LEGO® Magma Crystallization Activity part of Teach the Earth:Magma Labs
Jessica Larsen, University of Alaska Fairbanks
This exercise uses LEGO® Magma Crystallization Activity building blocks to demonstrate in a simple way how zoned crystals can form in magmas. The exercise also shows how the surrounding melt changes in composition ...

Metamorphic Rock Identification part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Katryn Wiese, City College of San Francisco
Metamorphic Rock Identification online (developed for remote learning during COVID-19 pandemic); students will explore the various characteristics of metamorphic rocks and then apply them to identify unknowns.

Feldspar Minerals and Triangle Diagrams part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Eileen Herrstrom, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
This activity takes place in a laboratory setting and requires ~1.5-2 hours to complete. Students learn how to read a triangle or ternary diagram. They determine physical properties of feldspars and interpret two ...

Petrographic Microscope Home Kit for Smartphones part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Lynne Elkins, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
This is a useful set of design instructions to build a home microscope kit for illustrating the properties of polarizing/petrographic microscopes with a smartphone camera. It can be used for any number of class ...

Remote Mapping and Analytical data integration: Coal Creek quartzite and Ralston shear zone, Colorado part of Cutting Edge:Enhance Your Teaching:Teaching with Online Field Experiences:Activities
Kevin Mahan, University of Colorado Boulder
This is a combination of an online mapping project (igneous and metamorphic terrain) and a subsequent module for group collaboration with associated analytical datasets (e.g., geochronology and microstructure). ...

Magma Degassing 1 part of Teach the Earth:Magma Labs
Jessica Larsen, University of Alaska Fairbanks
This exercise introduces students to concepts of how magma gas content is important for eruption style. Students use the vesicles preserved in different volcanic rocks to estimate gas content by calculating ...

Construction of a Triangular Stability Diagram part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Terri Woods, East Carolina University
An interactive powerpoint presentation walks students step-by-step through the process of generating a triangular diagram for the system K2O-Al2O3-SiO2. A Word document provides the thermodynamic data and ...

Virtual Field Trip to Laki Fissure part of Cutting Edge:Enhance Your Teaching:Teaching with Online Field Experiences:Activities
Katherine Kelley, University of Rhode Island
This is a virtual field trip to Iceland's Laki Fissure, which explores the 1783 eruption as a type example of a large historical lava flow eruption that had a significant impact on the local human population ...

Petrology and Geochemistry of the Puʻuʻōʻō Eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i (1983-2009) part of Hawaiian Volcanoes
Andrew Greene, Hawaii Pacific University
The Puʻuʻōʻō eruption of Kīlauea Volcano on the island of Hawai'i has been closely monitored and studied since its inception in 1983. This laboratory exercise utilizes the excitement of an ongoing ...

Magma Degassing and Eruption Style 2 part of Teach the Earth:Magma Labs
Jessica Larsen, University of Alaska Fairbanks
This activity provides an opportunity for students to work with real data collected from samples from the 2008 eruption of Okmok volcano, Alaska. The homework activity explores how magma gas content can be ...

Exploring Critical Minerals part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Hannah Aird, California State University, Chico Karen Viskupic, Boise State University Katherine Ryker, University of South Carolina Rachel Teasdale, California State University, Chico Doug Czajka, Utah Valley University
This active learning activity has students working in small groups to understand the geologic context, global sources and usage of a specific metal. Metals considered are Ni, Li, Cr and REE, as well as a prework ...

Catology: adding fun to mineralogy and petrology part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Emma Hunt, Furman University
This activity set uses cats, the ultimate meme, to help students build conceptual models to better understand concepts in mineralogy and petrology. Cat memes bring fun to the classroom, which helps maintain ...

Creating a Partial Pressure Diagram for the Cu-CO2-O2-H2O System part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Terri Woods, East Carolina University
Students will be guided through the procedure for creating a partial-pressure diagram in the low-temperature system Cu-CO2-O2-H2O system for the minerals cuprite, tenorite, native copper, azurite, and malachite. ...

Construction of a Korjinski Diagram part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Terri Woods, East Carolina University
An interactive powerpoint presentation walks students step-by-step through the process of generating a Korjinski diagram for the system K20-Al2O3-SiO2. Students will use the triangular diagram from the previous ...

Igneous Rocks Identification part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Katryn Wiese, City College of San Francisco
Igneous Rocks Identification online (developed for remote learning during COVID-19 pandemic); students will explore the various characteristics of igneous rocks and then apply them to identify unknowns.