Yellowstone Thought Questions
Initial Publication Date: July 29, 2008
Summary
These thought questions provide students the opportunity to critically think about features they see on a field trip through Yellowstone National Park.
Collapse
Context
Audience
This activity was part of the 2003 Teaching Petrology in the 21st Century workshop. It is designed for an undergraduate required course in petrology.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
Students should have a basic understanding of mineralogy and petrology.
How the activity is situated in the course
This is a field exercise that is meant to reinforce ideas and provide real-world examples of concepts learned in class.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
The goals of this activity are to present regional examples of petrology concepts and to encourage critical thinking in students as they participate in a field trip through Yellowstone National Park.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
This activity involves critical thinking about observations made during the field trip.
Other skills goals for this activity
This activity could involve writing or oral presentation skills, depending on how students are required to answer the thought questions provided.
Description of the activity/assignment
These thought questions are designed for use by students from a petrology course for geology majors. They may be answered during a day-long trip through Yellowstone National Park.
Determining whether students have met the goals
Students have met the goals of this activity if they are engaged in the field trip experience and are able to thoughtfully and accurately answer the thought questions provided.
More information about assessment tools and techniques.Teaching materials and tips
- Activity Description/Assignment (Microsoft Word 27kB Dec1 03)
Other Materials
Supporting references/URLs
- Perkins and Nash, 2002, Location and tectonic setting of the Yellowstone hotspot track (Acrobat (PDF) 200kB Dec1 03)
- Smith, R.B. and L. Siegel, 2000, http://www.mines.utah.edu/~rbsmith/IMAGES/ysrp.html-Yellowstone-Snake River Plain map
- Leveling data, courtesy of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
- Smith, R.B. and L. Siegel, 2000, Seismicity of Yellowstone region, 1973-1996
- Focal depths, courtesy of Bob Smith, University of Utah
- P and S wave velocity structure, courtesy of Bob Smith, University of Utah
- Perkins and Nash, 2002, Silicic volcanism of the Yellowstone hotspot (Acrobat (PDF) 133kB Dec1 03)
- Space-time progression of Yellowstone hotspot (Acrobat (PDF) 93kB Dec1 03), courtesy of Barbara Nash and Mike Perkins, University of Utah
- Isotopic history of Yellowstone hotspot (Acrobat (PDF) 107kB Dec1 03), courtesy of Barbara Nash and Mike Perkins, University of Utah
- Christiansen, R.L., 2001, Major ash flow tuffs and stratigraphic units of Yellowstone (Microsoft Word 53kB Dec1 03)
