Download 2 - hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca

Thematic Unit Curriculum Map - Unit 1 Intro to Physical Geology
Theme & Essential
Questions for This Unit
Specific Curriculum Outcomes to be
Addressed Throughout the Unit
(criteria)
How Students will Demonstrate
Their Understanding
Strategies or Best Practices Used to Explicitly Teach
Skills & Concepts
Instructional Texts &
Resources
USE OUTCOME NUMBERS
Summative
Theme:
The Geologists
360-9
describe and give examples of how geologists
study the earth
Career Research
115-2
illustrate how science attempts to explain natural
phenomena
Essential Questions:
1. What are the types
of Geo-Science
disciplines and
careers?
Formative
Fields of geology
Geologists seek answers to many basic questions
1. Of what material is the planet composed?
2. Why are there continents and oceans?
3. How did the Himalayas, Alps, and Rocky Mountains rise
to their great heights?
4. Why are some regions subject to earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions while others are not?
5. How did Earth’s surface environment, and the life it
contains, evolve over billions of years?
6. What changes are likely in the future?
PowerPoint
1. Fields of Geology
Video

Handout
1.
petrology - is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks
form
lithology focuses on macroscopic hand-sample or outcrop-scale description of rocks
petrography - the speciality that deals with microscopic details.
Igneous petrology focuses on the composition and texture of igneous rocks (rocks such
as granite or basalt which have crystallized from molten rock or magma). Igneous rocks
include volcanic and plutonic rocks.
Sedimentary petrology focuses on the composition and texture of sedimentary rocks
(rocks such as sandstone, shale, or limestone which consist of pieces or particles derived
from other rocks or biological or chemical deposits, and are usually bound together in a
matrix of finer material).
Metamorphic petrology focuses on the composition and texture of metamorphic rocks
(rocks such as slate, marble, gneiss, or schist which started out as sedimentary or igneous
rocks but which have undergone chemical, mineralogical or textural changes due to
extremes of pressure, temperature or both)
Experimental petrology employs high-pressure, high-temperature apparatus to
investigate the geochemistry and phase relations of natural or synthetic materials at
elevated pressures and temperatures. Experiments are particularly useful for investigating
rocks of the lower crust and upper mantle that rarely survive the journey to the surface in
pristine condition. The work of experimental petrologists has laid a foundation on which
modern understanding of igneous and metamorphic processes has been built.
hydrogeology - the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of
groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust
sedimentology - encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud (silt),
and clay, and the processes that result in their deposition
stratigraphy - a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering (stratification
mineralogy - is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical)
properties of minerals
Physical mineralogy is the specific focus on physical attributes of minerals.
Chemical mineralogy focuses on the chemical composition of minerals in order to
identify, classify, and categorize them, as well as a means to find beneficial uses from
them
Biomineralogy is a cross-over field between mineralogy, paleontology and biology. It is
the study of how plants and animals stabilize minerals under biological control, and the
sequencing of mineral replacement of those minerals after deposition
palaeontology - is the study of prehistoric life, including organisms' evolution and
interactions with each other and their environments
physical geography - is that branch of natural science which deals with the study of
processes and patterns in the natural environment like the atmosphere, biosphere and
geosphere, as opposed to the cultural or built environment, the domain of human
geography
structural geology - is the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock units with
respect to their deformational histories. The primary goal of structural geology is to use
measurements of present-day rock geometries to uncover information about the history of
deformation (strain) in the rocks, and ultimately, to understand the stress field that
resulted in the observed strain and geometries.
Petroleum geology refers to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to
the search for hydrocarbons
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space. Its subjects include
the shape of the Earth, its gravitational and magnetic fields, the dynamics of the Earth as
a whole and of its component parts, the Earth's internal structure, composition and
tectonics, the generation of magmas, volcanism and rock formation, the hydrological
cycle including snow and ice, all aspects of the oceans, the atmosphere, ionosphere,
magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial relations, and analogous problems associated with the
Moon and other planets.
Economic geology: the study of ore genesis, and the mechanisms of ore creation,
geostatistics.
Engineering geology: application of the geologic sciences to engineering practice for the
purpose of assuring that the geologic factors affecting the location, design, construction,
operation and maintenance of engineering works are recognized and adequately provided
for;
Geochemistry: the applied branch deals with the study of the chemical makeup and
behaviour of rocks, and the study of the behaviour of their minerals.
Geochronology: the study of isotope geology specifically toward determining the date
within the past of rock formation, metamorphism, mineralization and geological events
(notably, meteorite impacts).
Geomorphology: the study of landforms and the processes that create them
Isotope geology: the study of the isotopic composition of rocks to determine the
processes of rock and planetary formation.
Marine geology: the study of the seafloor; involves geophysical, geochemical,
sedimentological and paleontological investigations of the ocean floor and coastal
margins. Marine geology has strong ties to physical oceanography and plate tectonics.
Palaeoclimatology: the application of geological science to determine the climatic
conditions present in the Earth's atmosphere within the Earth's history.
Pedology: the study of soil, soil formation, and regolith formation.
Volcanology: the study of volcanoes, their eruptions, lavas, magma processes and
hazards.