Week 8: Geology that Kids See

 Week 8: Geology that Kids See 

1. What did you do in the lab today? 

Today in lab, we started by discussing the Sweater Weather article with the class. Then we moved on to examine different types of sand under a microscope, trying to determine where each type came from. As a group, we decided on some sand samples, primarily those most likely from water. After this, we moved on to examining fossils under the microscope, identifying their types, and comparing them to rocks. Finally, we took a field trip to McBride Hall and looked through the museum. The point of this field trip was to show us how we can teach our students about these topics through going somewhere to learn, enhancing learning, and engagement. For example, they have a giant sloth at this museum, and Ted mentioned that it is important for students to see it in person to support their learning. 

2. What was the big question? 

How can rocks and fossils help us understand Earth’s history?

How do weathering, erosion, and deposition shape and change the land around us? 

3. What did you learn in Thursday's discussion? 

• Sand created through water is polished, smooth, and generally similar in size. 
• Sand created through glaciers is polished, smooth, but irregular in size. 
• Sand created through wind is opaque, frosted, pitted, and very fine grained. 
• Mechanical weathering is simply breajing the rock down into smaller fragments. This process forms detrital sedimentary rocks. 
• Chemical weather occurs when chemical reactions alter the compostiion of a rock. The chemical sediment that forms from this type of erosion forms chemcial sedimentary rocks. 
• Erosion is the movement of sediment. Rock is weather 
  (broken down) then moved (eriosion). 

4. Read the online textbook chapter 8: 

• 
  What did you learn?
• Law of Superposition - deeper layers of rock are older than the layers that are closer to the surface. 
• Using these laws, geologists can determine the relative ages of rock layers. 
• Surface-level factors such as erosion or weathering can affect the Earth's surface, washing parts of it away. 
• Intrusion of magma can disrupt the layers beneath the surface by cutting through them. - Letter D in the image. 
• Sand is a rocky material that is bigger than silt, but smaller than gravel.
• Sand is created when rocks are weathered. 
• Broken down by wind or water. 
• Sand that was formed by wind tends to be pitted and frosted in appearance because the grains of sand have been pelted against. 
• Sand formed by water tends to be smooth and polished because water continuously passes over the rock. 
• Weathering and Erosion: Weathering makes the mess, and erosion cleans it up. 
• Weathering is the breakdown of Earth's surface. 
• Rocks are broken down into smaller fragments by water, wind, and other factors, such as temperature or pressure. 
• After the rocks are broken down, erosion can occur. 
• Erosion is the process by which smaller rock particles are transported to a new location. 
• Deposition occurs when the particles are added to or deposited at a new location. 
• Fossils - Remains of plants or animals that have been preserved in rock. 
• Over time, the remains are replaced by minerals and compacted between sedimentary rock layers, forming fossils. 
• Fossils can be used to apply the Law of Superposition, and scientists can use it to determine which geologic time the organism lived in. 

• What was most helpful? 

The image of the different rock layers was the most helpful in this chapter because it helped me understand how magma can intrude into rock layers. 

• What do you need more information on?

I would love to learn more about how geologists can determine which organisms are in the fossils. 

 5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have? 

I have no questions this week.