Recognizing and mapping faults using lidar and field data part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Anne Egger, Central Washington University
In this activity, students create a geologic map and cross-section of the Fish Springs cinder cone and surrounding area in the Owens Valley, CA, using a high-resolution DEM developed from airborne lidar data as a ...

Assesing the angle of subduction using GeoMapApp part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Rory McFadden, Carleton College
This activity has students determine the angle of subduction using GeoMapApp. Students use datasets available within GeoMapApp to examine the influence of the age of oceanic lithosphere and convergence rate on the ...

Determining Earthquake Recurrence Intervals from Trench Logs part of Rates and Time:GSA Activity Posters
Patricia Cashman, University of Nevada-Reno
Trench logs of the San Andreas Fault at Pallett Creek, CA are the data base for a lab or homework assignment that teaches about relative dating, radiometric dating, fault recurrence intervals and the reasons for uncertainty in predicting geologic phenomena. Students are given a trench log that includes several fault strands and dated stratigraphic horizons. They estimate the times of faulting based on bracketing ages of faulted and unfaulted strata. They compile a table with the faulting events from the trench log and additional events recognized in nearby trenches, then calculate maximum, minimum and average earthquake recurrence intervals for the San Andreas Fault in this area. They conclude by making their own prediction for the timing of the next earthquake.

Google Earth Investigations of Folded and Faulted Landforms part of Geodesy:Activities
Hillary Hamann, University of Denver
This activity utilizes Google Earth (the free downloadable version) to investigate folded and faulted landscapes and to review crustal deformation processes and associated landform features.

Maps, Folds, Stereonets, and Simple Fabric Analysis part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Activities
John Weber, Grand Valley State University
This analysis involves analyzing structures shown on beautiful, rich, detailed, and well-prepared outcrop bedrock geology of a real region. Students construct a number of stereonets step-by-step, and the map-scale ...

Modeling the interior of the Earth using Seismic Waves part of Quantitative Skills:Activity Collection
Eric Baer, Highline Community College
Students use a variety of tools to explore the interior of the Earth in this inquiry activity.

Laboratory Analogs of Faults part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Activities
Jackie Langille, University of North Carolina at Asheville
This activity utilizes a sandbox analog model (Dell Castello and Cooke, 2008) which is used to create normal faults or a foreland propagating fold and thrust belt. For the normal fault portion of the activity, ...

Advanced steronet -finding rotation axes part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Steve Hurst, University of Illinois at Chicago
Using stereonets to find rotation axes of tilted planes. Paleomagnetic vectors used as indicators of rotations of dikes and planes.

Viscous Buckle Folding part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Activities
Phil Resor, Wesleyan University
This activity introduces students to viscous flow and analog modeling of viscous buckle folding. Students perform a series of experiments to explore the relationship between layer thickness and fold wavelength.

Maxwell Behavior of Cake part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Christie Rowe, McGill University
Uses 3 points of entry to introduce students to viscoelastic rheology: A hands-on exercise with cake as the deformable material, an accessible example of an artificial material, and using literature to apply the ...