Petrology Activities and Examples Collection
This is a collection of educational resources used in igneous and metamorphic petrology courses. The collection includes lab exercises, classroom activities, problem sets and more. The purpose of this collection is to allow for the sharing of materials within the community of petrology teachers. You can
- Add your teaching materials to the collection.
- Browse the entire collection of teaching activities by topic, using the Table of Contents.
- Search the collection of teaching activities by typing text into the search box below or by selecting a topic or activity type from the boxes on the right.
Subject: Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
- 112 matches General/Other
- Geochemistry 49 matches
- Igneous Associations and Tectonic Settings 45 matches
- Igneous Processes 79 matches
- Igneous Rocks 42 matches
- Metamorphic Processes 32 matches
- Metamorphic Rocks 19 matches
- Metamorphic Rock Suites and Facies 14 matches
- PTt Relationships 30 matches
- Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria 58 matches
- Volcanology 78 matches
Results 1 - 15 of 330 matches
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.
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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 ...
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Wakemup Pluton part of GET Spatial Learning:Teaching Activities
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students work through a set of questions about a geologic map of an igneous intrusion and surrounding rock units. These questions focus students' attention on the topography, geomorphology, lithology, and ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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. ...
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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 ...
Virtual Field Trip to Mt. Vesuvius 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 Italy's Mt. Vesuvius, which explores the 79AD eruption of the volcano. Students explore the excavated cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as the different types of ...
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.
Rocking Through the Rock Cycle part of K-8 Geo Teacher Preparation:Workshop 2016:Activities
Mary Mutrux, Missouri State University-Springfield
The students will participate as matter traveling through the rock cycle while drawing cards from 4 rock matter stations (magma, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic). Afterwards, the student will demonstrate their path using a laser pointer in a projected large the rock cycle diagram.
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Geology of Hawaii part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students examine a geologic map of Hawaii and begin to decipher it.
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 ...
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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 ...

