Bates herself had been inspired by the grand landscapes she viewed as she crossed the country on a train trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Purple mountain majesties. The fruited plain. From sea to shining sea. The words, and later the soaring music, were inspired by the nation’s natural wonders.
Geologic maps can provide answers. Explore one or more of the suggested activities below to connect scientific understanding with your own sense of wonder and inspiration at the natural world around you.
Materials
• Computer with internet access
• 8-1/2” x 11” sheets of white paper
• Crayons, colored markers, or pencils
Activity Options
You might already have your own idea for a great Earth science learning activity. That’s great! Or you just might take inspiration from one of the following suggested activities:
Inspirational Feature Near You
Identify an inspiring landscape near you, and learn about the geoscience behind it. Start with the geologic maps available from your state geological survey (http://www.stategeologists.org/), and consult other resources, such as rainfall maps, natural hazard maps, and maps of native species. Then tell the story of the natural feature you selected — in an essay, artwork, song, or other form of creative expression. Share with your classmates!
Online Resources:
To find a geologic map related to your chosen feature, conduct an internet search with the key words “geologic map” and the name of your feature.
Next Generation Science Standards Connections
Crosscutting Concepts
• Patterns
• Scale, proportion, and quantity
• Systems and system models
Science and Engineering Practices
• Developing and using models
• Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas
• Earth’s systems
• Earth and human activity
Fossils Tell a Bigger Story
Since nearly all fossils are found in sedimentary rocks, you may also want to use geologic maps from the United States Geological Survey (https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngmdb/ngmdb_home.html) to discover the types of rocks where fossils are found. By understanding how different types of rocks form, you can gain further insight into the environments where these prehistoric organisms lived.
As a class, discuss how the fossils can be used as evidence to support conclusions about what the environment of your area was like when those organisms lived. In what ways has the area you are mapping changed? In what ways has it remained stable? How might the geologic maps of your area for those times look different than they do today?
Next Generation Science Standards Connections
Crosscutting Concepts
• Patterns
• Stability and change
Science and Engineering Practices
• Developing and using models
• Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas
• Earth’s systems
Create Your Own Map
Imagine you’re a geoscientist in the early 1800s. You want to create a geologic map of your area. Get out your sketchpad, or a sheet of plain paper, and give it a try. Map your own back yard, school campus, or neighborhood.
In designing your map, consider the following questions. What type of information are you trying to communicate? Why are you creating a geologic map? How might you show various elevations? What could different lines, shapes, and colors represent? What symbols can you use to indicate significant features of the area you’re mapping?
Tap into your own creativity to find ways of mapping what is— or what might be — beneath the surface of your area. Then compare your sketches with actual current geologic maps. What differences do you see?
Online Resources:
- USGS Why Make a Geologic Map (https://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/sfgeo/geologic/stories/why_make.html)
- USGS National Geologic Map Database (https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngmdb/ngmdb_home.html)
- Association of American State Geologists (http://www.stategeologists.org/surveys.php)
Next Generation Science Standards Connections
Crosscutting Concepts
• Patterns
• Scale, proportion, and quantity
Science and Engineering Practices
• Developing and using models
• Planning and carrying out investigations
Disciplinary Core Ideas
• Earth’s systems
• Earth and human activity