Theaim of this guide is to help you get started teaching GCSE geology. It was produced by a working party on behalf of theEarth Science Teachers’ Association(ESTA).
CONTENTS:
Page- Specifications and contacts
- ESTA contacts
- Paper Based Resources
- Specifications and Resources Available
- Scheme of work ideas
- Rocks
- Fossils
- Minerals
- Kit
- Field essentials
- Maps
- Suppliers
- Conducting Fieldwork
- Websites
- Videos and DVDs
- Possible lab assessments
1.SPECIFICATIONS AND CONTACTS
The WJEC GCSE Geology specifications for teaching from 2009 (the new specification) is available at:
2. ESTA CONTACTS
Website:
Membership Secretary
Mike Tuke
Old Farm House
Waterloo Farm
Great Stukeley
Cambridgeshire
PE28 4HQ
email:
Chairman
Cally Oldershaw
email:
Secretary: David Bailey
email:
Editor: Hazel Clark
email:
Newsletter Editor
Maggie Williams
Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences
Jane Herdman Building
Brownlow Street
Liverpool L69 3GP
email:
General Enquiries
email:
3.PAPER BASED RESOURCES
These resources have been put into categories to enable the teacher to prioritise texts. The sections (a) to (d) are the most important of these.
(a) Recommended Class Sets – Text books:
Armstrong, D., Mugglestone, F., Richards, R., and Stratton, F. (2008). Geology. Pearson Education Limited. ISBN: 978-0-435-69211-7
Edwards,D. and King,C. (1999), Geoscience – Understanding GeologicalProcesses, Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-68843-2
McLeish, Andrew (2001), Geological Science, Nelson. ISBN: 0-17-448221-3
Webster, David (1987), Understanding Geology, Oliver and Boyd.
ISBN 0-05-003664-5
(b) Dictionaries
Allaby, A., & Allaby, M. (1991), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Earth Sciences, Oxford. ISBN: 0192861255
Whitten, D.G.A. with Brooks, J.R.V. (1972), The Penguin Dictionary of Geology, Penguin books. ISBN: 0140510494
(c) Practical Activities
Richards, R., 2010. Geology Post 16, How Science Works. Badger Publishing.
Tuke, Mike (1991), Earth Science: Activities and Demonstrations, John Murray. ISBN: 0719549515
(d) Recommended Teacher Resources for Initial Development:
Barker, A.J. (1999), Introduction to Metamorphic Textures and Microstructures, Blackie A&P. ISBN: 0751401528
Barnes, J., (2004), Basic Geological Mapping, Wiley. ISBN: 0471960314
Black, Rhona M. (1989), The Elements of Palaeontology, CambridgeUniversity Press. ISBN: 0521348366
British Caenozoic Fossils (1990), The NaturalHistoryMuseum. ISBN: 0113100248
British Mesozoic Fossils (1983), The NaturalHistoryMuseum. ISBN: 0565008722
British Palaeozoic Fossils (1983), The NaturalHistoryMuseum. ISBN: 0565056247
Duff, D. (1993),Holmes’ Principles of Physical Geology, Chapman and Hall. ISBN: 0748743812
Fry, Norman (1991), TheField Description of Metamorphic Rocks, Wiley. ISBN: 0471932213
MacKenzie, W.S. andAdams, A.E. (1999),A Colour Atlas of Rocks and Minerals in Thin Section, Manson Publishing. ISBN: 1874545170
Milsom, C., and Rigby, S., (2003), Fossils at Glance, Blackwell Publishers. ISBN: 0632060476
Park, R.G. (1993), Foundations of Structural Geology, Blackie A &P. ISBN: 0751401382
Stow, D. A.V. (2005), Sedimentary Rocks in the Field: A Colour Guide, Manson Publishing. ISBN: 1874545693
Thorpe, R., and Brown, G., (1985), The Field Description of Igneous Rocks, Wiley. ISBN: 0335100406
Tucker, M. (1991), The Field Description of Sedimentary Rocks, Wiley. ISBN: 0471932817
Tucker, M. (2001), Sedimentary Petrology, Blackwell Scientific.
(e) Recommended Resources for Further Development:
Anderton, R., Bridges, P.H., Leeder, M.R. and Sellwood, B.W. (1979), A Dynamic Stratigraphy of the British Isles – A study of crustal evolution, Chapman and Hall. ISBN: 0412445107
Clarkson, E.N.K. (1998), Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution, Harper Collins. ISBN: 0045600104
Cox, B., (1995), Fossil Focus: Ammonites, British Geological Survey.
Cox, B., and Penn, I., (2000), Fossil Focus: Brachiopods, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723466
Doyle, P., (1997), Understanding Fossils, John Wiley. ISBN: 0471963518
Molyneux, Stewart (1999), Fossil Focus: Trilobites, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723385
Montgomery, Carla. W. (1994), Environmental Geology, WCB. ISBN: 069715811X
Open University (1983), The Geological History of the British Isles, Open University Press. ISBN: 0335161405
Press, F. and Siever, R. (1986), Earth, W. H. Freeman and Company.
ISBN: 071671776X. Now in its fourth edition with a CD-rom and internet links.
Price, M., (1995), Introducing Groundwater, Chapman and Hall.
ISBN: 0412485001
Raymond, L. A. (1995), Petrology: The Study of Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks, WCB. ISBN: 0697001903
Rigby, S., (1997), Fossils – the story of life, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852722842
van Rose, S., (2000), Catastrophes – time’s trail of destruction, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723547
van Rose, S., and Mercer, I. F., (1999), Volcanoes, The Natural History Museum. ISBN: 0565091387
Skinner, B.J., Porter S.C. and Park J. (2003),TheDynamic Earth, John Wiley. ISBN: 0471451576. Includes CD-ROM and Internet links.
Stanley, Steven, M. (1989), Earth and Life Through Time, W. H. Freeman and Company. ISBN: 0716719754
Waltham, A.C. (1993), Foundations of Engineering Geology, E & FN SPON. ISBN: 0419248706
Wilkinson, I., (1999), Fossil Focus: Plants, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723237
Wilkinson, I, Rigby, S., and Zalasiewicz, J. (2002), Fossil Focus: Graptolites, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723903
Wilkinson, I., and Scrutton, C., (2000), Fossil Focus: Corals, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723490
Woodcock, N. (1994), Geology and Environment in Britain and Ireland,London: UCL. ISBN: 1857280547
Woods, Mark (1999), Fossil Focus: Bivalves, British Geological Survey. ISBN: 0852723288
The books were currently in print when this booklet was produced:
(f) Out of print resources:
The following resources are out of print butcould still be available second hand (try bookshops or the internet), from libraries or neighbouring schools. They are all still valuable to have on your shelves.
Atherton, M. & Robinson, R. (1981-1982) Study the Earth. Vol. 1: Water at Work;
Vol. 2: Rocks and Earth History; Vol. 3: Useful materials from the Earth; Vol. 4: Air and Earth. London: Hodder and Stoughton
Copley, Peter (2003),Talk to your science department – using Physics equipment to teach Geology, TES vol 28 no ¾
ESTA1990-92. Science of the Earth Units (for Key Stage 4) (14-16)
1Will my gravestone last?
2Earthquakes - Danger Beneath Our Feet.
3Fluorspar - Is it worth mining?
4Building Sedimentary Structures.
5Waste and the Hole in the Ground Problem.
6Nuclear Waste - The Way Forward?
7Neighbourhood Stone Watch.
8Moving Ground.
9Groundwater Supplies.
10Astrogeology and the Clues on the Moon.
11The Water Cycle - A Natural Recycling Process.
12Which Roadstone?
13The Geological Timescale.
14Who's for a Hot Tight Squeeze in Inner Space?
15Rock Power! Geothermal Energy Resources.
16Earth's Patchwork Crust - An introduction to Plate Tectonics.
17Cool It! Liquid magma to solid rock.
18Salts of the Earth.
19The Day the Earth Erupted - Volcanoes.
20SOS - Save our Sites: Earth Science Conservation in Action.
Fisher, J. & Harley, M. (1988),Earth Science fieldwork in the Secondary School Curriculum, Peterborough: Nature Conservancy Council (English Nature) 36 pp.
King, Chris (1992), Sedimentology Book 1: Processes and Analysis, Longman. ISBN: 0582022002
King, Chris (1992), Sedimentology Book 2: The Depositional Environments, Longman. ISBN: 0582085071
National Curriculum Council (1993),Earth Science for Primary Teachers. An INSET Handbook, York: NCC Resources Unit.
National Curriculum Council (1993),Earth Science for Secondary Teachers. An INSET Handbook, York: NCC Resources Unit.
Peers, R. (1993),A/AS Geology. Supported Self Study, Hatfield, ASE
Peers, R. (1993),Fieldwork Pack,Sunderland, Northumberland County Council Education Dept. (10, Grange Crescent, Stockton Rd, SunderlandSR2 7BN).
Watson, J. (1983),Geology and Man - an introduction to applied earth science, Allen and Unwin. ISBN: 0045530017
(g) Related General Reading For Teachers:
Baxter Stephen (2003), Revolutions in the Earth (James Hutton and the True Age of the World), Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN: 0297829750
Binding Paul (2003), Imagined Corners: Exploring the World’s First Atlas, Headline Book Publishing. ISBN: 0747230404
Bryson Bill (2003), A Short History of Nearly Everything, Doubleday. ISBN: 0385408188
Courtillot Vincent (1999), Evolutionary Catastrophes: The Science of Mass extinction, Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521891183
CrichtonMichael (1995), The Lost World: JurassicPark, Arrow. ISBN: 0099240629
Cutler, Ian (2003), The Seashell on the Mountaintop, William Heinemann. ISBN: 0434008575
ForteyRichard (2004), The Earth: an intimate history, Harper Collins.
ISBN: 000-570114
ForteyRichard (2000), Trilobite! Eyewitness to evolution, Harper Collins. ISBN: 0002570122
GouldStephen Jay (2000), The Lying Stones of Marrakech (Penultimate reflections in natural history), JonathonCape. ISBN: 0224050443
HarrisRobert (2003),Pompeii, Hutchinson. ISBN: 0091779251
Lewis Cherry (2002), The Dating Game – One man’s search for the Age of the Earth, Cambridge Univ Press. ISBN: 0521893127
McIntyre, Donald, B. and McKirdy, Alan (2001), James Hutton: The Founder of Modern Geology, NationalMuseums of Scotland Publishing Limited. ISBN: 1901663698
MonksNeale and Palmer Philip (2002), Ammonites, NationalHistoryMuseum. ISBN: 0565091697
Osborne Roger (1999), The Floating Egg, Episodes in the making of geology, Pimlico. ISBN: 07126-66869
Walker Gabrielle (2003), Snowball Earth, the great catastrophe that spawned life, Bloomsbury. ISBN: 074756051
Winchester Simon (2001), The map that changed the World, Viking/Penguin. ISBN: 0670884073
Winchester Simon (2003), Krakatoa, the day the World exploded, Viking/Penguin. ISBN: 0670911267
4.SPECIFICATIONS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE
- Scheme of work ideas
GCSE Scheme of work – Example
Below is an example of a scheme of work produced by a practising geology teacher and adapted to fit the new specification.
(Note – Equipment used may not necessarily be required by the syllabus)
GCSE Geology
A collaborative Scheme of Work for WJEC GCSE Geology Course (used at saltash.net community school and Archbishop Temple School, Preston)
Gordon Neighbour and Megan Davies
The scheme of work follows the Key Ideas that form the framework of the new WJEC GCSE Geology specification. You may not wish to cover the Key ideas in order.
Key Idea 1: Rock exposures contain evidence of how the rocks were formed and subsequently deformed
Key Idea 2: The character of the landscape contains evidence of the relationship between past and present processes and the underlying geology
Key Idea 3: Some major concepts underpin our current understanding of the Earth
Key Idea 4: Major geological events fit into a timeline, beginning with the formation of the Earth
Key Idea 5: Earth events occur frequently and are commonly reported in the media
Key Idea 6: Professional geoscientists use a variety of investigational skills in their work
Year 1Week Number / Syllabus Section / Detailed Coverage – what must be covered / How achieved? / Resources
Key Idea 1
1 / 1.1 Rock exposures are formed of minerals, rocks and fossils / Minerals are naturally occurring elements or compounds with fixed properties
Rocks are naturally occurring materials formed of minerals or fragments of rocks or fossils
Fossils are any preserved sign of past life, more than 10,000 years old / Introduction to the course.
Hand out exercise books and copies of “Understanding Geology” (Webster) – one per student.
Discuss differences between a mineral, a rock and a fossil using specimens and key definitions to illustrate concepts / Exercise books and textbooks
2 / 1.2 Minerals are formed in a number of geological environments / The physical properties of minerals: (cleavage; fracture; form; hardness; streak; relative density; lustre; colour. Reaction with cold dilute hydrochloric acid (0.5M) ♦).
You are not required to memorise the properties of minerals but to be able to apply the data given. / Demonstrate and practise the tests for minerals.
You will be expected to use data sheets to help you identify the properties of the following
minerals:
- quartz
- hematite
- calcite
- galena
- Quartz (essential)
- feldspar
- mica
- augite
- hornblende
- hematite (essential)
- halite
- calcite (essential)
- galena (essential)
- pyrite
- chalcopyrite
- Streak Plates
- Steel Pin
- Copper Coin
- Mohs’ Hardness Kit
- Dilute Hydrochloric acid
- Crystal Models (floral foam)
- Newton meter
- Beakers
- Hand lenses
- Powerpoint resources
- Images of minerals/exemplar properties
3 / Minerals are formed by:
- Crystallisation from a melt
- Metamorphic recrystallisation
- Crystallisation from solution
- Crystallisation as a cement from pore water
- Crystallisation from hydrothermal fluids
4 / 1.3Sedimentary rocks are formed by a range of surface processes in a variety of environments / Sedimentary rocks have diagnostic properties– you need to be able to identify the following:
- breccia
- conglomerate
- sandstone
- shale
- limestone (including oolitic limestone and chalk)
Lessons broken up into theory delivered using text-books and the PowerPoint presentations.
Concentrate on students identifying specimens in hand specimens.
Use characteristics of sedimentary rocks (including structures, textures and fossil content) to interpret environment of deposition
Extension Work:
Students to use the Polarising Microscopes to identify rocks in thin section
Students to conduct porosity and permeability tests / Samples of (minimum):
- breccia
- conglomerate
- sandstone
- shale
- limestone (including oolitic limestone and chalk)
- Powerpoint resources
Streak Plates
Steel Pin
Copper Coin
Mohs’ Hardness Kit
Dilute Hydrochloric acid
Photograph/identification slides
Polarising Microscopes
Hand Lenses
5 / Sedimentary rock type is dependent on environment of deposition:
- Shallow marine
- Deep marine
- Land
6
7 / Distinctive sedimentary structures are characteristic of these environments of deposition
- Lamination/bedding
- Cross bedding
- Ripple marks
- Desiccation cracks
- Graded bedding
8
9 / Fossils are indicators of past environments
- reef building corals
- trilobite
- plants
- trace fossils
10 / 1.4 Igneous rocks and processes / Igneous rocks have diagnostic properties –you need to be able to identify the following:
- gabbro
- basalt
- granite
Magma viscosity affects the type of Volcanic activity and the shape of the volcano (difference between a passive fissure eruption, and a violent central vent eruption) / Students to identify igneous rocks from observation of colour, crystal size and random orientation of crystals.
Practical 1 - students to carry out as an SC1 practical – write up for homework.
Practical 2 and practical 3 to be carried out to understand the effect of viscosity on magma.
Students to use the PowerPoint slides and also text books to complete theory work.
Recognise and interpret shapes of volcano from diagrams or photographs
Identify characteristics of igneous bodies as seen in exposures, on diagrams, maps or photographs / Samples of (minimum):
- gabbro
- basalt
- granite (2 types)
- andesite
Practical 1
- Phenyl salicylate
- Water bath
- Boiling Tubes
- Microscope Slides
- Microscopes
- Jelly from mould
- Base plate with hole
- Pipe and syringe
- Cream
- Plastic trays
- Water bath
- Boiling tube of Jelly
- Boiling tube of Jelly (mixed with sand)
- Boiling tube of Jelly (hydrous mixture)
- Powerpoint resources
- Images
11
12 / Igneous bodies can be distinguished by their structures and field relationships:
- Lava flows (tabular, columnar jointing and pillow lava)
- Igneous intrusions: sills, dykes and plutons (form, bedding relationship, baked and chilled margins)
13
14 / 1.5 Metamorphic rocks and processes / Metamorphic rocks have diagnostic properties –you need to be able to identify the following:
- Slate
- schist
- marble
Non-foliated texture (metamorphic aureole)
Foliated texture (slatey cleavage and schistosity) / Students to identify metamorphic rocks from texture, (crystal size/orientation) and acid reaction.
Students to use the PowerPoint slides and also text books to complete theory work.
Practical 1
students to carry out as an SC1 practical – write up for homework
Practical 2
Studentsto model the effect of different shear and compressional forces on plasticine models / Samples of (minimum):
- slate
- schist
- marble
- hornfels
- Examples of pressure/temperature graphs
- Metal trays
- Samples of clay
- Access to a drying oven
- Plasticine
- Powerpoint resources
15
16
17 / 1.6 Geological structures / The rock record provides evidence of tectonic activity
Folding is caused by tectonic stress (compressional)
Faulting is caused by tectonic stress (compressional, tensional, shear)
Unconformities are breaks in the rock record formed by a sequence of events including deformation, uplift, erosion and later deposition / Measure strike and dip, carry out analysis of strike and dip measurements to interpret rock structures
Recognise and describe structures (fold, fault, unconformity, extrusive and intrusive bodies, metamorphic aureole)
Interpret features of folding (horizontal beds, dipping beds, folded beds – anticline, syncline, axial plane trace
Interpret features of faulting (normal, reverse/thrust, strike-slip, displacement)
Recognise use of unconformities in interpreting geological history of exposures
Construct geological cross sections / Equipment:
- Map worksheet
- Geological maps
- Rulers
- Compasses
- Clinometers
- Block models
- Cross section task resources
- Powerpoint resources
- Images
18
19
20
19 / 1.7 Rock exposures contain evidence of the sequence of events that formed and deformed them / Geological events are dated and interpreted using:
- Principle of uniformitarianism
- Original horizontality, lateral continuity and superposition of strata
- Cross cutting relationships and included fragments
- Cephalopods (goniatite, ceratite, ammonite – suture line)
- Graptolites (stipes, thecae)
Apply stratigraphic principles to interpret evidence in exposures, images, diagrams and cross sections
Use specimens, photographs and diagrams to interpret relative geological history
Carry out analysis of radioactive age of material based on half life (parent and daughter ratio, unstable parent, stable daughter) / Equipment
- Ammonoids
- Graptolites
- Hand lenses
- Radioactivity data