Morphological Classification of Shorelines based on Hydrographic Regime

Dr. Lindley Hanson

Salem State College

This activity has been reviewed by 2 review processes (view details)

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

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- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
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This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process. This review took place as a part of a faculty professional development workshop where groups of faculty reviewed each others' activities and offered feedback and ideas for improvements. To learn more about the process On the Cutting Edge uses for activity review, see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

Initial Publication Date: April 30, 2008 | Reviewed: November 3, 2013 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

Through Google Earth, students will be introduced to a variety of depositional coastal forms, and then given a series of locations from which they are to answer questions relating to the shoreline feature observed. They will be require to classify each location according to Hayes' morphological classification of coasts. Strengths: Illustrates how models are developed, forces students to make interpretations from observations, to understand that observations are data, and introduces them to internet resources.

Coastal-zone | College Lower (13-14)

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Context

Audience

Introductory geomorphology course for second year students. The only prerequisite is physical geology.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

basic visualization skills, ability to read graphs, and computer skills

How the activity is situated in the course

Taught when covering coastal landforms and processes

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

1. use Google Earth to locate and measure landforms.
2. interpret tidal range using Jtides.
3. identify and describe deltas, barrier islands, and other features along depositional coasts.
4. interpret the relative influence of wave and tidal currents in shaping the coast.
5. determine the direction of longshore transport.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Interpreting observations and applying them to existing models

Other skills goals for this activity

1. visualizing landscapes from Google Earth satellite images
2. reading and plotting on graphs
3. summary writing

Description of the activity/assignment

Through Google Earth, students will be introduced to a variety of depositional coastal forms, and then given a series of locations from which they are to answer questions relating to the shoreline feature observed. They will be require to classify each location according to Hayes' morphological classification of coasts.
Designed for a geomorphology course
Integrates geomorphology into a core course in geology
Designed for an introductory geology course
Uses online and/or real-time data
Has minimal/no quantitative component
Addresses student fear of quantitative aspect and/or inadequate quantitative skills