Department
of Earth Science |
Northeastern
Illinois University
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SCIENCE
ESCI 121
Section 05
Spring 2009
Department
of Earth Science |Northeastern
Illinois University
Daily
Objectives #3
w Review: Sketch a
diagram illustrating the internal structure of the earth as defined by density
of its layers.
w Review: Explain the meaning of the term
density.
w In groups,
measure the density of two rock samples using a
balance to find mass, and the water-displacement method to find volume. If your
measurement is within plus or minus 10% of the actual measurement, your group
will earn two points for the day (1 point per rock).
w
Participate in a Jigsaw exercise to investigate Earth's large scale patterns,
and post your work on the wiki according to The Rules:
|
EXPERT GROUPS ▫ Break into Expert Groups, based on what you studied for the homework assignment: 1) Volcanoes 4) Deep-focus earthquakes 2) Hotspot volcanoes 5) Thickness of Earth's crust 3) Earthquakes ▫ Record the names of your colleagues in your Expert Group. ▫ Examine the maps that each person in your Expert Group brought today for their homework assignment. Does each map show exactly the same thing? Compare maps; note any similarities and differences. ▫ Using your world map from last class, the ocean floor map at the left side of the room, and the world map at the back of the room, locate and plot on the Expert Group maps our 14 study sites from last class. ▫ For each of the 14 study sites, determine the characteristics of that site based on your group's area of expertise. (For example, if your group's area of expertise is "Hot spot volcanoes", then for each of the 14 sites, tell whether hot spot volcanoes occur at that location, or not. Record your observations for each site on the Expert Group Summary Sheet provided. Before you leave this group, everyone in the group should have a complete set of all the same information! JIGSAW GROUPS Compiling the Data ▫ Break into Jigsaw Groups, one Expert "puzzle piece" in each Jigsaw Group. ▫ Record the names of the others in your Jigsaw Group. Then, come up with a group name. ▫ In your Jigsaw Group, examine each of the 14 study sites. For each site, each Expert should call out what they know about that site, and everyone should record it on their own Jigsaw Group Summary Sheet. Analyzing the Data You have just participated in a very large data-gathering effort. Now comes the fun part: scientifically analyzing the data! Your group's task: study the data and pick out patterns. Usually these will take a form something like this: "Whenever X is true, Y is also true." For example, maybe you notice that for "Whenever a site is located in a mountainous area, the Earth's crust is very thin". Or, "Whenever there is a volcano, it is located on a flat continental area." (Please note: these are *not* valid patterns! I'm giving them as examples of a type of pattern you might look for.) Don't forget: you can use geography as part of the pattern! Make the longest list possible of the patterns you observe. Put no more than three of your valid observations on the class wiki, on the "Finding Patterns" page, and earn 2 points each for your group according to the rules specified below. Most groups will only earn 6-8 points, but there is a way to earn up to 10 points. THE RULES 1) What to Do: State the pattern you observe, and give your group's name. 2) To be considered valid, a pattern must hold true more often than not using the available maps. 3) You may only list one pattern at a time; after you list a pattern, you must wait until at least one other group lists a pattern before you can list another one. 4) Challenges: If a group posts a pattern that you believe is not valid, you may challenge it. To challenge it, post a comment in a different color explaining in a few short sentences why you believe it is faulty. 5) Points: Groups will earn 2 points up to a total of 6 for each valid pattern they list. Groups will earn 2 points up to a total of 4 for each valid challenge that remains at the end of the posting period. 6) Posting period: The posting period ends at class time on Thursday. |
Daily Objectives #4
(January 22, 2009)
Density and Earth's Structure:
w Review the rock density
measurements we made in class last time.
w Review the
descriptions and density measurements you made
for the four rocks in the last class. Tell what patterns, if any, you see. In
what ways are the rocks similar to each other? In what ways are they
different? Note: we don't yet know what these rock types are,
but the differences you observed here will become important soon--so hang on to
this information!
w
List the two major types of Earth's crust and
describe them in terms of their density and thickness. Tell which type
comprises continental mountain ranges, and which type is found below the ocean
waters, and why.
w Review:
"Finding patterns" from last time.
w Geotectonics:
Add one more piece to the puzzle of our 14 study sites: tectonic plate
boundaries.
w Get ready to Rock
Your State! Homework #4 is due one week from today. Be sure you have signed up
for a state on the class wiki, and get clear on what is expected of you in this
assignment.
Daily Objectives #6
(January 29, 2009)
Geotectonics and Earth Structure
w Review:
Review the "plate boundary" information we added to the list of characteristics
of our 14 study sites:
Japan Hawaii
San Francisco, California Yellowstone National Park
India/Tibet border New Zealand
Iceland The Red Sea
Lake Tanganyika Aleutian Islands
Chile Jakarta, Indonesia
Azores Islands Galapagos Islands
w Review: Describe the differences between
the two kinds of crust in terms of thickness, density and overall color of the
major kind of rock that occurs there, and where on Earth the two types of
crust occur.
w Describe the
difference between brittle deformation and ductile
deformation.
w Explain the meaning
of lithosphere and asthenosphere.
w Sketch a diagram of the internal structure of the
Earth, showing the following features, to scale: continental crust, oceanic
crust, mantle, core.
w On the diagram you
sketched, show the following layers, to scale: lithosphere and asthenosphere.
Minerals and Rocks
w Explain the
difference between minerals and rocks.
w Demonstrate that you can correctly use the
following tools for "what scratches what" mineral sample exploration: hand lens,
hardness testing implements (glass, steel file, penny, fingernail).
w Arrange a suite of minerals into three groups
based on their densities: high, medium, and low.
w Arrange a suite of
minerals into groups according to their hardness, relative to the hardness
testing implements.
w Assign
Mohs hardness
scale numbers to the hardness groups you arranged.
Daily Objectives #7
(February 3, 2009)
w Review:
Describe the differences between the two kinds of crust in terms of thickness,
density and overall color of the major kind of rock that occurs there, and where
on Earth the two types of crust occur.
Minerals and Rocks
w Review: Put
mineral samples into groups according to their hardness rankings on the
Mohs hardness
scale: harder than glass, softer than a fingernail, or between fingernail
and glass.
w Review: Tell
whether a given mineral sample has a metallic luster, or non-metallic luster.
w List and explain the mineral properties most
commonly used to describe/identify minerals:
▫ hardness ▫ luster ▫ color ▫
cleavage ▫ specific gravity (density)
▫ streak ▫ taste ▫ magnetism ▫ reaction
with acid (effervescence or odor)
w Demonstrate that you can test an unknown mineral
sample for each of the mineral properties listed above.
w Demonstrate that you
can use a mineral key to identify an unknown mineral sample.
w Explain the difference between minerals and rocks.