Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks Lab F2F

This lab is appropriate for an introductory geology, historical geology and other geoscience courses.

Expected Prior Knowledge (e.g. from previous lab activities):

• Processes that occur at plate boundaries
• Common rock-forming minerals and their properties
• Students should be familiar with the rock cycle (processes and products). This activity should be implemented after the identification of igneous and sedimentary rocks.
• From lecture: Discussion about deformation and agents of metamorphism
• The factors that affect rocks in the interior of the Earth (geothermal gradient and increasing pressure)
• Types of metamorphism (from lecture)
• General information about importance of metamorphic rocks (uses and as clues to early Earth History)

This Lab activity follows a lecture on metamorphism or, if teaching with a flipped/active Learning format, assigned readings on the topic.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this lab, students will be able to:
● Describe the changes that a rock undergoes as it is metamorphosed and the metamorphic rocks they become.
● Rank degree of foliation using observations from hand samples and tectonic setting.

Identify metamorphic rocks based on textural and compositional observations.

Correlate agents of metamorphism with metamorphism type, plate boundary and rock type.
Discuss the economic importance and the human health impact of metamorphic rocks

Collaborative work
Oral and written communication skills (gallery walk)
students are engaged in thinking about content (pre-reading or lecture) and practice interpersonal skills such as generating questions, giving feedback, explain and admit misconceptions.

This activity begins with an icebreaker discussion (optional) about asbestos in school supplies (link provided) and moves into a hands on collaborative activity using clay and pennies, followed by hand samples or images of metamorphic rocks.
See attached files with Students handout, Instructor notes and answer KEY
Later students will use either a white board or big note pads and markers.
Inquiry LAb Information Sheet (Acrobat (PDF) 178kB Jul27 21) 

Lab Key and Instructor document -- educator-only file

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Lab Key and Instructor document -- educator-only file

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Use this activity following an introduction to metamorphism or after assigned pre readings. Also this activity work best if done after Plate Tectonics, Igneous and Sedimentary Rocks labs.

Assessment is formative and conducted during activities by providing feedback after each group activity. Instructors must find the balance between letting students "discover" concepts and ideas on their own and intervention aimed to monitor learning. Activity 5 could also be used as an assessment activity.

Link to high resolution images:
Scott Brande's page: https://omg.georockme.com/home and/or https://meg.georockme.com/
Virtual Samples sets: select Metamorphic Rocks
http://gigapan.com/
https://opengeology.org/historicalgeology/virtual-sample-sets/vss-metamorphic-rocks/
The Story of the Earth Chapter 2 Earth Materials.
● Other sites: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/collections/72157632267667443/ images attribution is CC-BY 2.0 Instructor could download images without their names for students to identify
● Activity 6: markers and big sticky notes pads or white boards (one per group)
The Story of the Earth Chapter 2 Earth Materials.
Gallery Walk (Mark Francek):https://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/gallerywalk/index.html
Teaching Geosciences with visualizations: https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualize04/gallery_walk.html

Asbestos, cancer and crayons: https://abc7news.com/back-to-school-shopping-supplies-warning-dangerous-chemicals/3949861/
Investigation finds asbestos in crayons and some kid's toys: https://time.com/3948342/asbestos-crayons/