Senior+Geology+2007

=Senior Geology 2007=

Senior students are introduced to geology through a variety of engaging contexts. **Hopefully** they will learn: (or otherwise); that are made of elements (ions) arranged in a lattice.
 * To understand that the Earth is made of rocks; that are made of minerals; that are made of crystals
 * To understand some basic geological environments and the rocks associated with them.
 * To sort rocks into sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous classes.
 * To use charts and tables of properties to identify rocks and minerals.
 * To experience a scientific approach through experiments.
 * To understand that we are part of a dynamic Earth that supports life.

Session 1
Students were introduced to cleavage as a property used to identify rocks. They examined a variety of micas and the elements accounting for their differences. To demonstrate parallel cleavage, they carefully prised off a layer from a book of muscovite and compared it with the three way cleavage in their samples of Iceland Spar (calcite). They learned that the difference between two minerals may be the angle between cleavages.
 * [[image:Geology_class_8-10-10.jpg width="241" height="182" caption="Devon, Kimberley, Heidi and Brittany"]] || [[image:P1080508-1.JPG width="276" height="181" caption=" Mark explaining cleavage"]] || [[image:P1080507-1.JPG width="133" height="191" caption="Heidi, cleaving muscovite"]] ||
 * [[image:P1080512-1.JPG width="246" height="174" caption="Muscovite specimen with top layer removed."]] || [[image:P1080516-1.JPG width="236" height="173" caption="Demonstrating cleavage in Iceland spar"]] || [[image:P1080505-1.JPG width="149" height="205" caption="Brittany's technique"]] ||

Session 2
Using the internet, students were introduced to recent earthquakes in New Zealand accompanied by a brief explanation of the scale of magnitude.For example, a 6.9 earthquake has approximately 3 times more energy released than is released by a 6.8 earthquake and 30 times more energy than a 5.9 earthquake (compared with an atomic bombe which has magnitude of approximately 3 on the magnitude scale. Click below to visit these sites.
 * [[image:earthquake_map.png width="207" height="227"]]
 * [|Recent New Zealand Earthquakes]** || [[image:periodic_table.gif width="418" height="226"]]
 * [|Interactive Periodic Table]** ||

Session 3
Students were introduced to a model of an atom and learned that the arrangement of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom are different for each element. Each child now has a copy of the Chemical Periodic Table for reference.
 * [[image:P1080607-1.JPG width="351" height="258" caption="Devon and Heidi and the Periodic Table"]] ||