Haviland Lake Virtual Field Experience

Introductory-level geoscience course

Identify and name basic metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks
Define types of contacts
Define types of unconformities
Read basic geologic map information (e.g., unit abbreviation & legend description)
Use the basic navigation in Google Earth (navigate to placemarks, open placemarks, turn layers on and off)

Mid- or late-semester capstone to apply basic content (rock cycle and rock identification; names of contacts and unconformities) to a real world example.

After completing this exercise, students will be able to:

Apply effective strategies to identify rock types in the field
Evaluate multiple lines of evidence to determine the type of contact and unconformity
Determine the length of missing time represented by the contact using geologic maps and the geologic time scale
Create an evidence-based geologic history of a field location

Development of hypotheses and tests for those hypotheses that can be done in the field
Synthesis of data

Practice reading geologic maps
Working in groups
Navigating Google Earth

See attached files for the detailed instructor guide, student handout, slide deck, and Google Earth .kmz file. The instructor guide includes specifics on how to implement this activity in a classroom.

Overview
Students will explore virtual outcrops around Haviland Lake, CO to answer the question: 'What's so exciting about Haviland Lake?" This activity is shared as a Google Earth .kmz with 3D models hosted in Sketchfab and linked within the .kmz file. This activity involves free exploration, small and large group discussion, hypothesis development & testing, and synthesis of information to build a geologic history. The activities are scaffolded within the attached student handout, instructor guide, and slides.

Field Stops #1 and #2
The first half of this VFE focuses on making observations of the outcrops and having an iterative process to identify the rocks. Students are asked to hypothesize on a rock identification based on their initial observations and then to develop field tests for their hypothesis. This mimics what we would encourage students to do in the actual field and helps them develop strategies for identifying rocks. Students confirm their identification by locating the field stops on a geologic map.

Putting it all together
Students calculate depth of metamorphism and length of missing time and use their quantitative skills to relate these to something important to them. Using small group discussion and think-pair-share, students develop a sequence of geologic events recorded in this location. The final formative assessment for this activity is to develop an infographic that summarizes what they learned for a general audience, which will both help them internalize the information and reveal knowledge gaps.

Haviland Lake VFE Instructor Guide (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 615kB Aug16 24)
Haviland Lake VFE Student Handout (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 3.2MB Aug16 24) 
Google Earth Placemarks for Haviland Lake VFE (KMZ File 524kB Aug16 24) 
Haviland Lake VFE Slides (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 73.3MB Aug16 24) 

The attached Instructor Guide includes detailed teaching notes (pedagogy, basic geologic history of the area, teaching timeline, etc.). The slides and student handout are intended to be used in conjunction with the guide, so we recommend looking through all of them as some discussion questions are only in the slides and some formative questions within the student handout do not have dedicated slides.

• With the exception of the 3D outcrop models, this VFE is completely editable. You can add and/or edit slides, questions, and even placemarks in the .kmz as needed to tailor the VFE to your students and your teaching style.
• The field experience involves free exploration of the outcrops, but the 3D models do not include all the information a student would potentially gather if they were actually in the field (e.g., HCl test). To address this, the slides contain hidden 'Q&A cards.' The students are prompted to brainstorm questions that they might want to answer in the field, and you can answer their specific questions. Some answers are diagnostic and some aren't, so the students may need to reiterate brainstorming once they have new information.

The slides and student handout guide several ungraded discussions (e.g., initial observations) that allow for rapid feedback between you and the students. The student handout also includes several graded formative assessments: calculations of peak metamorphic depth and length of the unconformity, identification of rock types, unconformity type, and contact type and justification with observations; geologic history; infographic summarizing the geologic history for a general audience.

The Instructor Guide also includes a proposed summative assessment that does not require computer access. Students are asked to apply similar strategies to another exposure of the Great Unconformity in the Durango, CO area where different rocks are juxtaposed. They use provided field observations and a geologic map to identify the rocks, determine the type of contact and presence/absence of an unconformity, and develop a geologic history.

• The simplified geologic map was adapted from the Electra Lake Quadrangle Geologic Map. This is available for free digitally on NGMD and for free as a download from the Colorado Geological Survey.
• Geological Society of America Geologic Time Scale (linked in the student handout)
• Great Unconformity Geoheritage Site (linked in the student handout)