Monday, 24 November 2025

Identifying rocks

This is the second ELI about identifying rocks in an outdoor collection - 'A forgotten rock garden - 2; help a geologist identify a treasured outdoor collection'.

This activity involves matching a set of photographs to their descriptions and locating them on an overall scene. It could form a useful revision activity, once pupils have acquired experience of a range of rocks. The answers are provided in the text.

Related activities can be found in 'Rocks' in our Earth Materials category.

Monday, 17 November 2025

How do minerals like tin and lead form? - a demonstration of hydrothermal mineralisation?

How do hydrothermal minerals form? Our ELI today gives the answer - "Interactive hydrothermal mineralisation: ‘the rock with the hole’ hydrothermal mineralisation demo".


This ELI is a demonstration of how hydrothermal fluids flow through rocks, presented in a way to interact with pupils.

Other activities related to minerals can be found in our Earth Materials, Minerals category.

Monday, 10 November 2025

Investigating catastrophic natural processes in your region in the geological past

Our Earthlearningidea today is 'What catastrophic natural processes affected your region in the geological past? Use the evidence in your local region to interpret dramatic geological events.'

This activity involves Interpreting photographic evidence of catastrophic events in the geological past – how could this thinking be applied to your area?

Related activities can be found in our Natural Hazards category.


Monday, 3 November 2025

Natural hazards in your local area

Following the devastating destruction by hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, we are exploring possible natural hazards that could occur in your area - - 'Which natural hazards could damage the area where you live? How safe is your home area?'


This activity encourages pupils to look around their local region to suggest what natural hazards might affect it in the future.

Related activities can be found in our Natural Hazards category.


Monday, 27 October 2025

Working out the geological history from photographs

The new ELI today is 'Some classic Scottish geology revealed; how good are you at establishing a geological history from photographs?'


In this activity pupils are asked to examine photographic evidence to establish a geological history of a small area, and to assess the reliability of their conclusions.

Related activities can be found in our Geological Time category - Stratigraphy and Sequences.

Monday, 20 October 2025

Monday, 13 October 2025

Power from the wind

Our ELI today is 'Farming the wind – through onshore and offshore windfarms; a discussion on the local and national potential of developing wind energy sources'.


In this activity, data and perspectives on electricity generation by wind farms are provided to support a debate on their local and national potential.

Related activities can be found in our Climate change 'Net Zero' emissions target category.