Historical Earthquakes and Uplift/Subsidence of Sumatra from Coral Growth Rings -- Advanced Version part of MARGINS Data in the Classroom:MARGINS Mini-Lessons
Elisabeth Nadin, University of Alaska Fairbanks
In this lab, students will use data from real corals collected in Sumatra to track the sea-level and earthquake record of the region over the past century.

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.

South Carolina Studies: Bringing the Geologic Time Scale Down to Earth in the Students' Backyard part of Rates and Time:GSA Activity Posters
John Wagner, Clemson University
Students visit Drayton Hall historic plantation near Charleston, South Carolina and are led on a field trip that starts with a discussion of documented historic changes that have affected the mansion and the surrounding property. The field trip continues with a study of Native American artifacts and ends with analysis of coastal plain deposits exposed along the Ashley River. Students use paleogeographic maps to discuss both historic and prehistoric changes to the landscape. Back in the classroom, students gather data to draw paleogeographic maps of their own school site through geologic time.

Introduction to Google Earth part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Mark W. Bowen, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Students utilize a variety of tools in Google Earth to answer questions

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.

Topographic comparison, volcanic terrains part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students construct a topographic profile through a stratovolcano, then compare it to topo profiles from several other volcanic landscapes.

Geology of Hawaii part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students examine a geologic map of Hawaii and begin to decipher it.

Visualizing Earthquakes at Convergent Plate Margins part of Visualization:Examples
Cara Harwood, University of California-Davis
In this activity students visualize the distribution and magnitude of earthquakes at convergent plate boundaries. Earthquakes are visualized on a 3D globe, making it easy to see their distribution within ...

Geology Around The World part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Pan-African Approaches to Teaching Geoscience:Activities
Christy Visaggi, Georgia State University
This is a short writing assignment given in the second semester of an introductory geology course. Students are encouraged to come up with ideas for places around the world that they wish to investigate with ...

When and How Did Continental Crust Form? part of Petrology: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 ...