Learning Outcomes

Students relate geologic concepts to observations and processes that are familiar from the schoolyard.

Materials

A schoolyard and some creativity.

Time Requirements:

Most of these features can be integrated into other lessons as short 15 minute field trips to the schoolyard to introduce a unit covering a topic in geology. Each individual topic also includes a variety of activities for further exploration that can take 1- 2 class periods each

How I Use This Material

I use this material as a way to introduce how Earth layer's can create a vertical timeline. I use this as a way to get students to develop their observational skills and have students develop questions for us to learn about. The types of questions I want students to ask are "how do we know that the oldest is on the bottom?", "what happens when layers are missing?", and "what things happen to create these things?" 

I would recommend explaining to the students before starting the unit on geology that they will be solving a geology mystery. You will need to look around your campus to develop the story line. Once you have the story line, make sure to create clues that will help introduce new concepts that may not be needed or helpful to solving the mystery. Have the students keep a journal or log of the mystery. Collect these logs regularly to see what your students are learning.

This makes for a great bell-ringer activity or exit slip before the next section!

Material Link

GeoSleuth School Yard Activity Source

PowerPoint with Pictures