activity
Critical Zone
The Critical Zone (CZ) is defined as the zone at Earth’s land surface extending from the top of the vegetation canopy through soil to subsurface depths at which fresh groundwater freely circulates. This is the zone where most terrestrial life — including humanity — resides. Learn more about this important space in this activity from the Critical Zone Observatories.
Critical Zones Handout 2016
2 pages. An activity to familiarize students with the geoheritage of volcanism in the Valles Caldera.
Cupcake Core Sampling
Trying to "see" what is beneath the surface of the Earth is one of the jobs of a geologist. Rather than digging up vast tracts of land to expose an oil field or to find some coal-bearing strata, core samples can be taken and analyzed to determine the likely composition of the Earth's interior. In this activity, students model core sampling techniques to find out what sort of layers are in a cupcake.
Dangerous Atmosphere
How much of a danger does severe weather pose for the area where you live? You can compute the answer yourself in this exercise.
Dating Popcorn
How do geologists understand the Earth’s history? In part, they measure the age of rocks and other natural materials by dating techniques. They can date rocks by gauging the amount of decay of radioactive elements. You can simulate the dating process with popcorn.
Deep-Sea Drilling
This activity enables students to estimate and calculate scales of distance and length as used by ocean drilling scientists.
Density of Minerals
Density is an intrinsic physical property of minerals that relates to the composition of the mineral and to the pattern in which the mineral’s atoms are arranged. “Intrinsic” means that the property is the same for the mineral, no matter what the size or shape of the sample.
In this activity, students will measure and compare the densities of minerals.
Dig Into Soil
Learn how soil scientists observe and record data and how that information is useful to farmers, builders, and others in order to use the land appropriately.
Digging Into Soil
Materials
- Piece of heavy duty PVC pipe about one inch in diameter and 10 inches long
- Piece of wood doweling that will fit inside the PVC pipe
- Hammer
- Wood block
- Leather garden glove
- Hand lens or microscope
- Non-toxic marker
- Large sheet of white posterboard
- Six clear plastic sandwich bags
- Plastic knife
- Tools for separating soil, such as tweezers, tongue depressor, drinking straw
- Paper towels (for clean up)
Procedure
Disaster Supplies Kit
Prepare a kit in case of natural hazards or a disaster. This list from FEMA and the Red Cross will have you prepared for almost any emergency!
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