Olympus Mons and Hawaii part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Carol Ormand Ph.D., Carleton College
Students estimate the volume of Olympus Mons and the volume of lava that has erupted from the Hawaiian hotspot and compare them.

The science behind Plate Tectonics part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
John Weber, Grand Valley State University
Plate tectonics is a quantitative, robust and testable, geologic model describing the surface motions of Earth's outer skin. It is based on real data and assumptions, and built using the scientific method. New ...

Increase in volcanism at the beginning of the Holocene on Reykjanes, Iceland: case example part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Barb Tewksbury, Hamilton College
Students make simple stress calculations to determine whether deglaciation at the end of the Pleistocene may have been responsible for a short but dramatic increase in rates of volcanism on Reykjanes in Iceland as ...

The Faults at Delphi, the Oracle, and the Tectonic Setting of the Gulf of Corinth: Case Example part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Barb Tewksbury, Hamilton College
Students interpret data on the faults at Delphi, evaluate the tectonic context of the faults, and explore the proposed connection between faults and the Delphic Oracle of Ancient Greece.

Emergent Models in Google Earth part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Declan De Paor, Old Dominion University
This is one sample of a set of emergent models we are developing for use with Google Earth. Students use the Google Earth time-slider to lift 3D models of the subsurface into view. They can substitute their own ...

Thermobarometry Problem Set part of Petrology:Teaching Examples
Jane Selverstone
This homework assignment gives students first-hand experience with thermobarometric calculations. Because many of my students are math challenged, I give them a choice of solving the equations by hand or with ...

Where is that chunk of crust going? part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Vince Cronin, Baylor University
I introduce students to GPS, frames of reference, and the permanent GPS stations in the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) in class, and obtain near-real-time data for two stations from UNAVCO. We use ...

Igneous Rock Compositions and Plate Tectonics part of Petrology:Teaching Examples
Allen Glazner, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
In this exercise, students use whole-rock major- and trace-element compositions of igneous rocks from a variety of tectonic settings and locations to explore the importance of plate setting in determining magma ...

What Kind of Continental Margin am I? Active or Passive? part of MARGINS Data in the Classroom:MARGINS Mini-Lessons
Laura Wetzel, Eckerd College; Cindy Palinkas, University of Maryland-College Park; Karen Bemis, Rutgers University-New Brunswick; John McDaris, Carleton College
Volcanoes, earthquakes, and topography reveal whether a continental margin is active or passive. In this activity, students use the GeoMapApp tool to work with earthquake, volcano, and topographic data to identify ...

Reservoir-induced seismicity at Nurek Reservoir in Tajikistan: case example part of Structural Geology and Tectonics:Structure, Geophysics, and Tectonics 2012:Activities
Barb Tewksbury, Hamilton College
Students use Google Earth to interpret aspects of the general bedrock geology and tectonic setting of the area around Nurek Reservoir in Tajikistan, evaluate reservoir induced seismicity associated with the ...