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Rock Slides-Geology Through A Lens

William C. Philips
Central Middle School, Dover, Delaware

Subject: Science/Geology
Grade: 8

"Rocks aren't red. Why are those rocks red? How can water cut through a rock? How long does it take? Where'd you take that picture?"

Purpose and Description of Project

William Philips' intent was not only to gather instructional materials for an eighth-grade inquiry lesson on geology, but also to make students more observant of the geologic features around them and more aware of how they might have been formed. According to Philips, the most important outcome of this project was "that students began to observe and to question what they saw around them."

Activities

At the end of the school year, Philips sought students completing the seventh grade to participate in the project during the summer. The 100 volunteers attended a two-day minicourse during which they received an orientation to geology and discussed slides of common as well as very unusual geologic formations. They were then asked to take photos of interesting formations in their own locale, as well as outside the area. Those students without cameras were encouraged to collect photos from magazines or to draw pictures of formations they observed.

At the end of the summer, the students (now in the eighth grade) submitted their pictures to Philips who, with a group of students, selected the most instructional photos to use in an introductory unit on geology. Those students whose pictures were selected described to the class why they took their pictures and shared any special feelings they had about the landscape. Then the entire group offered their observations and asked questions-from the viewpoint of a geologist. Finally, they formulated theories as to how certain features might have been formed and why they were or were not found in their area.

Follow-up activities included a visit from a geologist at the University of Delaware who described his reasons for becoming a geologist and some of his experiences, highlighted by a slide presentation on how geologists traveling by raft studied the Grand Canyon. Philips also presented his own slides of geologic formations in Great Britain, Mexico, and the United States. In each case student discussion again focused on the kinds of questions a geologist might ask.

At the end of the unit, students visited Calvert Cliffs Park in Maryland where they took pictures and collected fossils which became the basis for further study and discussion.

Materials, Resources, and Expenses

Students either provided their own cameras or submitted magazine photos or drawings. Their photo presentations were augmented by those of Philips and Dr. Wehmiller of the University of Delaware. As a result, the cost of the project was minimal. The school needed only to provide slide and opaque projectors so that any form of student submission could be viewed and discussed.

Outcomes and Adaptability

Philips finds that the project results in "an inquiry lesson that excited and educated the students...." Because many students, accustomed to the comparatively level terrain of Delaware, had never seen a mountain or a valley, they were stimulated by the variety of geologic features they saw. After they formulated questions about each picture, they were eager to research answers-and delighted to learn that scientists start with questions and search for answers, just as they were doing.

Students were evaluated on their ability to name formations, interpret evidence as to how they probably were formed, and explain why they were or were not found in the immediate area. This evaluation could take the form of a short answer test, an essay test, or a laboratory exercise.

Regardless of where one lives, the terrain would have features that could be studied, and the experiences of the students, the teacher, and any outside resource persons lend further diversity. As a result, it is feasible to implement this project, with minor changes, almost anywhere. Philips notes, "The more contrast exhibited by the areas shown, the more effective this unit will be"-particularly in densely populated cities. Since having a camera is not a requirement, all interested students are able to participate in this inquiry-oriented project.

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