Teaching Objectives
Historical Geology Laboratory

GEOL 1122 Laboratory

This list contains the minimum basic objectives for this course, as set forth by the Geology Curriculum Committee. Additional topics may be presented in the course, as deemed appropriate by the individual instructor.

On completion of Historical Geology Laboratory, a student, should be able to:

Relative Dating of Rocks
  1. Be able to identify unconformities in cross-sections. (Disconformity, Angular Unconformity, and Nonconformity).
  2. Understand how the principle of cross-cutting relationships applies to units shown on geologic cross-sections and be able to interpret the relative ages of various geologic features in a geologic cross-section.
  3. Be able to apply Steno's Laws and the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships to various relative dating exercises.

Rock and Minerals:
  1. Distinguish between rocks and minerals.
  2. Identify important rock forming minerals (Orthoclase Feldspar, Quartz, Biotite, Olivine, Muscovite, Pyroxene, Amphibole, Clay minerals, Calcite, Dolomite).
  3. Identify the common Igneous Rocks. (Granite and Basalt)
  4. Identify the common Metamorphic Rocks. (Gneiss, Slate, and Schist)

Weathering of Rocks:
  1. Distinguish between different types of sand.
  2. Understand how texture relates to transport of sediment.
  3. Distinguish the various sizes of weathered debris of Wentworth’s Clastic Scale (Gravel – Boulder, Cobble, Pebble, Granule, Sand, Mud - Silt, Clay).
  4. Distinguish the various shapes of sediment (angular vs. rounded).

Sedimentary Rocks:
  1. Understand why sedimentary rocks are important to Historical Geology.
  2. Understand the difference between sediment and sedimentary rock.
  3. Understand the origin of various types of sediment.
  4. Know the two major groupings of sedimentary rocks (Clastic and Non-clastic).
  5. Recognize the various textures of sedimentary rocks.
  6. Know the grain size classification of terrigenous sedimentary rocks.
  7. Recognize clast shape and its use in naming certain sedimentary rocks.
  8. Identify the three basic types of sandstone (quartz, arkose, graywacke), and know the mineralogic composition of each.
  9. Identify the common sedimentary rocks in hand specimen.
  10. Discuss where chemical, biochemical, and organic sedimentary rocks form.
  11. Know the two common carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite) in sedimentary rocks and know how to distinguish between them.
  12. Identify the three common cements (quartz, calcite, and iron oxide) in sedimentary rocks.
  13. Identify the common allochems and textural components of carbonate rocks.
  14. Identify evaporitic sedimentary rocks and chemically precipitated minerals.
  15. Identify the four major types of coal (peat, lignite, bituminous, and anthracite), and place them in order of increasing temperature and pressure.

Sedimentary Structures:
  1. Recognize the common primary sedimentary structures in hand specimens or in photographs/slides.
  2. Discuss the origin of the common primary sedimentary structures.
  3. State the difference between bedding and lamination.
  4. Be able to determine paleocurrent direction using primary sedimentary structures such as cross-bedding or ripple marks.
  5. Interpret the processes, which formed the common sedimentary structures (running water, desiccation, organisms, etc.).
  6. Know the difference between the depositional setting for Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical ripples.
  7. Know the environment in which stromatolites are found today, and when they were the most adundant in the geological record.

Depositional Environment:

  1. Understand what is meant by the term " Sedimentary Depositional Environment".
  2. Name several continental, transitional, and marine environments, and tell the distinguishing characteristics of each.
  3. Understand the kinds of features that aid in the determination of a sedimentary environment for a given sedimentary rock.
  4. Understand how grain size is related in a general way to the "energy" of a sedimentary environment.
  5. Determine which sedimentary structures are characteristics of high energy and low energy environments.
  6. nterpret the sedimentary environment for a given rock using features that differentiate the various environments.

Stratigraphy
  1. Know and use Steno's Laws with respect to stratigraphy.
  2. Know how sequences of sedimentary rocks are traced between outcrops.
  3. Draw a stratigraphic section given written data on rock types, sequences and thickness.
  4. Identify and be able to use standard lithologic symbols.
  5. Correlate lithologic units between simple stratigraphic sections.
  6. Understand that sedimentary deposits can change laterally in thickness or rock type.
  7. Understand what is meant by the term "facies".
  8. Understand the terms "transgression" and "regression", and be able to identify them in stratigraphic sequences.
  9. Know the basic units of stratigraphy and be able to give the definition for "formation".

Fossils
  1. Understand the difference between microfossils and macrofossils.
  2. Know the common microfossils, whether they are unicellular or multicellular, and the composition of their shells.
  3. State some of the uses of microfossils.
  4. Know the characteristics of microfossils that cause them to be good index fossils (or tools for time correlation).
  5. Know the microfossil that is the main constituent of chalk.
  6. Understand what is meant by the term "geologic range".
  7. Identify the common microfossil groups through the microscope, or from slides or pictures.
  8. Know which of the common microfossil groups are living and which are extinct.
  9. Identify the common invertebrate macrofossil groups in hand specimen, and from pictures.
  10. Be able to state the major distinguishing characteristics of the major invertebrate macrofossil phyla.
  11. Understand how animals are classified, and be able to name the phylum, class, order, etc. for the various fossils studied in lab.
  12. Know and be able to recognize the three types of corals (tabulate, rugose, and scleractinian) commonly found as fossils, and know which are living and which are extinct, and when they became extinct.
  13. Recognize and state the differences between the brachiopods and the bivalve mollusks.
  14. Know and be able to recognize three common classes of mollusks (bivalves, gastropods, and cephalopods), and the distinguishing characteristics of each.
  15. Distinguish between two different groups of cephalopods (nautiloids and ammonoids), and know which group is extinct and when it became extinct.
  16. Know the geologic range and major distinguishing characteristics of trilobites.
  17. Know and be able to recognize four classes of echinoderms (crinoids, blastoids, echinoids, and asteroids), know which are extinct and when they became extinct.
  18. Recognize the difference between solitary and colonial organisms (such as the corals and bryozoa).
  19. Know the geologic periods when major extinctions occurred (Permian and Cretaceous) and the groups that became extinct during each.
  20. State the factors leading to the preservation of organisms as fossils.
  21. Know the major types of fossil preservation and be able to recognize and identify each.
  22. Know and be able to list the various compositions of unaltered hard parts found in organisms.
  23. Understand and be able to state the difference between replacement and recrystallization.
  24. Understand and be able to state the difference between casts and molds.
  25. Be able to recognize the various types of trace fossils.

Analysis of Data
  1. Analyze data collected from sieve analysis to determine depositional environment.
  2. Graph the data collected from sieve analysis (Histogram, Frequency Curve, Cumulative Arithmetic curve, Cumulative Probability Curve).
  3. Quantify data to assist with the analysis of the data.
  4. Tabulate data for presentation.

 

SUGGESTED ORDER OF LAB EXERCISES

  1. Relative Dating
  2. Rocks and Minerals
  3. Weathering of Rocks
  4. Sedimentary Rocks
  5. Sedimentary Structures
  6. Depositional Sedimentary Environments
  7. Stratigraphy and Lithologic Correlation
  8. Invertebrate Macrofossils
  9. Fossil Preservation
  10. Microfossils
  11. Instructors Choice (Sand sieve analysis, Biostratigraphy, Fossils on the Internet, Evolution, Evolution of the Vertebrates, Interpreting Geologic History from Maps)
  12. Final Exam
 Teaching Objectives Last Revised June 15, 1998

Web page created June 29, 1998
Revised December 1, 2003