Unit 3- Where Do We Find the Resources We Need?
Summary
An introduction to Earth materials, through the lens of economically valuable resources. Students will determine the geological resources used to make everyday objects, and investigate what geological processes occurred to make those resources. Students will use USGS maps to analyze the distribution of resources, and connect the distribution of geological resources to geological processes and current geopolitical issues. Students will learn how to identify common minerals and rocks associated with geological resources.
Motivating Questions:
What geological resources do we need for modern society, and how has geological activity determined the global distribution of those resources? How is the distribution of resources reflected in our modern society?
Time Needed:
Approximately 9 hours of in-class time.
Prerequisite Skills:
Students should have a basic understanding of plate tectonic activity and be comfortable reading and using maps.
Learning Outcomes
A successful student will be able to:
1. Describe and categorize major mineral and rock resources in commonly used objects.
2. Explain how geological activity creates certain resources.
3. Interpret maps to analyze the global and national (in the USA) distribution of geological resources.
4. Observe, describe, and identify minerals and rocks commonly mined for resources.
Overview
In this unit, students dive into the resources that are used to create important everyday objects. They identify and classify important resources, learn how the raw materials form, and investigate the distribution of resources around the globe. Overall, students will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of geological materials, the geological processes and timelines of resource formation, and how the geological history of an area plays a role in a region's current geopolitical situation. Students will also see some of these resources hands-on as they learn to identify minerals and rocks.
Unit 3.1: What is this rock I found? Is it valuable? In this unit, students will use hand samples or high-resolution images to observe, categorize, and identify some of the minerals and rocks they will encounter in the following units. This unit is aimed at courses where students are expected to learn the basic principles of mineral and rock identification. (5 hours)
Unit 3.2: What geological resources do we need for our civilization? In this unit, students work together to identify geological resources required to make everyday items. In a jigsaw-type activity, students will determine which resources are most important in constructing a modern society. (45 minutes)
Unit 3.3: Formation and distribution of geological resources. In this unit, students act as mining geologists trying to find the resources they identified in the previous module. They will investigate how resources are formed and use maps to identify and analyze the distribution of resources. (3.5 hours)