Customizable Graphic Organizer for Virtual Fieldwork Provided by

Customizable Graphic Organizer for Virtual Fieldwork Provided by Rea. L Earth System Science http: //virtualfieldwork. org/ & http: //teacherfriendlyguide. org/ Adapted from work by Sarah R.

Connect to Big Ideas & Overarching Questions • The next slide offers one (carefully developed) take on what are the most important ideas to understand about Earth. • Read the Big Ideas and connect them to what you see in your study of the environment.

Overarching Questions: Earth System Science Profound Ideas How do we know what we know? How does what we know inform our decision-making? The Earth is a System of Systems. The Flow of Energy Drives the Cycling of Matter. Physical and To Understand Life, including human chemical principles (Deep) Time and life, influences and is are unchanging and the Scale of influenced by the drive both gradual Space, Models environment. and rapid changes and Maps are in the Earth system. Necessary. The Earth is an Photosynthetic bacteria The Earth System is open system – it is reformulated the The use of models composed of and part of the constant flow of atmosphere making Earth processes is fundamental to a multitude of systems, solar radiation that habitable. Humans have (erosion, evolution or all of the Earth which cycle and interact powers most changed the lay of the plate tectonics, for Sciences. Maps resulting in dynamic surface Earth land, altered the example) operating and models aid in equilibrium (though the processes and distribution of flora and today are the same as the understanding system evolves). The drives the cycling of fauna and are changing those operating since of aspects of the Earth is also nested in most matter at or atmospheric chemistry in they arose in Earth system for larger systems including near the Earth’s ways that alter the climate. history and they are which direct the solar system and the surface. Earth’s Earth system processes obedient to the laws of observation is not universe. However internal heat is a affect where and how chemistry and physics. possible. Models there is an inherent driving force below humans live. For example, While the processes assist in the unpredictability in the surface. Energy many people live in the constantly changing the comprehension of systems, which are flows and cycles shadow of volcanoes Earth are essentially time and space at composed of an through the Earth because of the fertile fixed, their rates are not. both immense and (effectively) infinite system. Matter farmland found there, Tipping points are sub-microscopic number of interacting cycles within it. however they must keep a reached that can result scales. When parts that follow simple Convection drives constant vigil to maintain in rapid changes compared to the rules. Each system is weather and their safety. The human cascading through size and age of the qualitatively different climate, ocean impact on the environment Earth systems. universe, humanity from, but not necessarily currents, the rock is growing as population is a speck in space greater than the sum of cycle and plate increases and the use of and a blip in time.

VFEs Are Question Driven • Ultimately, we want learners to be able to read the landscape: by looking at it’s shape, and the rocks and other materials that compose and move through it, a story can be unearthed. • “Why does this place look the way it does” is the driving question for the project. • Sub-questions vary in size, scale and purpose. Some questions may have a one or two word answer, but those questions should be followed with questions of how we know and what those simple answers imply. These are important questions! For all of these questions: • How do you know? (What evidence is there? ) • What does it tell you about past environments? • What does it imply about the future?

When scientists work in the field. . . • • • . . . answers are often unclear as to why a place or thing came to be the way it is. That’s true here too. This virtual fieldwork is intended to raise questions for you to explore.

• Are there mountains, valleys, or hills? • What are the valley shapes? • What can form valleys? • What can cause mountains or hills to form? • Are the mountains or hills young or old? • What role do tectonics play in shaping the site? Why does this place look the way it does? Descri shape be the of the land. Wh at e had ffect h as on t he l the cl and i scap mate e? to seem ocks e nce? u he r Do t a seq form ad h er t a ? w s ape a h c ts nds c ffe e la e t th a h on W For all of these questions: • How do you know? (What evidence is there? ) • What does it tell you about past environments? • What does it imply about the future? s life, a h s t c e f d on a What ef h , e f i l human g n i d u l inc scape? d n a l e h t W ha tt ar ype et s he of re roc ? k eroding material, or both? • Is the action of water primarily chemical, primarily physical, or both chemical and physical? affected or caused by climate? landscape? • How have animals generally, and humans in particular, changed the landscape? • On what scale? Sediments & Sedimentary Rocks • Is it clastic or organic/chemical? • If clastic, what is the grain size? • If organic, what minerals is it made out of? • Are there fossils? • Is water depositing material, • Was the past climate different? • What factors may have been • How have plants shaped the • Where would you find the oldest rocks? • Youngest rocks? • Are there different kinds of rocks at different outcrops? Metamorphic • Is it foliated or non-foliated? • What was the parent rock? Igneous • Did the rock form above or below ground? • Is it felsic or mafic?

What effects has water had on the landscape? • Is water depositing material, eroding material, or both? • Is the action of water primarily chemical, primarily physical, or both chemical and physical?

What effects has water had on the landscape? Link to a Zoom. Image of this photo. It is a high resolution photo that you can zoom in and pan around.

• • • Describe the shape of the land. What can cause mountains or hills to form? Are the mountains or hills young or old? What is the valley’s shape? What can form valleys? What is the role of plate tectonics in shaping the land?

What do you think the climate is like here? Why? • What factors influence the climate? • Identify features shaped or determined by climate. • Was the past climate different? How can you tell? • How is climate change likely to affect this place?

What types of rock are there? A common question for all rock types: • What do the characteristics of the rock tell you about past environments? In this template, there is at least one page for each general rock type (metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary) • Many field sites have only one of these three types of rocks. Chart of common rock textures Sedimentary • Is it clastic or Metamorphic Igneous • Is it foliated or • Did the rock organic/chemical? • If clastic, what is the grain form above or non-foliated? • What was the below ground? size? • If organic, what minerals is • Is it felsic or it made out of? parent rock? mafic? • Are there fossils? • What do the rocks indicate about past environments?

Common Rock Textures Chart by Jim Ebert, SUNY Oneonta

What types of rock are there? Metamorphic

What types of rock are there? Igneous

What types of rock are there? Sedimentary • Is it clastic or organic/chemical? • If clastic, what is the grain size? • If organic, what minerals is it made out of? • Are there fossils? • What do rock characteristics tell you about past environments? Scheme for Sedimentary Rock ID

What types of rock are there? Sedimentary

Do the rocks seem to form a sequence? • Where would you find the oldest rocks? • Youngest rocks? • Are there different kinds of rocks at different outcrops?

What effects have humans had on the landscape? • On what scale? • Which human impacts were intentional? • Which human impacts were unintentional?

Suggestions for improvement are welcome! • • There’s ample room for improvement! Please send suggestions for additions and other improvements, including suggested photos of the Arbuckles, to: • Don Duggan-Haas at: dugganhaas@museumoftheearth. org.

Suggestions that haven’t been worked in as yet. . . • • What would this place look like if _______ (some process or event) hadn’t happened? Please send suggestions for additions and other improvements, including suggested photos of the Arbuckles, to: • Don Duggan-Haas at: dugganhaas@museumoftheearth. org.