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 "Click ...

Wakemup Pluton
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 ...

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 about ...

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 "Click ...

Weathering and Sedimentary Processes in Google Streetview
Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University
This exercise uses Google Streetview, in combination with 360 degree immersive photographs, to show students real-world examples of the sedimentary rocks, sedimentary structures, and weathering processes that they ...

Isopach Maps
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
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 ...

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 ...

3D Model of a Geologic Map
Carol Ormand Ph.D., 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 ...

Introduction to Modeling Folds
Basil Tikoff, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students make Play-Doh models of synclines and anticlines, including one of a plunging fold. They use these models to answer questions about what these structures look like in map view and cross-sectional view.

Introduction to Modeling Faults
Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students use Play-Doh to explore the map patterns created by faulting + erosion. We begin with simple scenarios and progress to more complex possibilities.