Using field trips to local rivers to enhance student understanding of depositional environments
Alexander Ray Simms
Oklahoma State University
Used this activity? Share your experiences and modifications
The purpose of this activity is to take advantage of modern rivers to
Using field trips to local rivers to enhance student understanding of depositional environments
Alexander Ray Simms
Oklahoma State University
Used this activity? Share your experiences and modifications
The purpose of this activity is to take advantage of modern rivers to teach basic principles in sedimentology and interpreting past deposits. The students first observe the sedimentological features of a modern river and use those observations to interpret the depositional environment of recent fluvial deposits from a near-by gravel pit.
This exercise is appropriate for upper-level undergraduates or can be modified for entry-level geology courses or graduate students
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
The activity works best if the students have been introduced to some basic sedimentary structures (e.g. ripples, trough-cross bedding) and terminology (e.g. grain-size, sorting).
How the activity is situated in the course
A stand-alone field exercise to compliment lectures and in-class labs on the topic.
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Fluvial sedimentology, sedimentary structures, depositional environments
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Critical evaluation of competing models, recognition of patterns, application of facies models, development of facies models.
Other skills goals for this activity
Observation skills, paleocurrent analysis, measuring section (if time permits). One could also use this opportunity to collect samples for later grain-size analysis.
Description of the activity/assignment
To prepare for this exercise the student must have been introduced to sedimentary structures and some sedimentology terminology (e.g. grain size, sorting).
Determining whether students have met the goals
After observing the modern environments, the students will be asked to apply that knowledge in interpreting recent fluvial deposits in a nearby gravel pit.
More information about assessment tools and techniques.
Download teaching materials and tips
Rice University Gulf of Mexico Research Group http://gulf.rice.edu