanding
of geology
critically evaluated the level of success
of all parts of the investigation
including methodology. The
improvements suggested also provide
evidence of critical thought.
assessed the reliability of the
evidence and related it to any
predictions made.
*
presented data so that it contributes to the clear
identification of complex relationships
*
excellent interpretations, analysis, explanation
and synthesis
*
made full and valid conclusions which assess the
reliability of the conclusions in relation to
knowledge and understanding of geology
Full details of AS and A2 Internal Assessment to be found in Section 8 of the specification document – pages 61-74.
Other resources
There are examples of schemes of work which can be found on the GEOTREX website,
accessible from the ESTA website.
26
5. REQUIRED SPECIMENS AND EQUIPMENT
ROCKS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ESSENTIAL –class set:
 Granite – equigranular & porphyritic
 Rhyolite
 Gabbro
 Dolerite
 Basalt – homogeneous &
amydaloidal
 Pumice
 Obsidian
WISH LIST-1 or 2 SPECIMENS:
 Quartz feldspar porphyry
 Granite with xenoliths
 Andesite
 Peridotite
 Tuff
 Agglomerate
 Ignimbrite
 Diorite
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
ESSENTIAL–class set:
 Sandstone – red, arkose, orthoquartzite,
millstone grit, greywacke
 Limestone – coral, crinoidal, oolitic, chalk
 Shale
 Conglomerate
 Breccia
 Siltstone
WISH LIST-1 or 2 SPECIMENS:
 Coal
 Ironstone
 Rock salt
 Stromatolitic limestone
 Micrite
SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES - Specimens or photos of:
 Desiccation cracks
 Cross bedding
 Flute casts
 Graded bedding
 Ripples (symmetrical and asymmetrical)
 Tool marks
27
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
ESSENTIAL class set:
 Marble
 Spotted rock
 Hornfels
 Slate
 Schist – garnet mica schist
 Gneiss – banded and augen
WISH LIST -1 or 2 SPECIMENS:
 Metaquartzite
 Phyllite
 Kyanite
 Chiastolite / Andalusite
 Sillimanite
FOSSILS
Many specimens can be bought as casts, but it is useful to have real specimens to
show as many different modes of preservation as possible.
CLASS SETS OF:
BRACHIOPODS: 4 different shapes including productids, terebratulids and
spiriferids.
BIVALVES: use both modern and fossilised specimens
You can buy live f modern bivalves and it makes an interesting class practical
looking at these. If you put them into a bucket of water they can be observed
extending siphons etc. They can also be dissected to see the position of muscle
scars and pallial lines.
Live specimens of the following are often available by order from good
supermarkets:
Mussels
Razor shells
Cockles
Oysters
Scallops
AMMONITES: specimens to show suture lines and different types of coiling –
Goniatite, Ceratite, Ammonite
CORALS: specimens to show septa
Solitary and colonial specimens
Examples of rugose, tabulate and scleractinian specimens
28
TRILOBITES: selection of specimens to show different modes of life
Trinucleus
Calymene
Paradoxides
Agnostus
With or without eyes or spines etc.
PLANTS:
Roots, stems, leaves and ferns, particularly from the Carboniferous.
GRAPTOLITES: a variety to show evolutionary trends
Didymograptus
Monograptus
Tetragraptus
Dendroid
GASTROPODS:
Whelks are common garden snails can be used to indicate coiling.
Turritella as an alternative high spired form
DINOSAURS
Bones and plastic models
IN ADDITION:
Crinoids
Echinoids – regular and irregular
Fossils representing your field areas
Trace fossils
MINERALS
ESSENTIAL - class set of the following:















Quartz – including various colours and prisms
Calcite – including rhombs
Feldspar – plagioclase and orthoclase
Augite
Hornblende
Olivine
Mica – biotite and muscovite
Haematite – including reniform habit
Galena
Pyrite
Chalcopyrite
Fluorite – including various colours and octahedral cleavage fragments
Barytes
Halite
Gypsum – including fibrous and twinned specimens
29








Garnet
Chlorite
Andalusite / Chiastolite
Aragonite
Magnetite
Sphalerite
Cassiterite
Bauxite
WISH LIST
Twinned specimens
Different habits and forms
KIT
Standard MOH kit with specimens (1 to 9)
Steel pins
Hand lenses
Copper coins
Streak plates
Dilute HCl and dropper bottles
Water bottles
Grain size charts
Clinometers
Safety goggles
OPTIONAL
Petrological Micrsocope - and some standard thin sections to illustrate textures.
30
MAPS
WJEC SPECIFICATION:
Standard geological maps are used by WJEC in examinations. Contact WJEC for past
papers and sample materials.
OCR SPECIFICATION:
No geological maps are specified for OCR, but typical black & white sketch maps for
interpretation are available in past papers. Contact OCR for past papers and sample
materials.
GENERAL MAPS:
Cheddar
Arran
Stoke on Trent
UK Geology
UK structural/tectonic map
World tectonic plates/Ocean floor/Tharp-Heezen map
Bouguer gravity/magnetic anomaly maps
World Ocean Floor/age map
World satellite map
LABORATORY KIT
GEOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT:






Set of sediment sieves
Protractors
Several lengths of plastic guttering
Plasticene or Blue Tac for modelling
Sand from different environments
Dip circle / Clinometer
SCIENCE EQUIPMENT which might be available within the school/college:









Measuring cylinders
Funnels
Boxes for sand and gravel
Thermometers
Stopwatches
Slinky spring
Bar magnets
Magnaprobes
Plotting compasses
31








Top pan balance
Vernier callipers
Mirrors
Plastic blocks
Fibre optic cables
Geiger counter
Radioactive sources
Ripple tank / large circular glass dishes
WISH LIST:
 World globe
 Petrological microscope
 Thin sections
32
FIELD KIT
ESSENTIAL - a class set of the following:






Compass clinometers (shared is ok)
Grain size charts
Hard hats
Handlenses
Dilute HCl and dropper bottles
Tape measures – 2 or 5 metres (metre rulers and a couple of 30 metre
tape measures would be useful)
 Field note books, preferably waterproof
Bags for each student to carry this kit around in would be useful (sample bags or
washing tablet bags). Advise students to line their rucksacks with a large bin liner to
keep the contents dry.
Other useful kit includes string, whistles, clipboards, elastic bands.
WISH LIST:
 Hammers (where allowed)
 Eye protection
HEALTH AND SAFETY
A FIRST AID KIT IS A MUST. Also ensure that a first aider with a current first aid
certificate is in attendance on your field trips.
NOTE: if your trip is to a field centre they will provide the kit.
33
SUPPLIERS
BGS:
BGS Sales Desk, Keyworth,
Nottingham NG12 5GG
The Geological Society
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1J 0BG
Tel: 0115 936 3241
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.geologyshop.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7434 9944
Fax: +44 (0)20 7439 8975
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.geolsoc.org.uk
Geo Supplies ltd
49 Station Road
Chapeltown
Sheffield
S35 2XE
Tel: 0114 2455746
Website: www.geosupplies.co.uk
GeoEd Ltd
Pelyn Tor
Lostwithiel
Cornwall
PL22 0JF
Offa Rocks
The Vicarage
Ford
Shropshire
SY5 9LZ
Phone/fax: +44 (0)1208 872 495
Phone: 01743 851241
Fax: 01743 851248
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.geoed.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.offarocks.co.uk
Richard Tayler Minerals
Phone: 01932 862340
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://richardtayler.co.uk
34
FIELDWORK
There is no doubt that taking students on field visits makes our subject more enjoyable
and exciting to teach. Many of the students remember field work as the high point of
their sixth form studies and, for many students, it is the essential practical aid to
learning. However in some schools and colleges it is difficult for staff to take time away
from other commitments and finance can be a problem. It is recommended that all
teachers refer to the HASPEV document (www.teachernet.gov.uk/visits) and its
updates, before venturing into the field, simply because it dictates precisely what must
be done. Rules and regulations change very quickly (disability, inclusivity, first aid and
driving regulations are good examples).
It is recognised that most schools/colleges will want to carry out local fieldwork on day
visits. Some will be able to run residential visits, which can be organised by the
teaching staff or taught by field centre staff. Liaise with your school/college
geography/biology departments to see if you can visit the same areas and use the sites
for geology field work. If you know other local geology teachers, consider having a
shared field trip
DAY VISITS
PLACES TO VISIT
It would be difficult to recommend sites for an area without knowing it well. However
here are some ideas of how to get in touch with groups who might know your area and
the geological and geomorphological sites which you could use. You need to consider
the accessibility, safety and educational value of sites before you take a group of
students there. A prior visit to a site that you don’t know is essential, preferably with a
local expert, so that the field studies for the students can be prepared in advance and
risk assessments can be made. It is best to accompany other teachers on their field
visits before undertaking your own.
All Local Authorities and most schools have strict guidelines relating to fieldwork and
these should be followed in detail. Sometimes procedures are also school specific, so
consult the relevant member of staff in your institution for clarification.
Talk to the local RIGS (Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites)
group. Contact UK RIGS at www.ukrigs.org.uk to find out whether there is an active
group in your area. The above website also has an education section which
recommends places to visit.
Contact the local university department who may have a Schools Liaison staff member
who could help you with ideas for local sites and might be prepared to visit sites and
teach your groups.
Buy local field guides from Tourist Information Centres, local museums and bookshops.
Building stones in towns and cities illustrate many rock types and are easily accessible
and available. Many towns and cities have guides to building stones. Thematic Trails
35
at www.thematic-trails.org have many guides for sale. The magazine Down to Earth
from Geosupplies reviews new publications.
For quarry sites refer to The ESEU “Any Quarry Guide” in Teaching Earth Sciences,
Volume 29, Number 2, 2004.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRES
The advantage of residential centres is that expert teaching is provided for areas with
which the classroom teacher may not be familiar. It also enables students to see rocks
which are not found in their local area. The residential experience is exciting, if
sometimes daunting, for students. However, sharing interesting and different field work
motivates many students and gives the group a shared experience which creates
friendships and helps to foster good teaching and learning relationships.
The disadvantage is that there is a big financial commitment for students. Most
schools/colleges do not subsidise field work, even though it is so essential to geology
learning. However, an enlightened college principal is quoted as saying that geology
and geography students need field visits like the chemistry department needs
chemicals.
Use persuasion on your Headteacher / Principal.
Loch Ranza Centre, Lochranza, Isle of Arran www.fieldstudies.co.uk/online
01770 830637. This centre is excellent but does book up very early, and schools
usually book a year in advance for this location.
The Field Studies Council run many centres. www.field-studies-council.org
These centres can provide geology courses.
Blencathra, Keswick, Cumbria – Tel 017687 79601
Malham Tarn, Settle North Yorks – Tel 01729 830331
Orielton, Pembroke, Dyfed – Tel 01646 623921
Preston Montford – Shrewsbury, Shropshire – Tel 01743 852040
Rhyd-y-creuau, Betws-y-coed, Conwy – Tel 016907
PRACTICALITIES
Transport to your field sites
School minibus
All schools/colleges have safety requirements for minibus drivers. It is often very
stressful to drive the minibus and teach all day, so consider taking another member of
36
staff to drive. Be sure you know the latest regulations regarding the number of staff
necessary in minibuses used for transporting students. If you passed your driving test
after 1998 you do not have a minibus entitlement on your licence and need to contact
the DSA to enquire how to get D1 added to your licence (it will involve having a medical,
passing a theory test and practical test for minibuses). Many schools will support your
minibus driving test and arrange it for you.
Coach
If you have large groups and need to take a hired coach, make sure that the coach can
reach the sites you want to visit. Many good geology sites are inaccessible except by
minibus and car. Unless you can fill a coach it is usually cheaper to hire minibuses and
take extra drivers. Beware of very high parking costs in some coach parks which are
designed for tourist coaches and not for school parties.
Walking
You should not take pupils/students into hilly areas above 300m unless you have
someone with you who has a Mountain Leader qualification. Teacher : Student ratios
should be as LEA or school guidelines, but take at least 2 members of staff with you,
one to lead the group and another to bring up the rear and look after stragglers. Also
ensure that you have a male and female member of staff or responsible adult with you,
or available at the field centre if you stay at one. It is often possible to take other
interested adults with you, perhaps parents or local geology enthusiasts who may also
have leadership or first aid qualifications, rather than take staff out of school, providing
the people you bring have been briefed on the roles they should play.
It is suggested that you do not have more than 15 pupils / students for each pair of
adults / teachers, partly for safety, but also because it is difficult for pupils / students to
hear instructions if a group is too big.
Carry a mobile phone but be prepared for poor reception in hilly areas, a good first aid
kit, spare warm and waterproof clothing for your pupils and spare food and drink.
Encourage your students to buy or borrow waterproof boots and good waterproof
jackets and over trousers. If they do not have this equipment then ask other community
groups, such as scout groups or local Duke of Edinburgh award schemes, if you can
borrow gear. Your students will probably need a small rucksack to carry food, drink,
spare clothing and their geological equipment. Hard hats are essential in any quarries
(working or abandoned) and at all coastal cliffs, cuttings etc.
Field visits in towns to look at building stones in shopping areas or in graveyards have
different hazards. Good management of groups in traffic is essential. Again, the more
adults accompanying the group the safer the trip will be.
INSURANCE AND RISK ASSESSMENTS
Your school/college will probably have a special package of insurance for visits, so
remember to alert the administrative office in plenty of time. Fill in the risk assessment
documents, having visited the sites first. Always discuss the risks with students
beforehand, perhaps showing slides of the sites to be visited. When you reach a site
discuss the risks with them and ask them to make notes on the precautions they are
37
going to take. Be clear that the students know the health and safety implications at
each outcrop.
MANAGEMENT OF GROUPS AT GEOLOGICAL SITES
There are many fieldwork skills for students to learn. The first field visit of a course
often consists of teaching students how to record information in their field notebooks.
Field notebooks with water-resistant paper are best for the British climate, but are
expensive. If students have to buy their own specialised field note books, then reassure
them that they only need one book for the whole course and that it will be able to be
used in all weather conditions and thus provide an essential resource for their exam
case studies. Suggest that they write their names and addresses inside the book and
use pencils, not pens, with elastic bands to stop pages flapping. Note books can also
be kept in large see-through plastic bags when working in the rain.
Normal practice at fieldwork sites is to look at the major structures and features from a
distance first and then get closer to find out more about the details of the rocks,
minerals, fossils and structures. On the early field visits you will find that you give a lot
of information but as students get used to fieldwork then they will be able to work on
their own. It is a good idea to ask some open questions when you arrive at the site, so
that your group has some idea of what to look for. For instance, you could mention that
you want to know about the evidence for the environment of deposition of sedimentary
rocks. Another way is to ask students to find specific features, such as 3 dykes, 2 faults
and 2 rock types in a quarry that you have already assessed. Ask them to find evidence
to justify their decisions.
More experienced students can be asked to look at a site for 20 minutes and record
systematically what they find. Then you can ask an individual to describe certain
aspects of the geology, justifying their observations to the rest of the group. Help them
to distinguish between description and deduction. Descriptions should include
measurements where possible. Deductions should be a direct result of accurate
descriptions and not wild guesses about what might be taking place. Most students find
the description to deduction process difficult to carry out when faced with unfamiliar
rocks and structures, so plenty of practice is a good idea. Finish the session at each
site with some high level questions about how this might link to a wider picture, whether
it is the geological history of the whole area or larger structures such as folds and faults
or large scale igneous or metamorphic activity.
For suggestions about procedures and questions to ask at quarry sites refer to The
ESEU “Any Quarry Guide” in Teaching Earth Sciences, Volume 29, Number 2, 2004.
Follow up work, during the evening or during the next day’s lesson, depends on the
purpose of the field work, but the day’s findings should be revised, so that pupils who
found the field work experience difficult can learn what they should have seen. Even
the most able students need to go over the salient points of field work techniques and
the rocks and features that they have seen. Provide a map so that pupils can see
where they have been, a stratigraphic table so that they can see what age rocks they
have been studying and a checklist to tick off the geological features and structures that
they have seen and understood. Sometimes data has been collected for hypothesis
testing so analysis and interpretation should be part of the evening work.
38
You can provide practise for field sketching if you project slides or digital photos onto a
whiteboard and demonstrate how to identify important features that should be recorded.
If photos have been taken during the field work and a digital projector is available, then
show the photos immediately and remind pupils of the field sketches that they have
drawn. At a later stage, a PowerPoint presentation with geological annotations of the
field trip can be produced. This helps students, who are usually visual learners, to
remember the field trip details and overcomes the problem of forgetting field work which
may have taken place in poor weather or difficult learning situations. Some schools
ask for field visits to be written up in word-processed or PowerPoint presentation field
reports to reinforce field work learning. Some rely on the notes taken in field note books
for use when revising.
HOW TO RECORD YOUR FIELD WORK IN YOUR FIELD NOTEBOOK
Provided by Dave Mack of Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College:
The points given below will not all apply to all areas, but they indicate
what to look for in a rock exposure.
Use these ideas to sharpen your observation and to aid your appreciation of the actual
geological evidence which can be gathered in a real situation to illustrate theories
studied in the classroom.
1. Describe the position of the exposure you have decided to study.
a) by occurrence (e.g. quarry, stream section etc).
b) by location (ideally by a grid reference otherwise in terms of nearby roads,
paths, river etc).
2. Sketch the exposure in your field note book. Show any noticeable features such as
bedding planes, faults, folds, joints, intrusions, veins, erosive features like soil creep,
potholes, striations etc. Indicate the scale of your sketch and the thickness of any
obvious layers, using metric units. It is also useful to show finer detail in separate
enlarged sketches.
3. Study carefully each rock seen in the exposure. Try to describe each rock using
the following criteria. (Write your observations into your field note book).
a) Is it igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic?
b) What evidence suggests that it is igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic?
c) Describe the texture of the rock: look at and describe its grain size, the shape
of the grains, the relationships of the grains (interlocking, cemented, large
embedded in small etc). Look at the structure of the rock: are the grains
randomly distributed, sorted by size, segregated by composition, orientated by
shape or uniformly distributed through the rock?
d) Describe the composition of the rock. Try to distinguish which mineral or
minerals make up the rock and to calculate the approximate proportion of each
one in the rock (use %).
39
e) Describe the colour of the rock, noting any red/brown/yellow colouration due to
iron staining, yellow sulphur staining, green copper staining etc. Is the colour of
the weathered rock different from a fresh surface? If so, what is the significance?
f) Describe any structural features of the rock:
If it is igneous look for and describe any flow structure, vesicles, amygdales,
pyroclastic fragments, xenoliths, joints, veins. Note any variation in grain size
such as fine grained margin or margins. Sketch any structures found, again
indicating the scale of your sketch.
If it is metamorphic look for and describe any folds, fractured grains, alignment
of mineral grains in lines or planes, foliation into bands of similar or different
material, distorted pebbles or fossils, flow structure around large crystals. Sketch
any structure found, indicating the scale of your sketch.
If it is sedimentary look for and describe any sedimentary structures e.g. cross
bedding, graded bedding, slump bedding, sole structures (flute casts, load casts),
ripple marks, concretions, contorted bedding, jointing. Sketch any structures
found, indicating the scale of your sketch. Look carefully for fossils: do not
hammer a fresh outcrop any more than absolutely necessary - sift through fallen
debris, sketch fossils 'in situ' in the exposure.
Identify any fossils by phylum (brachiopod, bivalve) or class (crinoid, ammonite) if
at all possible. Describe the mode of preservation of the fossils, (hard parts,
carbonised remains, mineralised remains, mould, cast, tracks, trails etc).
Carefully label any fossils you collect and write down the reference number and
rough identification of each one in your field note book. Then you can identify
each fossil more accurately back at college.
4. From all your observations you should now be in a position to classify each rock in
the exposure, giving its name and (if applicable) variety, e.g. crinoidal limestone,
black shale, green slate etc. Where possible indicate the probable origin of each
rock, e.g. in warm shallow sea, delta swamp, beach etc.
5. Describe the structure of the exposure.
a) Study any joints noting how far apart they are, how many different joint
directions are present. Measure the strike and dip of each set of joints. Types of
joints. e.g. radial tension joints, sheet joints, columnar joints etc.
b) Study any folding or tilting of the rocks. If the rocks are flat-lying or tilted try to
measure their strike and dip. If the rocks are folded measure the strike and dip on
either side of the fold axis. If possible measure the direction of the axial plane of
the fold.
Sketch any fold, labelling the axial plane and giving measured dips. Describe
the fold(s) - anticline/syncline, degree of symmetry (symmetrical, asymmetrical,
overfold recumbent), shape of hinge area, tightness (interlimb angle), plunging/
non plunging etc...
40
c) Study any faults present. Try to estimate the displacement along the fault
plane, especially throw. If possible try to decide whether the fault is normal,
reversed, thrust or tear. Measure the strike and dip of the fault plane if it is
accessible. Give details of any related phenomena e.g. slickensides, brecciated
rock, mineralised veins (see f) etc... Sketch the field situation.
d) Study any apparent unconformities present. Measure the strike and dip of
the beds above and below the unconformity. Sketch this carefully giving the
measured dip.
e) Study any cleavage or foliation in the rock and measure its strike and dip. If
the bedding can also be seen measure its strike and dip and then sketch the
relationship between bedding and cleavage or foliation.
f) Study any mineral veins present. Describe whether they are related to faults
or joints. If possible measure the strike and dip of each vein. Identify or collect
specimens of the minerals found in each vein, and mention their diagnostic
physical properties. Label any minerals collected and enter their number and
description in your field notebook.
g) Study any igneous intrusions present. Any evidence of type of intrusion e.g.
pluton, dyke, sill. Are there any chilled margins (finer grained) or baked
margins/hardening/spotting within the country rock? Is there a metamorphic
aureole? If so what is its extent, rock types within it? etc... Sketch any relevant
details.
6. Other features of the exposure/area. Comment on any other points of the geology
not already noted e.g. Does geological structure and/or rock type influence the
relief/topography of the area? (Show this by means of a sketch). Describe any affects
caused by groundwater such as seepage through fractures or pores, formation of
springs etc... Are there any recent weathering (e.g. biological roots) or erosive (e.g. by
glacial effects? Are some beds more easily weathered or eroded than others? Are
there any recent/superficial deposits? Is man making any economic use of the
outcrop/area as a result of the geology?
7. Try to summarise the geological history of the rocks in the exposure from the
origin of the oldest rock (as a wind-blown sand for example) through (using e.g. cross
cutting relationships) any periods of folding or faulting up to and including present day
erosion.
What to include in a rock description. A simple guide.
Simply remember the three Cs and three Ss.
Colour Composition and Cement (if there is any)
Sorting, Shape and Structures (if there are any)
41
EXAMPLES OF RESIDENTIAL FIELDVISITS RUN BY SERVING
TEACHERS
The Lake District
Run in July at the end of the AS year. Based on knowledge from AS year, and
providing a good introduction to the A2 year.
Day 1: Leave college 9am, travel by minibus to Lake District, stopping for “comfort
breaks” at approximately hourly intervals (also to address health and safety
recommendations). Lunch stop at TeBay Services.
LOCALITY 1 – approx 1 hour at site: Short journey to SHAP GRANITE QUARRY (NB:
permission must be gained at least 1 month before the visit, college insurance details
must be forwarded. In first instance contact Quarry Office, Shap, Penrith, Cumbria
CA10 3QA. tel: 01931 716 787). Students must wear high-visibility jackets, hard hats
and supportive footwear. This first locality enables staff to “wake up” the students who
may have “switched off” on the journey! Basic notes are recorded in field notebooks,
eg. type of rock, a sketch, mineralogy, formation. Students use field notebooks, hand
lens, mineral data sheet and mineral testing equipment. A field sketch of the quarry and
discussion about the volume of rock removed also takes place. Tape measures are
useful for laying out to gauge scale. The OU worked closely with the quarry and
produced a set of large specimens. However some of these have been removed.
LOCALITY 2 – approx 3 hours at site: CROOKDALE CRAGS - a sequence of anticlines
and synclines, along the A6 road. Traffic travels very quickly and a member of staff is
used as a “crossing guard/lookout”, while the other member of staff helps the students
with the work. High visibility jackets and hard hats are worn. Students follow a given
plan (GLF2 sheet) and obtain data to answer the question, “What is the percentage
shortening of the rocks along the A6 at Crookdale Crags?”. Students draw a sketch of
the folding along the road. They each pick folds and they measure the unfolded (long)
distance between two points and the shortest distance (folded) distance between the
same two points. Students address reliability and sources of error through the task.
They are also encouraged to think of other data they could collect to improve the
investigation.
The students are then taken by minibus to the overnight stop, at Keswick YHA. This is
normally booked a year in advance (ie. We book for next year as we leave this year!).
Students have a 1 ½ hour debrief after the evening meal. We discuss the sites visited
that day and prepare for the following day.
Students are given approximately 1 ½ hours of free time until doors of the hostel are
locked at 11pm.
Day 2: LOCALITY 3: leave Keswick YHA at 9am, travel to car park at the back of
Blencathra Field Study Centre. Students examine the metamorphic aureole of the
Skiddaw Granite, walking along the well known geological trail and up Sinen Gill to the
contact. They are again following a given plan (GLF2 sheet). The work in reality is
guided by the staff, since many students are limited on their mapwork skills and have no
idea how far they have travelled along the path when marking the sites. The country
rock (a slate), chiastolite slate, spotted rock, quartz veins, hornfels and the granite are
seen. Students spend approximately 4 or 5 hours walking up to the granite and back.
Lunch-stop is at the granite contact. A comfort stop back down in Keswick lasting
approximately an hour is taken.
LOCALITY 4: Students are taken to St John in the Vale church. This is a “Cooks Tour”
to view the sequence of lava flows. Many approaches have been tried by the staff at
this site, most recently using a “guided notebook” technique, which is copied for the
42
students. It asks them to look at, measure and make conclusions about the lava flows
(viscosity, rock type produced, what was melted to produce this and the plate setting
etc), with the aim of showing them what to do at a field site. Students spend
approximately 1 ½ hours at the site and produce a field sketch sitting on the small hill
opposite the site.
The students are then taken by minibus to the overnight stop, at Keswick YHA.
Students have a 1 ½ hour debrief after the evening meal. We discuss the sites visited
that day and prepare for the following day. The primary focus is to talk about the
contrasts of the metamorphic zones and the granite contact. Students are briefed on
the following day’s activity.
Students are given approximately 1 ½ hours of free time until doors of the hostel are
locked at 11p.
Day 3: students clear their rooms at the YHA and pack the minibus. Minibus travel
down to Ambleside, approx 1 hour, comfort stop, then travel to Tarn Hows, LOCALITY
5. Students are given a tour of the area of study, a small slope where changes in
lithology are seen. Students are shown the lava flow by the path (shaped by ice into a
roche moutonnée), a conglomerate, a sandstone, limestones and we walk through the
forest to see shale/slate. They are then given an hour to write their own plan (GLF2
sheet) to answer the question “What was the changing environment of formation and
deposition of the rocks at Tarn Hows?”. Staff aim to write comments or at least read
and review the plans. Students work in small groups collecting data, with staff
answering questions and monitoring the students. Students spend approximately 5
hours at the site.
Minibus travel back to Ambleside for approximately an hour stop. Then return travel
back to College.
Students bring their field note books to the following lesson in College, and a full debrief
of the field trip occurs. Students are then given a list of what needs to be completed for
the submission of the notebooks (mainly analysis and evaluation of sites 2, 3 and 5).
For more information on this fieldtrip please contact Jo Conway (email: [email protected])
Pembrokeshire
Run in July at the end of the AS year. Based on knowledge from AS year, and
providing a good introduction to the A2 year. Before we depart students are given an
itinerary, a list of evening tasks for each day, a kit list (suggested clothing and
equipment) and a copy of the Code of Conduct for Geological Fieldwork.
Day 1: Leave school at approx 8.30am, arriving at St David’s youth hostel at approx
5pm. The journey includes several “comfort breaks” and a supermarket trip for the
week’s food at Haverford West. On arrival the students unpack and after dinner the
students are briefed about the next day’s activities and complete their GLF2 forms for
Strumble Head.
Day 2: 20 minute minibus journey to LOCALITY 1- Strumble Head. Students record
data for their assessment on the lower Palaeozoic pillow lavas under the guidance of
staff. Students given approx 2 1/2 hours for data collection. Quick lunch before a 20
minute minibus journey to the next locality.
LOCALITY 2 - Abereiddy Bay. In the quarry to the north of the bay students describe
and identify a low grade slate (Ordovician in age) then observe the cleavage/ bedding
relationship. To the south side of the bay, the students compare the rock type and the
cleavage/ bedding relationship as they move along. After a walk of a couple of hundred
metres the bedding and cleavage run parallel to each other and students can split open
43
pieces of slate in the hope of finding Ordovician fauna (commonly graptolites and rarely
trilobites).
Evening tasks – students tidy up their notebooks and complete their analysis and
evaluation of their Strumble Head assessment.
Day 3: LOCALITY 3 – Freshwater West. Students observe a modern sedimentary
environment (dunes). Students then head to the south side of the beach to Little
Furznip where there is a faulted sedimentary sequence for the students to try to deduce.
LOCALITY 4 – St Govan’s Head – students are taken to St Govan’s chapel at the coast
where they can take dips and strikes of bedding and fractures and sketch the coastal
features (arches and stacks). If possible (the area is restricted as it is part of an artillery
range) walk the students along the cliff tops to look at the relationship between the
direction of fractures and the bays. Blow holes can also be seen.
LOCALITY 5 – West Angle Bay – Students make predictions then map and interpret the
fold structure in the bay where parasitic folding can be observed.
Evening tasks – Students to write an interpretation of the fracture pattern within the
rocks and the location and direction of bays at St Govans Head. Students draw an
exaggerated cross section of the structure seen at West Angle Bay and annotate it with
the features they observed. In preparation for tomorrow they draw an enlarged copy of
the rock outcrops at Coppice Hall Point to put their dip and strike measurements on.
Day 4: LOCALITY 6 – Saundersfoot. At the north side of the bay Ladies Cave anticline
can be visited so students can sketch and measure the dip and strike of the limbs and
observe the effects of folding on competent and incompetent beds. Students can also
measure the plunge of the fold.
LOCALITY 7;Heading back towards the harbour sedimentary logging of the
Carboniferous cyclothems can be done.
LOCALITY 8; After lunch head round to the south side of the bay to the rock outcrops at
Coppice Hall Point. Students can take dip and strikes around the plunging anticline to
recognise the structure, then walk back along the cliff path to see the structure from
above.
Evening tasks – students tidy up their notebooks, produce a neat copy of their
sedimentary log of the cyclothem and write an interpretation of the environment.
Day 5: LOCALITY 9 - Little Haven – at the headland to the south side of the bay
measurement of dip and dip direction of crossbedding can be taken. Looking to the cliff
face towards the south ancient river channels can be seen and sketched.
LOCALITY 10 – Marloes Sands – Students can walk along the beach working up
through a Silurian sedimentary sequence (sed environments and bioturbation). At one
point a lava flow with rubble top is encountered and eventually the Silurian / Devonian
boundary can be reached.
Evening tasks – students tidy up their notebooks and are given an introduction to basic
geological mapping. The students collate their dip and strike readings from Little Haven
and plot the results on a rose diagram.
Day 6:LOCALITY 11 – St. David’s Head – Starting from the youth hostel and following
the path behind it, students can map the igneous intrusion, the surrounding
metamorphic rocks and the contact between them.
LOCALITY 12 – St. Nons Bay – Park at Caerfai Bay and walk along the coastal path to
St Nons Bay. Once there students can observe Precambrian volcanics and a basal
conglomerate. They can then determine the way up of the sequence. Walking back
towards the carpark there are several opportunities to head off the path towards the cliff
edge to observe a fining upwards sedimentary sequence where structures can be used
to determine way up.
44
Evening tasks – tidy up notebooks, ink in maps of St Davids Head, clean out the
minibus and start packing
Day 7: The journey home commences at 10am after packing room cleaning.
Please note: most of the work is tide dependent so tide tables have to be checked well
in advance and the days rearranged accordingly. Most days involve one hour
supervised free time at the beach.
For more information on this fieldtrip please contact David Turner (email:
[email protected]) or Jane Ladson (email: [email protected])
45
Websites
DISCAIMER - THESE WEBSITES WORKED AT THE TIME THIS BROCHURE WAS
PRODUCED, BUT WEBSITES CHANGE CONSTANTLY.
There are many other websites you could search.
GEOTREX is the Geology Teacher's Resource
Exchange that is aimed specifically at geology
teachers and contains a plethora of useful
resources designed for teaching at AS & A2 Level.
It can be accessed by ESTA members through the
ESTA website at www.esta-uk.net
Earth Structure
www.geolsoc.org.uk/
www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/monthly_map.html
www.earthquake.usgs.gov/
www.sciencecourseware.com
www.iris.edu/seismon/
www.gps.caltech.edu/~polet/events90-96.html
www.geo.arizona.edu/saso/Earthquakes/Recent/
Seismology programmes “Seisvole” and “Seiswave” can be obtained via download –
use Google
Plate Tectonics
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/tectonics.html
www.geolsoc.org.uk/template.cfm?name=tec_plates
www.geolsoc.org.uk/template.cfm?name=lithosphere
USGS produce a downloadable ‘book’ on plate tectonics at:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html
Igneous and Volcanic Rocks
www.geo.mtu.edu/~boris/ETNA_news.html
www.volcano.und.nodak.edu
www.norvol.hi.is/
www.geologyshop.co.uk/newindex.htm
www.volcanoes.usgs.gov/
www.volcanoes.usgs.gov/Hazards/where/PlateTect.html
Sedimentary Rocks
46
www.palaeo.de/edu/JRP/JRP_english1.html
www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks/index.shtml
www.huddersfieldgeology.org.uk/
www.geologyshop.co.uk/newindex.htm
Metamorphic Rocks
www.geolsoc.org.uk/
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8361/1998/freya/met.html
Minerals
www.geolsoc.org.uk/
www.geology.about.com/science/geology/cs/mineralogy/index.htm
Geological Time
www.pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/contents.html
www.pubs.usgs.gov/gip/fossils/contents.html
www.talkorigins.org/faqs/dating.html
www.imsa.edu/edu/geophysics/geosphere/time.html
Fossils
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/ordovician/ordostrat.html
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8361/1998/kirsty/trilo.html
www.uky.edu/KGS/coal/webfossil/pages/silurian.htm
www.mpm.edu/reef/intro.html
www.geology.about.com/science/geology/cs/
www.trilobites.info/
Volcanic Hazards
www.hraun.vedur.is/ja/englishweb/strain.html
www.norvol.hi.is/
www.usgs.gov/
Earthquake Hazards
www.geolsoc.org.uk/
hraun.vedur.is/ja/englishweb/
www.quake.wr.usgs.gov/
Mass Movement Hazards
www.walesontheweb.org/cayw/index/en/622/334
www.usgs.gov/themes/landslid.html
www.geologyshop.co.uk/landslips.htm
www.landslides.usgs.gov/
www.swgfl.org.uk/jurassic/opencost6.htm
www.kingston.ac.uk/~ku00323/landslid/vaiont.htm
47
www.nerc-bas.ac.uk/tsunami-risks/html/HVaiont.htm
Engineering Geology
www.dur.ac.uk/~des0www4/cal/dams/fron/contents.htm
www.walrus.wr.usgs.gov/grandcan/dam.html
www.geologyshop.co.uk/chtung.htm
www.nerc-bas.ac.uk/tsunami-risks/html/HVaiont.htm
www.terram.com/reinforcement.html
www.j-routledge.co.uk/landfill.htm
Mining
www.ackworth.w-yorks.sch.uk/rjb/location.htm
www.coal.gov.uk/
www.ncl.ac.uk/roses/studysites.html
www.carnmetl.demon.co.uk/mines.htm
Waste Disposal
www.wlfoe.demon.co.uk/waste.html
www.geolsoc.org.uk Put radioactive waste into Search
ymp.gov/
Groundwater
www.bgs.ac.uk/hydrogeology/home.html Search Geoportal for Groundwater
Geological investigations
www.dur.ac.uk/~des0www4/cal/dams/fron/contents.htm
www.imcgroup.co.uk
www.geologyshop.co.uk/chtung.htm
www.railway-technology.com/contractors/infrastructure/aperio/
www.benthamgeoconsulting.co.uk/geophysics/index.htm
www.geotecsurveys.com/pages/services.htm
www.geophysics.co.uk/methods.html
Structural Geology
Templates for building structural models can be obtained from www.fault-analysisgroup.ucd.ie
Metamorphic Rocks
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8301/metamor.html
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8361/1998/freya/met.html
www.soes.soton.ac.uk/resources/collection/minerals/meta-1/
www.earth.leeds.ac.uk/assynt/index.htm
Sedimentary Rocks
48
www.es.ucl.ac.uk/schools/Glossary/sedimentary.htm
www.aspects.net/~koak/
www.soes.soton.ac.uk/resources/collection/minerals
www.geologyshop.co.uk/newindex.htm
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8301/surfproc.html
Rock Deformation
www.geolsoc.org.uk/
www.geolsoc.org.uk/template.cfm?name=thrust_belts
www.geologyshop.co.uk/struct~1.htm
Igneous Rocks
www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Geol/vft/oman.html
www.ig.utexas.edu/research/projects/lips/lips.htm
www.abdn.ac.uk/geology/profiles/auming/arran/arran.htm
www2.plymouth.ac.uk/intfield/CyprusFT/GeolSetting.htm
Fossils
www.abdn.ac.uk/rhynie/
www.yale.edu/ypmip/locations/burgess/
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/cambrian/burgess.html
www.trilobites.info/anohome.html
www.geology.about.com/science/geology/cs/lagerstatten/
www.geology.about.com/science/geology/cs/extinction/
www.geology.about.com/science/geology/cs/evolution/index.htm
Quaternary Geology - Landforms and Drainage
www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/jpg/lulair.jpg
www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/durlston.htm
www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/mupe.htm
www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/limestone/index.shtml
www.brixworth.demon.co.uk/tors/
The Geological Evolution of Britain - Tectonic Activity in the UK
www.branches.co.uk/earth/tectonic.htm
www.earth.leeds.ac.uk/assynt/
www.geologyshop.co.uk/ukvolc.htm#scottert
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8361/1999/simon/cornbath.htm
The Geological Evolution of Britain - Changes in Climate and Global
Plate Tectonics
www.scotese.com/earth.htm
www.pembrokeshire-online.co.uk/geology2.htm
www.lundy.org.uk/lfs/is/geology.html
www.cressbrook.co.uk/features/geology.htm
www.wales-hotel.co.uk/geology/geology.htm
www.huddersfieldgeology.supanet.com/pages/p20lgeo.htm
www.invectis.co.uk/iow/geo.htm
49
www.geologyshop.co.uk/mesoz~1.htm
50
Videos
It is valuable to build up a bank of videos that can be used with students. Keep an eye
open for geology programmes on the TV such as Horizon and Equinox. It is also
worthwhile looking at Open University schedules.
The 1995 Christmas Lectures by James Jackson are available for about £12 from the
shop at the Sedgwick Museum in Cambridge.
An excellent into to Palaeo including Lagerstatten such as Burgess Shale etc. is
provided on a DVD by David Attenborough : Lost Worlds Vanished Lives. This was
originally broadcast in 1989 and has been available on DVD since 2004.
The BBC DVD of ‘Supervolcano’ is now available.
51
Possible Laboratory Practical Activites
Below is a list of some of the many possible activities which can be used for teaching or
coursework provided by Mike Tuke.
Where known, published references are given to descriptions of these activities or you
can devise them yourself. All of these and many more are described in Tuke, Mike
Earth Science Experiments for teaching and coursework ( in press).
Minerals
Atomic weight and density - To determine the relationship between atomic weight and
density in isomorphous minerals
Igneous
Cooling and crystal size - To show the relationship between speed of cooling and
crystal size.*
Cooling in a liquid -To show how the temperature changes in the centre and edge of a
cooling and crystallising liquid.
Crystallisation of mixtures - To measure the temperature of crystallisation of salol and
thymol both as pure substances and as mixtures and to plot a phase diagram.
Investigating the properties of igneous rocks - To see of there is any relationship
between density, grain size and percentage of dark minerals in igneous rocks.
Modal analysis and density - To use point counting to work out the modal analysis
and then to use this information to calculate the density of the rock.
Speed of lava flows - To determine the relationship of temperature, water content,
crystal content and angle of slope to the speed of a lava flow. (TES 2002)
Speed of cooling of an igneous body - To determine how size, shape, surface area,
composition and grain size affects the speed of cooling of an igneous body. *
Speed of eruption - To calculate the speed of the landslide and of the eruption cloud of
Mount St. Helens. from photographs in USGS memoir
Study of a slab of Quartz Porphyry - To determine the size, percentage and
orientation of phenocrysts
Vesicular basalt - To find the percentage of vesicles and thus the porosity of a slab of
vesicular basalt.
Metamorphic rocks
Metamorphic aureole - To show how the temperature changes in the rocks adjacent to
an intrusion as the intrusion cools. (TES 2001 v26 p149)
Sedimentary rocks
Desert sand - To explain why sand grains that have been transported by wind are
generally better rounded than those transported by water by shaking pieces of
brick in water and in air.
Falling grains - To determine the effect of size, density, roundness and sphericity on
the speed of fall of grains in water.
Movement of grains - To determine the effect of shape, size, bed roughness and bed
slope on the movement of grains in a piece of flat bottomed troughing.
52
Transport by wind - To explain how size, shape and density affect the ease with which
grains can be moved by wind. *
Compaction - To determine the effects of grain size and pressure on the amount of
compaction of loose sand using sand in beaker.
Purity of limestones - To determine whether there is a relationship between the colour
of a limestone and the amount of impurities it contains.
The shape of pebbles - To see if the shape of pebbles is controlled by the bedding
planes.
Mudcracks - To study the formation of mud cracks, to determine what controls their
size and to see how modern mud cracks compare with fossil ones.
Rain prints - To study the formation of rain prints and to work out the conditions under
which they form and may be preserved.
Structure
Omission and repetition - To discover how the dip direction of the strata and the type
of fault determine whether omission or repetition of strata occur on the surface
and in boreholes from diagrams.
Squeezing Plasticine - To determine how reduction spots and oolites change shape
when compressed.
Wavelength - To work out the relationship between wavelength, amplitude, dip of limbs
and crustal shortening using folded paper
Palaeontology
Anterior margin - To determine the relationship between the sharpness of the
anterior/ventral fold, the area of the opening and the size of sediment that could
enter.
Crinoidal limestone - To see if there is any orientation to crinoid stems in a slab of
limestone.
The evolution of Micraster - To describe the changes between two species of
micraster.
Extinction and continental drift - To determine the effect of continental collisions on
the variety of species. (TES 2003 v28 p13)
Shaking shells - To determine which shells are the most resistant to attrition. (Kennet
and Ross p9)
Shells as way-up indicators - To determine if loose valves can be used as way-up
indicators in sedimentary rocks.
Stratigraphy
Environmental interpretation of sands - To interpret the environment of formation of
sands by matching the characteristics of the sand to those of known
environments.
Half lives - To show how the numbers of parent and daughter atoms change as a
radioactive element decays using dice. Kennett and Ross p17)
Economic Geology
Ore grade - To calculate the percentage of galena in a sample containing only galena
and calcite using density.
Panning for gold - To give students the experience of panning. *
53
Resistivity of rocks and minerals - To determine the resistivity of rocks, and minerals
and of reservoir rocks, saturated with water, oil or gas. Can be used as a revision
exercise
Angle of rest - To determine the angle of rest in loose sediments and the factors which
control it. *
Roadstone - To determine which rocks are most suitable for wearing course aggregate.
Good for revision of rocks and minerals. (TES 1985 v10 p63 but use samples)
Strength of Rocks I - To determine the relative strength of a variety of rocks. A good
way of becoming familiar with a range of common rocks. *
Strength of rocks II - To determine what factors control the strength of rocks. Good for
revision of rocks and minerals.
Subsidence due to clay shrinkage - To determine the amount of subsidence likely to
occur if the clay dries out.
Hot rock - To determine the specific heat of a rock and thus how much heat can be
obtained from a given volume of rock.
Porosity of sediment - Determining the porosity of sediment and the factors which
control it.
Porosity of rocks - Compare the porosity of different rock types or sandstones of
different ages
Flow of oil and water - Experiments to determine the effect of grain size, sorting,
length, cross-section and temperature on the flow of fluids through sediment
using sand in tubes.
Co-efficient of permeability - To see how hydrostatic pressure effects water flow and
to calculate the co-efficient of permeability. *
Capillary movement - To show how water rises in sediments of different grain sizes. *
Purifying water - To determine which sand is best for filtering water. *
Earth
Earthquake - To determine the effects of crustal elasticity, fault surface roughness, and
confining pressure on displacement.
Isostasy - To determine the relationship between erosion and uplift of the crust and
deposition and depression of the crust using wooden blocks in tank.
The effects of isostasy - To show how isostasic adjustment affects the height and
shape of the land *
Sea floor spreading - To work out what factors determine the amount of displacement
of the ridge along a transform fault. (Dennis Bates Journal of Geological
Education v38)
Accretionary prism - To explain the sequence of strata found in an accretionary prism.
(TES 2001 v26 p43)
Other
Meteorite craters - Using steel balls and marbles to determine the effect of speed, size
and density on the size of the crater.
References
* Described in Tuke, Mike 1991 Earth Science Activities and Demonstrations John
Murray This book was written for Key stage 3 but the activities can easily be adapted to
A level
54