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.


Results 46 - 60 of 323 matches

Progressive metamorphism of pelitic rocks: A lab assignment to facilitate translation from AFM space to P-T space part of Teaching Examples
Jane Selverstone, University of New Mexico-Main Campus
This is an example of a lab activity aimed at teaching students how to go from natural samples to AFM diagrams to P-T conditions of equilibration.

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Using An M&M Magma Chamber To Illustrate Magmatic Differentiation part of Teaching Examples
Karl Wirth, Macalester College
Fractional crystallization by gravity settling can be illustrated using a model magma chamber consisting of M&M's®. In this model, each major cation (e.g., Si, Ti, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K) is ...

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Extending Mineralogy by Electron Microprobe Analysis part of Teaching Examples
John Goodge, University of Minnesota-Duluth
This lab is designed to be a highly interactive lab session for a petrology course, where instructors provide a minimal level of essential background and then the entire group works together to explore mineral ...

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Calculating a Simple Phase Diagram: Diamond=Graphite part of Teaching Examples
Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota-Main Campus
This is a very short exercise designed to get students to understand how the Gibbs energy equation is used to calculate the location of a reaction in P-T space. I use it in-class and have students work on it in ...

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Problem set: Constructing metamorphic phase diagrams using phase equilibria and the Clausius-Clapeyron equation part of Teaching Examples
, Smith College
In this problem set students construct a P-T phase diagram for the aluminosilicate polymorphs based on experimental phase equilibria and application of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The problem set uses unit ...

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Rock cycle in chocolate lab part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Pete Stelling, Western Washington University
This lab activity simulates the rock cycle with a piece of chocolate instead of actual rock. Students melt, crystallize, erode, lithify and metamorphose a single small block of chocolate. Along the way students ...

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Calculating Compositional Variation and Common Substitutions for Igneous and Metamorphic Minerals part of Teaching Examples
Dave Mogk, Montana State University-Bozeman
This problem set uses Excel spreadsheets to calculate mineral formulae from analytical data (typically from the electron microprobe) using a variety of formulations that assume numerous variations of crystal ...

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Fractional Crystallization of an M&M Magma Chamber Modified for Large Courses part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2017:Program:Teaching Demonstrations:Tuesday B
Euan Mitchell, Miami University-Oxford
This activity is a modification of the existing SERC activity "Using an M&M® Magma Chamber to Illustrate Magmatic Differentiation." The modification makes the activity more suitable for use in large ...

When and How Did Continental Crust Form? part of Teaching Examples
Dave Mogk, Montana State University-Bozeman
Many models have been proposed regarding the timing and mechanisms that first formed the continental crust. The purpose of this exercise is to help students explore the question of crustal genesis and evolution ...

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Mentos and soda eruptions- lessons on explosive volcanic eruptions part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Heather Wright, Alison Rust (contact), Kathy Cashman
Students participate in a popular experiment with Mentos candies and soda. This helps them learn about the scientific method, gas saturation, bubble nucleation, and explosive volcanic eruptions.

VEPP: Part 1: Volcanic Hazards and Risk; Part 2: Monitoring an Active Volcano part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Volcano Exploration Project: Pu`u `O`o:Examples
Brittany Brand, Boise State University
Please contact the author if you have questions, concerns or suggestions. This is an applied in-class exercise designed to have students evaluate monitoring data. The students, broken into groups of 4, will ...

VEPP: Determining the relationship between the summit and Pu'u 'O'o on Kilauea part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Volcano Exploration Project: Pu`u `O`o:Examples
Karen Kortz, Community College of Rhode Island
This is an exercise that is in development and will not be fully tested until Fall 2010. Please check back regularly for updates and changes. Brief three-line description of the activity or assignment and its ...

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T-X Phase Diagrams part of Teaching Examples
Dexter Perkins, University of North Dakota-Main Campus
This is a 15 page tutorial and problem set designed to get students familiar with T-X diagrams, their implications, and uses.

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Igneous rock identification part of Online Teaching:Activities for Teaching Online
Melinda Huff, Northeastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mech Coll
This activity can be used to as an online igneous rock identification lab/activity or to supplement a face to face lab involving igneous rock identification. It is also designed to enforce igneous terms & ...

Effects of Pressure and Temperature on Igneous Rocks CogSketch geoscience worksheet part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Bridget Garnier
Sketching activity that uses a sketch-understanding program, CogSketch. Using pressure/temperature charts with a solidus line, students draw arrows to show how the pressure and temperature and state of a rock would ...