Geological Fairytale

'Once upon a time, long, long ago . . . a geological fairytale'

A once a pun a time geological tale. Everyone can groan loudly at every ‘joke’.
More serious activities can be found on our website.

Festive bauble quiz

Today's new Earthlearningidea, 'Bauble quiz' is fun for all the family and for your class at the end of term.

It's an exercise to consolidate learning about the Earth through comparisons with a festive bauble.
Greeting from the Earthlearningidea Team!

ELI activities in the Geopark of Central Catalonia

In November 2017, a presentation of Earthlearningidea activities was made in the Geopark of Central Catalonia. The activities were included as part of the training programme for tourist promoters working within the Geopark. 

The photos have been included in the Photo gallery on the ELI website.
There are many activities on the website that can be used for presentations like this one.

Interpret Earth temperatures from simulated deep-sea and ice cores

The new Earthlearningidea today is 'Interpret Earth temperatures from simulated deep-sea and ice cores' This activity uses sweets to simulate oxygen isotope ratios in cores.

This is an activity to plot Earth’s temperature indications from mock ice and deep-sea sediment cores. The activity consolidates understanding of how the 18 O: 16 O ratios in ice cores and deep-sea cores respectively can be interpreted in terms of warmer (interglacial) or cooler (glacial) Earth temperatures.
More activities relating to climate change can be found on our website.

Continental drift

'Did the continents move for you?' This Earthlearningidea plots the movement of continents using apparent polar wandering curves.

This exercise can be used in any science or geography lesson about plate tectonic theory and the movement of the continents.
Many more activities related to plate tectonics and continental drift can be found on our website.

Temperatures on Earth in the past - using oxygen isotopes

Today's new ELI+ activity is 'The oxygen isotope sweet simulation; demonstrating how the oxygen isotope proxy records past Earth temperatures'.

Using coloured sweets, the activity simulates how the relative proportions of 16O and 18O can indicate past Earth temperatures.
Many activities for students aged 16 plus can be found on our website.

Limestone karstic scenery - in 60 seconds

Have you tried modelling the chemical weathering of limestone? Try the Earthlearningidea 'Karstic scenery - in 60 seconds' 

This activity can be used in any science or geography lesson and leads into a detailed discussion of karstic scenery and how it develops. There are many other activity ideas related to weathering and to limestone on the website.

Rock cycle at your fingertips

Today's new ELI is 'The rock cycle at your fingertips; modelling the rock cycle with your fingers'

The rock cycle is an abstract concept which pupils can find difficult to understand. For example, when asked how a rock formed, one student responded, “It went through the rock cycle” much as laundry goes through a wash cycle – something that is done to a rock to change it.’ This activity helps to explain the process.
Other teaching ideas about the rock cycle and many suggestions for hands-on activities, can be found on our website.

Demonstration of how limestone is weathered

The ELI 'Weathering limestone – with my own breath!' is a classroom demonstration of how limestone is weathered. It involves blowing into neutral water to produce a weak acid. Powdered limestone is added to neutralise the acid, as a quick-acting laboratory example of how limestone is weathered in the
natural world.

This activity may be used in Geography or Science lessons.
Many more activities related to all types of weathering may be found on our website.

Modelling earthquake wave amplification

Our new Earthlearningidea is 'Jelly/biscuit modelling of how earthquake waves amplify and devastate; demonstrating how seismic shaking depends on local geology'

The model represents a place like Mexico City where the central part of the city is built on solid rock but the rest of the city is built on soft lake bed sediments. This means that different parts of the city, only a few hundred metres apart, respond very differently to earthquake shaking.
Many activities about earthquakes for all ages, can be found by searching our website.
This activity was devised and written by a colleague in the British Geological Survey.

Building survival in earthquakes

'Quake shake – will my home collapse? When an earthquake strikes – investigate why some buildings survive and others do not'

Video clip

Many more earthquake-related activities can be found on our website.

The rock cycle - common misconceptions

The new ELI today is 'Not misunderstanding the rock cycle: addressing common misconceptions about the rock cycle'

This is a sorting exercise directly focussed on common rock cycle misconceptions. The activity takes the educational approach known as constructivism. Through constructivism, student misconceptions are identified and directly targeted by teaching.
Many more Earthlearningideas related to the rock cycle can be found on the website.

Sorting out soils

Following on from last week's 'Is there life in soil?', have you tried 'Soil doughnuts; sorting out soils'?
Sandy soils allow water through easily and clay soils do not. Gardeners usually prefer loam soils.
For a farmer or gardener, it is important to know the soil type so that it can be managed properly and crop production increased.
This activity can be used in any lesson about the environment, rocks and landscape, agriculture, gardening or investigations out of doors.
More ideas for teaching about soils can be found on the website in teaching strategies.

Is there life in this soil sample?

The new Earthlearningidea today asks questions to consolidate pupil understanding of soil-formation, 'Is there life in this soil sample?'

Soil often looks like a non-living substance that simply covers many parts of the Earth’s surface. However, pupils should be aware that if soil did not contain living material (alive and/or dead) it would no longer be soil, but would just be part of the weathered rock material found on the surface where no obvious life is present. Such non-soil debris is called regolith, as found on mountain tops and polar regions on Earth and also on the Moon or planets like Mars.
Many more activities related to soils can be found by searching the website or listed in Teaching strategies and Children's Fun activities.

Electrical ground probing

Following on from last week's post about remote sensing, this week we have 'Electrical ground probing; measuring the electrical resistance of the ground to find buried objects.'

The activity models the principles involved in surveying by electrical methods. Such techniques are frequently used in mineral exploration or in archaeological surveying. Forensic scientists also use the method to investigate disturbed ground in the search for objects buried by criminals.
Other related ideas can be found on the website.

Modelling remote sensing geophysics

The new Earthlearningidea today is 'Modelling remote sensing geophysics; using a mock gravitometer and magnetometer set up in the classroom'

This activity involves using a mock gravitometer and magnetometer to demonstrate the principles of the remote sensing of gravity and magnetism. It is an ELI+ activity. This method models how density and magnetic anomalies are identified by geophysical remote sensing. Data from such geophysical sensing is used to plot gravity and magnetic anomaly maps, like the ones shown above and explained in the activity.
Similar ideas for teaching Earth science can be found on our website.

A thought experiment to investigate carbon cycle processes

‘Tag’ a carbon atom – and explore the carbon cycle' is an Earthlearningidea thought experiment to investigate carbon cycle processes.

We can ‘mark’ genes with glowing colours to discover how they work – and so can produce mice that glow bright green. We can also tag organisms, from butterflies to whales, to find out about their lives and movement. Help your pupils to understand the carbon cycle by pretending to ‘tag’ a carbon atom so that they can ‘see’ it as it is carried around different parts of the carbon cycle.
Many more activities about Earth's natural cycles can be found on our website.

Fracking: recipe for the perfect fracking fluid

The new ELI today is 'Recipe for the perfect fracking fluid; make your own fluid to fracture hydraulically (frack) methane-bearing shale'.

This is an activity to examine the hydraulic fracturing method and the purposes of the different constituents of the fracking fluid. Pupils are encouraged to think through the purpose of the constituents of the fluid used for fracking, and the whole fracking concept.
Other activities about oil and gas can be found on our website,

Why is the fossil record incomplete?

'Shell shake – survival of the toughest; why is the fossil record incomplete?'

Many organisms are destroyed by being eaten or by being broken up into tiny fragments by moving water, or by processes of changing the sediments to rock. This activity demonstrates that a slab of apparently well-preserved fossils may not present a true record of all that lived there, so caution is needed in reconstructing the ancient environment in its entirety. A fossil assemblage may contain evidence about the environment in which the organisms lived, and what happened to them after their death.
Many more fossil-related activities can be found on the website.

Geo-literature: create your own geo-poem or story

Today's new Earthlearningidea is 'Geo-literature: poems and stories inspired by all things ‘geo’. Create your own geo-poem or story'

Much of our great literature was and is inspired by the natural world. This activity encourages pupils to write imaginatively about a topic they have studied in Earth science or geography. It creates a cross-curricular link between the sciences and arts. Send us your creations and we will publish them on our website.

Treasure hunt with a difference.

This Earthlearningidea is fun for young children especially if it can be played outside, 'Sensory treasure hunt; using senses to match objects with similar properties'.

This activity has endless potential and can be used in many ways.
Lots more ideas which can be used in the holidays can be found in the 'Children's Fun' section of our website.

Art and sculpture inspired by nature

This new activity is the first of a series of cross-curricular themes linking the arts and sciences. 'Geo-art: paintings to sculptures inspired by all things ‘geo’; create your own geo-artwork'

Much of our great art was and is inspired by the natural world. This activity encourages pupils to create some imaginative artwork based on a topic they have studied in Earth science or geography.
Please email us scans or photos of your pupils' or children's work and we will publish them.
Lots more ideas for holiday activities can be found on our website.

Rocks game for the holidays

When the children are collecting pebbles on the beach, perhaps they would like to put them into rock families? Have a look at 'Rock Explorers; putting rocks into families'.

A 5 year-old's explanation of the Black family: “Mummy and Daddy Black are wrinkled with holes in but the children are smooth; that’s because they are young and Mummy and Daddy are old.”
Many more ideas for young children can be found in ELI Early years.

Experience an earthquake in your classroom!

This week's new ELI is 'An earthquake in your classroom; a classroom earthquake intensity scale.'

This activity helps pupils to visualise what experiencing an earthquake of different intensities might be like. Dramatic re-enactment of this classroom earthquake intensity scale can make fine school drama performances or add to school open days.
It is worth repeating the old dictum, “Earthquakes don’t kill people; buildings do.”
Many more activities about earthquakes and their causes can be found on the website.

Modelling how rock cliffs and slopes collapse

'Failing slopes; modelling how rock cliffs and slopes can collapse'  Rocks with horizontal bedding tend to be fairly stable, but when they dip at an angle they are less stable, particularly if they have vertical fractures or joints. The type of collapse usually depends upon the rock type and thickness of the beds.

The activity could be used in a lesson on slope failure itself, or as an application of the physics of friction. Results obtained from an actual investigation are given in the activity.
Many more activities can be found on our website.

Rising mountains can reveal hidden secrets

The new ELI today is “Hooray and up she rises!” How a rising mountain chain can reveal its hidden secrets.

This activity is modelling how erosion of the top of a mountain range is accompanied by isostatic uplift, eventually exposing rocks, once hidden deep below. The activity is aimed at reinforcing the concept of isostasy (a state of balance in the Earth’s outer layers). It is also intended to show hat many igneous rocks become exposed at the Earth’s surface long after they have become solid rocks and are no longer flowing as magma.
Similar activities can be found on the website.

Modelling ancient and modern magnetic fields

'Human magnets! Modelling ancient and modern magnetic fields, using your pupils'. In this Earthlearningidea, pupils use their own bodies to model the magnetisation induced in magnetite mineral particles by the Earth’s field of today: also the magnetic evidence within ancient rocks for ‘continental drift’.

The activity can be used to aid the understanding of remanent magnetisation in rocks. This in turn provides evidence of past magnetic fields of the Earth and is of great value in demonstrating the former latitudes of the continents, before their plate tectonic movement.

Many more activities about magnetism can be found on the website.

Ammonites: the ups and downs

The new ELI published today is 'The ups and downs of ammonites; how did they adjust their position in the sea?

The demonstration shows how some animals which are buoyant in water can change their depth in the sea. Explain that ammonites had a coiled shell, but that the soft body only lived in part of the outermost coil. Inside the rest of the shell, the space was filled with gas, which made the animal buoyant.
Demonstrate this, using a boiling tube full of air with a bung to represent the shell of the ammonite. The air-filled tube represents the gas- filled inner coils of the ammonite. The bung represents the living parts of the animal, which can move towards the neck of the tube or retract back into it.
Many more activities about bringing fossils back to life can be found in the Evolution of Life category on our website.

Hotspots - modelling the movement of a plate over a hotspot

Have you tried this ELI? 'Hotspots; modelling the movement of a plate across the globe'
After the activity pupils can understand the motion of one object (the card) relative to another (a point source of heat – a candle) and then be able to relate the card and candle model to the movement of a plate relative to a fixed source of heat in the mantle below. They can also use evidence of volcanic activity in the Pacific Ocean to deduce the on-going motion of the Pacific plate.
Many more activities about plate tectonics can be found on our website.

Environment differences between today and when the rocks formed

The new ELI today is 'Now and then – spotting the difference; how did the conditions differ between today and when the rock was formed?'

Between now (today) and then (when the rock was formed) how have these things changed?:
- temperature
- orientation
- humidity
- altitude
- visibility
- latitude
- pressure
- age
- life, invertebrates and vertebrates
This is a thought experiment, attempting to compare various aspects of the environment when the rock was formed, with conditions today.
Many more activities about past environments can be found on our website.

What's in a smartphone?

An ELI published in December 2013 was 'Be a mineral expert 4 – Recycle your mobile phone'. 

 Although the technology has moved on since then, the question still remains - "Why should I recycle my mobile (cell) phone?".
Did you know that smartphones contain a tiny bit of half the elements on the planet? Do you know about the super element indium that is soft, melts and conducts electricity? It's believed we shall run out of these rare super elements in a decade. Will we then have to mine them in space? To answer all these questions, we recommend you watch the BBC 4 programme 'Secrets of the Super Elements' in which Professor Mark Miodownik reveals the weird materials that have built our high-tech world.

Partial melting model and real rock

New ELI+ today - 'Partial melting model and real rock; comparing a model with reality to develop understanding of the partial melting process'

This is a consolidation exercise on partial melting, to ensure that students understand how a model mirrors processes in real rocks. The partial melting process can be directly linked to the key rock-forming minerals by reference to Bowen’s Reaction Series, shown in the activity. Bowen investigated the melting and crystallisation temperatures of a series of the minerals commonly found in igneous rocks, to discover the order of melting (and therefore their order of crystallisation).
Many more activities associated with igneous processes and plate tectonics can be found either by using the search engine or the index on our website.

Is that weathering or is it erosion?

'What's the difference between weathering and erosion?’ This Earthlearningidea addresses common misconceptions about weathering and erosion.

Textbook surveys have shown that misconceptions between weathering and erosion are common, when the scientific consensus is clear.
Use the search engine on our website to find lots of activities about weathering and about erosion.

This week's new Earthlearningidea is 'Filling the gap – picturing the unconformity ‘abyss of time’? Working out what happened during unconformity time gaps'.

Ask your pupils to picture what happened in the time between the upper and lower beds of an unconformity. This exercise can be carried out for any unconformity in the field or on a photograph.
Other activities to help explain the enormity of geological time can be found here on our website.

Isostasy: State of balance in the Earth's outer layers

Earthlearningidea has two activities which explain isostasy. The first is 'Isostasy 1: modelling the state of “balance” of the Earth’s outer layers'.

This activity establishes the principle of isostasy, using wooden blocks floating in water and in a denser medium.
The second activity is 'Isostasy 2: “Bouncing back” after the ice'

This is a demonstration of the effects on a continental land mass of an ice sheet growing and then melting.
Many more innovative activities, which teach a lot but are also fun to do can be found on our website.

Modelling mighty rivers and small-scale processes

The new ELI is 'Investigating small-scale sedimentary processes AND modelling mighty rivers' This activity uses the ‘Mighty River in a small gutter’ Earthlearningidea activity at different scales.

The ‘Mighty river in a small gutter’ can be used to investigate surface processes, caused by water currents, in the classroom at two different scales.
Pupils of all ages can learn a lot from this activity and have fun at the same time!
More investigations can be found on our website.

Rocks are in the rock cycle e-i-e-i-oooooooooo

For the holidays, the ELI Team present you with 'The Rock Cycle Song'. Please sing loudly to the tune of 'Old MacDonald had a Farm'

Lots of activities about the rock cycle can be found on our website.

Modelling river pothole-formation by calculation

The new ELI continues our maths in ELIs theme: 'A bucket for a pothole: visualising past processes by calculation; modelling river pothole-formation by calculation – thinking through the assumptions'.

River potholes like the ones shown in the photos above are thought to have been formed by abrading gravel moved by eddies in the water as it flows over the bedrock. This activity seeks to mimic this mode of formation in order to provoke calculation and discussion around the processes involved.
Many more activities to do with rivers and river erosion can be found on the website.

3 million downloads / ELI translations

3 million activity downloads! 

The ELI team is delighted to announce that by the end of March 2017, there have been 3 million activity downloads. We should like to thank all the volunteers involved in this project, especially all of our translators and, of course, all of our users. Hopefully lots of pupils have enjoyed trying out the ideas in Earth science or geography lessons.

To all Educators:
One of our German translators who teaches in a University of Education recommends that other educators follow his example and ask their university students to translate one Earthlearningidea and present it to the other students as part of their course. These translations are then checked and finally added to the website.

Japanese translations
Our Japanese colleagues have added 32 translations to the site; incredible. Many, many thanks.

Ice-thickness from scratch: visualising past processes by calculation

The new ELI+ is 'Ice-thickness from scratch: visualising past processes by calculation; modelling glacial striation-formation by calculation – thinking through the assumptions'. 

A field simulation of the scratching of striations on bedrock by the debris frozen into an ice sheet, used to approximately calculate the thickness of the ice sheet and to discuss the assumptions made. The activity has been devised to enable pupils to gain a deeper understanding of the glacial processes which erode bedrock surfaces, such as the one shown in the photo.
Other activities about glacial erosion can be found on the website.

Watery world game for young children

Have you tried the ELI Early years 'Watery world game; climb through the watery world but watch out for snakes!'

The game can be played in any science or geography lesson and has cross curricular links with literacy and numeracy. It is also a useful water cycle introduction or revision exercise.
More ELI Early years activities can be found in Teaching strategies on our website.

Fieldwork strategies to make a good educational experience

Our new ELI today is for Educators and is "The ‘What makes a good educational experience’ approach to planning fieldwork; thinking through the fieldwork strategies that are most likely to inform and inspire."

Field experiences have potential to educate participants at a range of levels – but these will only be realised if leaders have awareness of the wide range of possibilities.
There are many fieldwork ideas on our website.

'All Powerful' strategy - using imagination outdoors

Have you tried the ELI 'The ‘All powerful’ strategy; discussing geological histories in imaginative ways'

The view above is of the Deccan Traps in India. Start the activity by saying, ‘If I were ‘All Powerful’ and wanted to re-create the view you see before you, I would move the land we’re standing on today over a ‘hot spot’ producing lots of fast-flowing lava that, when it cooled, recorded the latitude at which it formed
(30 degrees S) – what should I do next?’
This activity uses a ‘deep questioning’ approach to a plenary fieldwork activity, by asking what series of events would be necessary for the view before the pupils to be recreated. The activity can be used at a range of scales from a small quarry to a landscape-wide interpretation.
Many more ideas for fieldwork can be found on our website.

New ELI+ today - 'From folds to crustal shortening: visualising past processes by calculation. Modelling folding by calculation – thinking through the assumptions'

This activity involves a method of calculating approximate crustal shortening in the field (or from a diagram or photograph). Students then discuss the assumptions involved.
Many more activities about fold mountains, aimed at different age groups, can be found on our website.

A Game about Fossils for Early Years

Have you tried the Earthlearningidea 'Fossilise! A game showing how fossils form and survive'? 

The game, for 5 to 8 year-olds, can be played in any science or geography lesson and has cross curricular links with literacy and numeracy. The chances of an organism becoming a fossil and then that fossil surviving for us to see are very small indeed.
Many activities about fossils for all age groups can be found on our website.

What was it like to be on top of a mountain-building collision?

Today's new ELI is 'The view from above: living tectonism. What was it like to be there – on top of a mountain-building collision?'

A thought experiment asking pupils to imagine what it would have been like on top of a mountain range as it was being formed. This activity helps pupils to visualise the intensity of the Earth processes that cause folding and uplift, and of the intense surface processes that are likely to result – on the high exposed surfaces so formed.
Many more activities about fold mountains and mountain building can be found on the ELI website.

Free on-line geology course

Using Earthlearningideas and want to know more?
You could try this free on-line course from the Open University, UK.

Tsunami alert !

The new ELI today is 'Tsunami alert! Run for the hills or stay by the sea? Why does one type of earthquake produce a tsunami, whilst another does not?'

The activity may be used in the context of a science or a geography lesson, where wave motion is being considered, together with its impact on the nearby community.
This is one of three Earthlearningideas about Tsunamis - please refer to the website for these and other activities about natural hazards.