Short Description:
"An Introduction to Geological Field Trips: Case Study Avonlea Badlands, Saskatchewan" emerged out of the passion of a few people for fieldwork. During the COVID-19 pandemic there was a real need to replace the actual field trips - forbidden during the pandemic - with something else that will give the student a taste or a tease of fieldwork. More than being the conclusion, this project wants to be the inspiration that will carry the student out of the classroom and into the field. Consequently, how do you prepare for a field trip? It is easy to assume that somebody else will know everything about the area where you're going and you're just going along for the ride - because at the end of the day you are there to learn. Absolutely true, but being mentally prepared will make everything seem less overwhelming, less foreign and consequently, way more enjoyable. Yet, even the preparation process can feel like a big white elephant in the room. Where do you start? Obviously with the first page of the book.The authors are grateful to receive funding support from the University of Regina’s OER Publishing Program Small Project Grant, which enabled us to actually carry real fieldwork in the Avonlea Badlands in Southern Saskatchewan to collect all the data for this book.

Long Description:
“An Introduction to Geological Field Trips: Case Study Avonlea Badlands, Saskatchewan” is trying to fill the gap between the student and the fieldwork. Most commonly, the geology student is thrown into the fire while in the field trips and has to process a lot of information on the fly. Consequently, sometimes is hard to see the full picture. This book wants to be the starting point for every student looking to embark in that first geological field trip. How to prepare? What to do? How to approach the field work? Which data should be collected? Where to start? It is a work in progress and as the students will learn more about preparation so, too, the authors will learn more and more about the questions that the student has before, during and after the field trip. We are grateful to all the people that contributed to this book. Your dedication to student success is admirable!

Word Count: 17033

ISBN: ISBN-13:978-0-7731-0780-9

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Students are asked to match up five top Museums with 2 fossils that they have on display based on clues presented from various points of view.

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Earth's 4.6 billion-year history has distinct periods. Geologists use evidence in rock record to classify these. Created by Big History Project.

Collaborative, research-based activity of varying lengths. Main outcome is to identify potential vulnerabilities in the built environment and possible solutions.

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In order to give Introductory Geology (Physical Geology) undergraduate non-majors students experience and confidence in using basic algebra to calculate very simple stream flow properties, we use a prework assignment prior to the Rivers and Streams Lab. Prework is a worksheet assigned 2 weeks in advance, which asks students to calculate velocity and discharge as well as unit conversions and calculations of stream load. The questions are put into the context of activities they completed earlier in the semester during visits to the stream (on campus) so questions are relevant to their previous experiences. The prework timeframe gives students the opportunity to seek extra help from their instructor prior to the lab period in which they will make additional measurements, similar calcualations and interpretations of their data.

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This activity is an easy and fun way to incorporate GPS into a Field Methods course. It facilitates "asynchronous" learning by enabling urban, non-traditional students with complex schedules to visit field locations.

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An analogy of the Earth's history to a cross-country drive.

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In this lesson students will learn about rock formations and fossils within rock layers. Includes video links, discussion, and activity instructions.

NGSS: 4-ESS1-1

Time: 1 hour

Materials: bucket of clay and plastic animals

This module offers an introduction to the concepts explored by Alfred Wegener, Harry Hess, and others. It is the first in a series on plate tectonics.

The goals of this exercise are for students to create their own geologic map and cross-section of the Beloit College campus and to describe the geological history of the campus based on their interpretations. The exercise was initially developed by Cam Davidson (Carleton College) and recently modified to utilize handheld PCs (Trimble GeoXMs).

Because Beloit College sits on glacial sands and gravels that overlie mostly horizontal sedimentary bedrock, a geologic map of campus would be rather simple if students used the actual geology. Therefore, students map the virtual geology of Beloit College. To do so, we create 42 virtual outcrops around the campus. At many of the outcrops, observations and measurements have already been made. However, students need to collect information at the remaining ones (approximately 10 outcrops).

Each outcrop consists of hand samples that represent the rocks exposed at the location and a wooden ramp that represents the attitude of the geologic unit. At each outcrop, students measure strike and dip with a Brunton compass and describe the hand samples. All field data, including GPS coordinates of the outcrop, are recorded in a standardized data dictionary (using GPS Pathfinder Office/TerraSync software) on a handheld PC. A satellite image of the campus is loaded on the handheld PC, so that students can see where they are relative to other outcrops as they collect their data. Data are downloaded in the lab and utilized for construction of the geologic map and cross-section, which are drafted by hand.

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This geologic investigation will have students observing and investigating coastal features of Western Lake Superior using inquiry-based investigable questions, and inferring possibilities of the coastal features' origins.

This is a culminating activity designed to have students interpret structures in hand sample. Enough hand samples are chosen for the number of students in the class. Students are given a short amount of time to observe all samples. Music is started and they walk around the samples until the music stops. Each student must then present a description and interpretation of the hand sample in front of them.

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This is an active engagement exercise as a capstone exercise in a unit on energy in an Environmental Geology class of non-science majors combining a 'field-based' simulation and 'office-based' geological modeling. It uses readily available supplies and easily constructed equipment that can take 1 or 2 class meetings.

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This course was originally designed as competency-based course and as such, it includes specific language related to CBE style instruction and is organized by competency so some terminology changes and course restructuring may be required in order to fit well into a quarterly schedule.

This activity seeks to have students analyze global data sets on earthquake and volcano distributions toward identifying major plate boundary types in different regions on the Earth. A secondary objective is to familiarize students with two publicly available resources for viewing and manipulating geologically-relevant geospatial data: Google Earth(TM) and GeoMapApp.

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In this lesson, students will learn about how volcanoes are created. Includes video links, discussion, and activity instructions.

NGSS: 2-ESS1-1

Time: 50 minutes

Materials: bucket of clay and toothpicks

A final group project in introductory historical geology involving description and analysis of a well core and associated geophysical log. Students apply course knowledge of sedimentary geology and paleontology to interpret the depositional environment. Results of their research are summarized in a group presentation and written report.

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The online discussions are the single most important part of this course. They are worth more than any other component of the course and the students and I all put considerable time and energy into the discussions.

Disseminating course content is one of the more challenging aspects of online teaching, and discussions help to fill this gap. In order to have meaningful contributions to the discussions, students have to not only understand the topic, but also need to share their comments on it and relate the topics to a larger question. For example, a discussion about developing geologically active land prompts responses that demonstrate understanding of dynamic landscapes, geologic processes, the role of zoning, hazard mitigation and disaster insurance. In addition, a few students are likely to have had personal experiences with natural disasters and thus add firsthand insights that enrich the discussion.

Discussions are also a place where misconceptions arise and they can be easily addressed within this format. In a perfect world, students would be quick to point out flaws in each others' understanding, but when that does not happen, I seize the opportunity to point out the misconception (gently) and clarify it.

Because students have time to research their answers and reflect on their writing, online discussions can bring out wonderful insights and rewarding debates. Introverted students who might otherwise not be inclined to raise their hand in a face to face classroom seem to have an easier time jumping in. If students are not participating enough, I let them know ask them if anything is preventing them from participating, encourage them to get more involved, and suggest some ways for them to jump in.

The discussion topics all begin with open-ended questions that leave a lot of room for interpretation and the discussion is best when it wanders across a few topics. The discussions last for 1-3 weeks. For the longer discussions I have a series of follow-up questions at the ready. I post these to keep the topic moving, to get the class back on track, or simply to toss out a pop-quiz type question that alert students can grab onto.

Teaching Tips
Adaptations that allow this activity to be successful in an online environment
We all know the dreadful feeling when you pose a question to a lecture hall full of students and all you hear are crickets. An online discussion can be far more thought-provoking than a face-to-face discussion because students have time to reflect on the topic, read up on it, and compose their response. So the adaptations are to start off with a very broad question that allows the topic to wander a bit. A sufficient time frame is needed (minimum of one week) to allow the discussion to develop. Lastly, the discussions have to be worth some significant part of the grade so that students do not treat them as optional.
Elements of this activity that are most effective
The most effective element of online discussion is the way students get pulled into the course and are engaged with the content. This is easy to observe by simply noting how active the discussion is. The discussion about climate change never fails to be the most active one and it really brings everybody to the table (including me!).
Recommendations for other faculty adapting this activity to their own course:

Start off with a very broad question that has no correct answer. When you compose the original question, also prepare a series of follow-up questions that you can use to keep the discussion moving.
Limit the number of discussion boards to one at a time. Having multiple discussions going on simultaneously only dilutes the participation.
Being engaged is critical. The first time I taught this course I really stuck by the "guide on the side" tactic. After that fell fairly flat I got more involved. Students enjoy the interactivity and we all get to know each other much better that way. I post pictures, share anecdotes and seize opportunities to respond to posts in a way that builds content, clears up misconceptions, asks questions, and praises outstanding contributions.

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Students have learned the rudiments of outcrop evaluation, surveying and mapping of geomorphic features, and the hazards of urbanization in Juneau's glacierized and high relief terrain. Their task in this lab is to assess geologic hazards inherent in the landscape by collecting structural data and making observations at 6 sites with interesting features. They use their field notes as a basis for writing an engineering geology report to the city with their recommendations for site selection for home building.

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