GeoScape: An instructional rock garden for inquiry-based cooperative learning exercises in introductory geology courses

Journal of Geoscience Education, Mar 2003 by Calderone, Gary J, Thompson, J Robert, Johnson, Wayne M, Kadel, Steve D, Et al

Construction of a Geologic Map - The goal for this exercise was to construct a geologic map on a piece of tracing paper overlain on the aerial photograph. The aerial photograph made it easy to see and trace geologic contacts. The area was large enough and the structures complex enough, however, that students could not immediately interpret it. Thus, most of the work involved visiting the outcrops to determine the rock type and description for the map key. It was very important in this phase to instruct students to identify the rock outcrops (the boulders and flagstone) rather than the gravel. As previously mentioned, for practical reasons, most of the gravel is hard igneous or metamorphic rock chosen simply to match the color of the flagstone. Once the rock units were identified and named, students colored their maps. Strikes and dips of representative strata were measured and included on the geologic map. By this time, the fault is generally obvious and students are able to label it in standard fashion, although they may not know the fault type yet.

Interpretation of Geologic Map - Upon completion of their fieldwork, students had to produce a report outlining the geologic history of the map area. This exercise is designed to have the students apply their knowledge of geologic structures to identify the structures present, determine relative ages of rock units, identify unconformities, and reconstruct the sequence of events that took place to produce the observed geologic relations. It is during this phase that students develop the key to the map and construct topographic and geologic cross sections.

Practical Problem Solving - In this final exercise students achieve one of the ultimate goals of learning geology - the practical use of the knowledge and skills they have acquired during the semester. We asked students to apply their knowledge to explore for natural resources. GeoScape is flexible enough to allow placing a lens-shaped layer of coal in one of the units deformed in the plunging fold structures. Students are then confronted with the problem of dwindling coal reserves and asked to design a coal exploration program. With some direction, they can calculate the depth to the coal beneath a specified tract of available land. In a similar fashion, valuable metal commodities (e.g. big chunks of chalcopyrite) can be placed in the igneous-metamorphic complex at the center of the plunging anticline. Students can determine an exploration strategy to discover more of these "ore bodies".

HISTORICAL GEOLOGY LAB SECTIONS

Historical Geology lab exercises that use GeoScape are under development. Students in Historical Geology can use GeoScape to work out depositional environments and paleogeography given placement of appropriate sedimentary structures and fossils within various rock units. Marine transgression and regression problems can be solved in both the sedimentary and meta-sedimentary rock sequences. In addition, fossil assemblages can be added to GeoScape for student identification and correlation to the geologic time scale. In this manner, disconformities can be defined and interpreted.