This introduction to plate tectonics covers plates and boundaries, subduction zones, colliding continents, plumes, and earthquakes. There is also more advanced material on buoyancy, floating continents, and rates of isostasy; sedimentation, continental growth, rifts and creation of continental margins, passive and active margins, and island arcs and back-arc basins; continental collision, folding ... Full description.

This review material is meant to reinforce student understanding of the relationship between plate tectonics and the rock cycle. Although developed for students in the United Kingdom, it can easily be modified for any region on Earth. The activity involves students answering questions based on their knowledge of plate tectonics and the rock cycle and could be used as a homework assignment or individual ... Full description.

This identification key has been designed to assist teachers, students, or collectors in the identification of rocks. It consists of a series of "yes/no/then go to" questions that pertain to observations of structure, texture, color, hardness, and other properties of the specimen being examined. Full description.

The South Carolina Geological Survey (SCGS) homepage contains information about state mapping, education and outreach programs, and recent news. For educators, there is the Earth Science education series of publications which includes presentations and page-size graphics on such topics as earthquakes, plate tectonics, geologic time, fossils, and others. Other materials include information on mineral ... Full description.

This collection of virtual field trips and field trip guides spans the United States and Canada and is organized geographically. The sites contain descriptive local geological or earth science information and are developed by a variety of universities as course components as well as by local and national geological associations for professional and public education. Links to downloadable versions ... Full description.

Approximately 100 students from four classes at John F. Pattie Elementary School, in Dumfries, Virginia participated in the creation of this geology project. They write (and draw) about rocks, volcanoes, tectonic plates, and basic geology. The site includes over 110 pages of information, diagrams, graphics, charts, videos, games, and lesson activities. There is a discussion forum on global sharing ... Full description.

In this lab, students will learn how to take field notes as scientists do, using a simulated sediment core, constructed with edible items. Students will use metric notations to mark changes in the sediments, objects such as fossils and glacial pebbles in the core sample, and will select a spot to sample. They will use a small round cookie cutter to obtain a cylindrical sample of the core. The activity ... Full description.

This site is a field exercise module from the Idaho State University Virtual campus. The goals of this course are to familiarize the student with ash-flow tuffs and some of the techniques used by geologists to study and identify them. Repeated episodes of extensive volcanic activity have occurred along the Snake River Plain. Unraveling the mystery of which caldera is related to each individual ash-flow ... Full description.

This site contains Blue Ridge Parkway information, photographs, and visitor information. It includes activities along the Parkway throughout Virginia and North Carolina, beginning at Mile 0, located at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, Virginia. The mile-by-mile highlights indicate waterfalls, mountains (which are all part of the Appalachian Mountain chain), parks, and views along the way. The parkway ... Full description.

This tutorial provides instruction on the use of a field notebook. Topics include setting-up the book before fieldwork begins, daily information to be included, specific information to be included for every site, and post-field work review. Full description.