Grand Canyon Cross Section Lab
Doug Lombardi, University of Maryland-College Park
× Students examine a geologic map of the Grand Canyon and two imaginary vertical cores through canyon stratigraphy. They use these data to construct a cross-section across the canyon and to answer questions ...

Wakemup Pluton
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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 ...

Lateral Continuity
Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University
Formative assessment questions using a classroom response system ("clickers") can be used to reveal students' spatial understanding. Students are shown this diagram and instructed to click in the ...

Geologic Time
Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University
Formative assessment questions using a classroom response system ("clickers") can be used to reveal students' spatial understanding. Students are shown this diagram and instructed to "Click on ...

Erosion in a River
Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University
× Formative assessment questions using a classroom response system ("clickers") can be used to reveal students' spatial understanding. Students are shown these diagrams and instructed to ...

3D Model of a Geologic Map
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison Naomi Barshi, University of Wisconsin-Madison Carol Ormand, SERC, Carleton College
Students analyze a geologic map of an angular unconformity that truncates a pair of dikes, with some topography. When students have deciphered the map and constructed a cross-section, I show them a Play-Doh model ...

Resistance to Weathering
Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University
Formative assessment questions using a classroom response system ("clickers") can be used to reveal students' spatial understanding. Students are shown this diagram and instructed to "Click on ...

Modeling Unconformities
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students make models of various kinds of unconformity: disconformity, angular unconformity, and buttress unconformity. They examine those models from a variety of perspectives and consider how each one appears in ...

Earth Layers
Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University
× Formative assessment questions using a classroom response system ("clickers") can be used to reveal students' spatial understanding. Students are shown this diagram and instructed to ...

Isopach Maps
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students complete several short, in-class exercises related to understanding isopach maps. We use Play-Doh models to illustrate features revealed in the isopach maps and to support student understanding of the ...