Selected Resources for Teaching Petrology

Jump-start your course design with this list of recommended resources. Items include powerpoints, activities, and other resources that are particularly useful to the design-phase of a new petrology course.

Browse the collection of on-line Teaching Petrology activities.

Jump to your topic of interest using the "anchors" below, or browse the entire collection.
Igneous Rocks / Magmatic Properties / Thermodynamics- Phase Equilibria and Phase Diagrams / Igneous Geochemistry (major and trace element; stable and radioisotope / Extraterrestrial Rocks / Metamorphic rocks (field, hand sample, petrology) / Metamorphic processes / Thermodynamics- Phase Equilibria Metamorphic Reactions / Geothermobarometry

Igneous Rocks (field, hand sample, petrography)

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• Naming Igneous Rocks – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• The use of visualization and sketches of thin sections to encourage a better understanding of phase diagrams: Binary and ternary phase diagram exercises – Jennifer M. Wenner and Drew S. Coleman, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh and University of North Carolina
• Petrography and Petrogenesis of a Mid-Ocean Ridge Lava Suite – Matthew C. Smith and Michael R. Perfit, Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Florida
• Zoned Plagioclase Exercise – R.K. Smith, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Interpretation and Petrogenesis of Zoned Plagioclase – R.K. Smith, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Using Dynamic Digital Maps to Teach Petrology – Christopher D. Condit, UMass- Amherst
• The Mountain View Area of the Stillwater Complex as a Field Teaching Model – I.S. McCallum
• Chemical Differentiation in the Palisades Sill – Matthew Gorring, Montclair State University
• Origins of Mafic Enclaves in the Dinkey Creek Pluton, Central Sierra Nevada Batholith, California – Jade Star Lackey, Pomona College
• Igneous Dike and Metamorphic Rock Lab and Field Project – Mary Roden-Tice, State University of New York at Plattsburgh
• Granitic Rocks and Geologic History of the Idaho Batholith – Elizabeth King, Illinois State University
• Magma Modification in the Central Sierra Nevada Batholith – Jennifer Wenner, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
• Field and Laboratory Project – Volcanology and Petrology of Interbedded Andesitic Lava Flows and Volcaniclastic Rocks from Washburn Volcano, Yellowstone National Park – Todd Feeley, Montana State University
• Extra Credit Crossword Puzzles – Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico

Magmatic Processes

• Properties of Rhyolite Magma – Barbara Nash, University of Utah
• Yellowstone Thought Questions – Barbara Nash, University of Utah
• Flow of Andesite Magma – Barbara Nash, University of Utah
• Viscosity Experiments: Physical Controls and Implications for Volcanic Hazards – Ben Edwards, Dept. of Geology, Dickinson College
• The Nature of Volcanism as Controlled by Viscosity – Elizabeth King, Illinois State University
• Homework on Stoke's Law and Magmatic Differentiation – Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico
• Crystal and Glass Formation from a Melt and a Glimpse into Archaeometallurgy Through the Eyes of a Binary Eutectic Phase Diagram – Dori Farthing, University of Dayton
• Using an M&M Chamber to Illustrate Magmatic Differentiation – Karl Wirth, Macalester College
• Variation Diagrams and the Evolution of Thingmuli Lavas, Iceland – Jeff Tepper, University of Puget Sound
• Chemical Differentiation in the Palisades Sill – Matthew Gorring, Montclair State University
• Iceland Lavas Lab - Kurt Hollocher, Union College
• Crystallization-Differentiation of Basaltic Magma – Kent Ratajeski, Montana State University
• Major Element Fractionation During Differentiation – Elizabeth King, Illinois State University
• Graphing Chemical Data to Identify Fractional Crystallization – John Brady, Smith College
• Major Element Control Presentation – Kurt Hollocher, Union College
• Compositional Diversity in Volcanic Suites – Kent Ratajeski, Montana State University
• Field and Laboratory Project - Volcanology and Petrology of Interbedded Andesitic Lava Flows and Volcaniclastic Rocks from Washburn Volcano, Yellowstone National Park – Todd Feeley, Montana State University
• Magma Modification in the Central Sierra Nevada Batholith – Jennifer Wenner, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

Thermodynamics, Phase Equilibria, and Phase Diagrams

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• Introduction to Mineral Equilibria – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Useful Phase Diagrams – John Brady, Smith College
• Phase Diagrams from Kitchen Chemistry – John Brady, Smith College
• Plagioclase Phase Diagram – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Simple Eutectic Exercise: Diopside-Anorthite – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Binary Eutectic In-class Exercise (Di-An) – Allen Glazner, University of North Carolina
• Binary Phase Diagram Problems – David Hirsch, Western Washington University
• Simple Peritectic Exercise: Leucite-Quartz – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Constructing a two component phase diagram using experimental data in the hypothetical system A-B – R.K. Smith, University of Texas at San Antonio.
• Three Component Systems and Their Reactions – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Ternary System: Determination of crystal-liquid and crystal-crystal proportions using the Lever and Tangent Rules – R.K.Smith, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Graphing Chemical Data to Identify Fractional Crystallization – John Brady, Smith College
• Enthalpy of Magmatic Crystallization – John Brady, Smith College
• The use of visualization and sketches of thin sections to encourage a better understanding of phase diagrams: Binary and ternary phase diagram exercises – Jennifer M. Wenner and Drew S. Coleman, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and University of North Carolina
• Working with Electron Microprobe Data from a High Pressure Experiment - Calculating Mineral Formulas, Unit Cell Content, and Geothermometry – Brandon Schwab, Humboldt State University
• Calculating Compositional Variation and Common Substitutions for Igneous and Metamorphic Minerals – Dave Mogk, Montana State University
• Olivine Thermobarometry - Keith Putirka, California State University, Fresno

Igneous Geochemistry (major and trace element; stable and radioisotope)

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• Igneous Rock Compositions and Plate Tectonics – Allen Glazner, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Major Element Fractionation During Differentiation – Elizabeth King, Illinois State University
• Major Element Control Presentation – Kurt Hollocher, Union College
• Iceland Lavas Lab - Kurt Hollocher, Union College
• Variation Diagrams and the Evolution of Thingmuli Lavas, Iceland – Jeff Tepper, University of Puget Sound
• Crystallization-Differentiation of Basaltic Magma – Kent Ratajeski, Montana State University
• Compositional Diversity in Volcanic Suites – Kent Ratajeski, Montana State University
• Homework on Volcanic Rock Chemistry and Binary Phase Diagrams Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico
• Rb-Sr Isotope In-class Exercise – Allen Glazner, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Application of Sr Isotope Data to Tuolumne Instrusive Series, Sierra Nevada, CA – Jeff Tepper, University of Puget Sound
• Calculating Rb-Sr Isochrons - Andy Barth, Indiana University~Purdue University, Indianapolis

Extraterrestrial Rocks

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Metamorphic Rocks (field, hand sample, petrography)

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• Naming/Classifying Metamorphic Rocks – David Hirsch, Western Washington University
• Pet Rock Project: A Semester-Long Exercise for Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology – Darrell Henry and Dave Mogk, Louisiana State University and Montana State University
• Field Guide to the Dutchess County, NY, Barrovian Sequence – Donna Whitney, University of Minnesota
• Beartooth Highway Field Trip and Activities – Darrell Henry and Dave Mogk, Louisiana State University and Montana State University
• Metamorphism of Siliceous Dolostone: An Example from the Alta Stock, Utah – Cameron Davidson, Carleton College
• Igneous Dike and Metamorphic Rock Lab and Field Project – Mary Roden-Tice, State University of New York at Plattsburgh

Metamorphic Processes

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• Timing of mineralization in the palm of your hand: Cross-cutting relations, copper minerals and ore-forming hydrothermal fluid evolution – Barbara Dutrow, Louisiana State University
• Geothermal Gradients – Cameron Davidson, Carleton College
• Batch and Rayleigh Decarbonation Modeling of d¹³C – Jade Star Lackey, Pomona College
• Teaching Stable Isotope Geochemistry in an Undergraduate Petrology or Geochemistry Course – Steve Dunn, Mount Holyoke College
• Weathering of Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary Rocks in a Semi-Arid Climate - An Engineering Application of Petrology – Richard Wendlandt and Wendy Harrison, Colorado School of Mines

Thermodynamics, Phase Equilibria Metamorphic Reactions

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• Phase Diagrams – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Learning Thermodynamics and Using Spreadsheets – Sumit Chakraborty and Somnath Dasgupta, Institut fuer Geologie Mineralogie and Geophysik and Jadavupur University, Kolkata, India
• Introduction to Gibbs Energy – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Calculating a Simple Phase Diagram: Diamond=Graphite – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Problem set: Constructing metamorphic phase diagrams using phase equilibria and the Clausius-Clapeyron equation – Mark Brandriss, Smith College
• Phase Diagrams and Chemographic Projections – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Mole %, Weight %, Compositions and Projections – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Mass Balance and Mineral Reactions – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Plotting Compositions in 2-D and 3-D Space – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Three Component Systems – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Schreinemakers Analysis of an Invariant Point (Mg-Zo-An-Gr-Pr-Ky) – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Schreinemakers Analysis of an Invariant Point (Py-Sp-En-Sil-Cd) – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Schreinemakers Analysis of an Invariant Point with Application of the Clausius-Clapeyron Equation – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Schreinemakers Analysis - Problem #4 – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Metastability during metamorphism (reading a metamorphic petrology paper from the literature) – William Peck, Colgate University
• AFM Diagram Quiz - Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• AFM Projection: 3D Movie – David Hirsch, Western Washington University
• Progressive Metamorphism of Pelitic Rocks: A lab Assignment to Facilitate Translation from AFM Space to P-T Space – Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico
• T-X Phase Diagrams – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Interpreting T-X Diagrams – Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota
• Calculating Compositional Variation and Common Substitutions for Igneous and Metamorphic Minerals – Dave Mogk, Montana State University
• Extending Mineralogy by Electron Microprobe Analysis – John Goodge, University of Minnesota, Duluth
• Teaching Stable Isotope Geochemistry in an Undergraduate Petrology or Geochemistry Course – Steve Dunn, Mount Holyoke College

Geothermobarometry

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• Calculating Pressures and Temperatures of Petrologic Events: Geothermobarometry Donna Whitney, University of Utah
• Thermobarometry Problem Set – Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico
• Working With Electron Microprobe Data from a High Pressure Experiment – Calculating Mineral Formulas, Unit Cell Content, and Geothermometry – Brandon Schwab, Humboldt State University
• Learning Pseudosections with Perplex – David Hirsch, Western Washington University
• Olivine Thermobarometry - Keith Putirka, California State University, Fresno