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Teaching Geophysics in the Field

Field-Geophysics Teaching Activities

Browse all geophysics activities.

• Getting started with Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry
  
• Measuring the Inclination and Declination of the Earth's magnetic field with a smartphone
  
• Working with Point Clouds in CloudCompare and Classifying with CANUPO
  
• Magnetometry at home: a hands-on survey with your smartphone
  
• SIGkit (Software for Introductory Geophysics toolkit) for modelling and visualization of data
  
• Ground Control Points for Structure from Motion
  
• DEM of Difference (DoD)
  
• Post-processing GPS/GNSS Base Station Position
  
• Structure from Motion for Analysis of River Characteristics
  
• Getting to know your smartphone magnetometer
  
• Introduction to Terrestrial Laser Scanning
  
• Point Cloud and Raster Change Detection
  
• Recognizing and mapping faults using lidar and field data
  
• A Kinesthetic Demonstration for Locating Earthquake Epicenters
  
• Active Tectonics Field Trip
  
• Earthquake Investigation Workshop: Shake, Rattle, & Rock
  
• Using Geophysical Field Studies as the Focus for Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in an Introductory Geophysics Course
  
• Find the UST with GPR
  
• Estimating GPS Positional Error
  
• Learning how to use resistivity soundings for interpretation of subsurface stratigraphy
  
• Ray Paths
  
• Gravity and Magnetic Consulting Project
  
• Geophysics in the community
  
• Resistivity Profile in an Urban Setting
  
• Using Data to Teach Earth ProcessesAn Illustrated Community Discussion at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America
  

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Integrative Field Experiences

Field Geophysics at SAGE: Strategies for Effective Education (PowerPoint 6.2MB Aug14 10)
Larry Braile, Purdue University
Teaching Geoscience in the Field 2010

Using Geophysical Field Studies as the Basis for a Problem-Centered Learning (PBL) Course in Introductory Geophysics (PowerPoint 24MB Jul10 12)
Paul Kelso, Lake Superior State University
Link to the activity/assignment / Teaching Geophysics 2007

Teaching Near Surface Geophysics in the Field (PowerPoint 4MB Aug14 10)
Sarah Kruse, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Teaching Geoscience in the Field 2010

Integrating urban geophysics projects into urban and non-urban geoscience courses (Acrobat (PDF) 270kB Mar9 08)
William Montgomery, New Jersey City University
Urban Students, Urban Issues 2008

Using Reflection and/or Refraction

Seismic refraction and reflection studies and the traditional field camp (PowerPoint 8.3MB Aug14 10)
Bob Bauer, University of Missouri
Teaching Geoscience in the Field 2010

Field Refraction Exercise for a Hydrogeology Course (PowerPoint 5.6MB Aug13 07)
Devin Castendyk, State University of NY, College at Oneonta
Link to the activity/assignment / Teaching Geophysics 2007

Using Ground Penetrating Radar

GPR Investigation of a Cemetery: Interpretation (Acrobat (PDF) 117.2MB Jul16 12)
Andy R. Bobyarchick, University of North Carolina - Charlotte
Student Handout (Acrobat (PDF) 5.9MB Jul16 12) / Teaching Structural Geology, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012

Field investigations of abandoned Negro cemeteries using GPR (PowerPoint 11.8MB Mar9 08) 
Alison Henning, Rice University
Urban Students, Urban Issues 2008

Using Other Techniques

Free Air Gravity Exercise (PowerPoint 2.2MB Jul10 12)
Jeffrey Nunn, Louisiana State University
Link to the activity/assignment / Teaching Geophysics 2007

Radar, Seeing with New Eyes (PowerPoint 23.8MB Jul10 12)
Susan Sakimoto, The University of Notre Dame
Link to the activity/assignment / Teaching Geophysics 2007

Learning to Use Electrical Resistivity Soundings for Interpretation of (Sediment) Stratigraphy (PowerPoint 5.2MB Jul10 12)
Remke Van Dam, Michigan State University
Link to the activity/assignment / Teaching Geophysics 2007

Field Guides and Databases

The NAGT Field Trip Collection contains more than 50 field trips and examples. The examples in this collection share information about the design of the trips and their important characteristics in addition to providing easy access to field guides. In addition, you can find information for teaching in the field in these other collections:

• Field Trip Safety: This page in the Cutting Edge Teaching in the Field module presents guidance and example policies and forms for addressing safety concerns when taking geoscience students into the field to learn.
• The Montana-Yellowstone Geologic Field Guide Database - The Montana-Yellowstone Geologic Field Guide Database is a pilot project for making the field guide literature more accessible and useful to geoscience educators, students, and researchers. While the database is not an exhaustive listing of every published field guide, nor does it provide direct links to the full text of each reference (except for a few unpublished field guides which are reproduced as pdf files), the database is a fully-searchable listing of 50 of the best references for exploring the geology of this fascinating region.
• NAGT's Far West Section Publications
• Field Guides - Illustrated field guides for sites near Bozeman and Big Sky, MT.
• Geologic Guidebooks of North America Database: This database from AGI and the Geoscience Information Society contains bibliographic references and location for published field guides.
• The University of Texas at Austin has compiled a substantial e-library of field trip guides (more info) on their Walter Geology Library website.