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Unit 1: Geology of Iowa

Unit 2: What materials are used in road construction?

Unit 3: Why isn't the highway straight?

Unit 4: Road Design 101 How are highways designed?

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   Unit 1: Geology of Iowa

   G. Unit 1 Activities

Cupcake Core Sampling

What's left when the water is gone? 

What is it?  Is it sand, silt or clay?  

A rock is a rock unless it is a cookie!!  
         Sedimentary Rock Recipe
         Igneous Rock Recipe
         Metamorphic Rock Recipe

Where will the water go?  

What is limestone used for?

Cupcake Core Sampling

Introduction - This activity will let students be geologists 
and give them a “look at”  what is below the surface of the 
earth. Geologists take “core samples” to find out the layers 
of the earth at a specific location.  The cupcake core samples 
will use the same technique to find out what layers are in 
a cupcake.

Materials Needed

white cake mix

chocolate cake mix

drawing papers

chocolate chips

plastic clear straws

foil baking cups
water, eggs

toothpicks

frosting

plastic knives

 

Photo: ingredients


Photo: cooking materials
  • Follow the directions on the cake mix packages to  prepare the batter for each mix.

  • Layer the batter in the foil baking cups.  Note: Using foil baking cups and frosting prevents  the students from seeing the layers of  the cupcakes before they do the core samples.

  • Bake the cup cakes as recommended on the cake mix package.

  • After removing the cupcakes from the oven,  let them cool.

  • Frost each cupcake.

Activity - The teacher should:

  • Tell the students not to eat or break open the cupcake, and not to remove the foil baking cups.

  •  Give each student one: cupcake, straw, toothpick, sheet of drawing paper and plastic knife.
    Students with cupcakes Photo: Students drawing

  • Tell the students that the frosting represents the soil.

  • Ask the students to:

1.  Fold the drawing paper into four sections.

2. Draw what they think is inside the cupcake.

3.  Tell how they can get more information about the inside of the cupcake without taking of the foil or tearing the cupcake apart.  A student should answer that the straw could be used to get a sample of the cupcake.  If not, show them how to push the straw into the cupcake and pull out a sample.  Remember to use the straw like a drill and rotate it into and through the cupcake.

 4. Make three core samples.

 5.  Cut open the cupcakes with the knife and have them compare the cupcakes to their drawings.  

                         Photo: Students

Conclusions

  •  Compare several of the drawings to show that although the cupcakes looked the same on the outside, there were differences inside.  Why would scientists need to study the earth’s interior? 

  • Were there differences between the three core samples?  Why would scientists need to make more than one core sample?
     

  •  Did your pre-core drawing look like the actual inside of the cupcake?

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What's left when the water is gone?

Introduction - This activity will allow students to see that although the water looks clear, there are minerals in it. Once the water evaporates, the materials left in the container will show the students there are minerals in the water.

Materials Needed
Photo: Materials

1  quart glass jar filled 3/4 full of warm water 
    (do not use a lid on the jar)  
 4  tablespoons of sugar or salt
1  tablespoon


Directions - The teacher should:

  • Ask the students to share their ideas of what will happen when sugar or salt is added to the water.  

  • Stir in the sugar or salt into the warm water and mix until dissolved.  

  • Ask the students what they think will happen to the water if it is left for several days.  

  •  Discuss the term evaporation.  

  • Set the jar aside for several days, and when the water has evaporated bring your students together to discuss the crystals that have formed.  Ask them to tell what happened to the water (vaporization) and what is left on the bottom of the jar (crystallization).  

  • Ask the students what the crystals would taste like. (If salt is used, it would taste salty.  If sugar is used, it would taste sweet.)  

  • Share with the students how the process has returned the sugar or salt back to a crystallized form.  This form is similar to the way the 
    material was before it was made into a form for people to use in their kitchens and on their food.     

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What is it?  Is it sand, silt or clay?

Introduction - Students will become aware of the different particle sizes found in soil.

Materials Needed

quart glass jars (one per student or one per group)
soil from near the school building or from the students’ homes  
water
water softener
drawing papers                                                      

Directions - The teacher should have a student:

  • Fill a glass jar one-quarter full of soil.  The students should collect the soil from different areas or locations to increase the chances that the end results are different enough to emphasize the differences in  soil composition.  

  • Add water to the jar until the jar is two-thirds full.  

  • Add a small amount of water softener to the jar.  

  • Cover and shake the jar vigorously for two minutes. Then set the jars aside for 15 to 20 minutes.  

  • Hold the piece of paper up to the side of each jar and draw a diagram showing the different layers of the jar’s contents.  Label each layer based on the size of the layer’s particles.

Discussion Items - Soil particles are different in size 
and weight because some rocks and minerals are softer 
than others and break apart easier than the harder ones.  

The largest or heaviest pieces of soil will settle to the bottom of the jar first. These can be identified as sand.  

The smaller pieces settle very slowly and can be identified as  silt.

Some particles never settle, but they stay floating in the water.  These can be identified as clay.  Clay will settle at some time; however, it usually takes more than 15 to 20 minutes for it to settle.

Most soils contain a mixture of sand, silt and clay.  The amounts will be different, depending on the location.

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A rock is a rock unless it is a cookie!!

Introduction - It may be difficult for students to understand the basic differences of the three rock types.  The following recipes will provide unique visual aids to allow students to see the three rock types illustrated. 

Sedimentary rocks are formed from the compacted and cemented particles of other rocks.

One 8 X 8 pan makes approximately 30 one-inch squares.

Oven is used.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Materials Needed
Photo: Materials
 1-1/4  cup crushed corn flake cereal 
1 saucepan
1-1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 set measuring spoons
1/2 cup margarine
1 set measuring cups
1 cup chocolate chips
1-8X8 or 9X9 baking pan
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 large mixing bowl
1 cup coconut - flakes
1 cup chopped nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)

Crust

In the saucepan, melt the margarine. Mix the melted margarine with the cereal  and sugar. Take the mixture and press it into the  baking pan.

Topping

Sprinkle the chocolate and butterscotch chips over the crust.

Photo: Materials

Sprinkle the coconut over the chips.

Sprinkle the nuts over the coconut layer.

Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes

Igneous rocks are formed from the cooling of molten magma.

One 8X8 pan makes approximately 30 one-inch squares. 

Stove top is used.  

Materials Needed

1 can evaporated milk                   
1-1/2 cups sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1-1/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 8X8 or 9X9 baking pan
1 saucepan
1 set measuring cups

1 tablespoon shortening
1 wooden spoon for stirring
1 set measuring spoons
1 knife

Photo: Materials

Directions

  • Using the 1 tablespoon shortening, grease an 8X8 or 9X9 baking pan.  

  • In the saucepan, combine evaporated milk with sugar and salt.  Stirring constantly, bring the  mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer and continue to stir for another 5-9 minutes. 

  • Remove from heat.                                                   Photo: Materials

  • Add remaining ingredients and stir gently.

  • Pour into the greased pan.  Let cool and refrigerate. 
    Photo: Finished product

 

 


 

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Metamorphic rocks are formed from the partial melting of rock under intense heat and pressure.

Oven is used.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

Materials Needed

1/2 cup shortening or margarine
1 cup brown sugar  
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten 
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 large mixing bowl
1 cookie sheet
1 set measuring cups
1 set measuring spoons
1 wooden spoon for stirring

Directions

  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the shortening and brown sugar until the    mixture is creamy.

  • Add the beaten egg and vanilla.

  •  Stir in the whole wheat flour, cup flour, baking soda and salt.

  • Stir in the pineapple, chopped nuts, chocolate chips and coconut.

  • Using a teaspoon, drop rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet  

    • Photo: Materials
    Photo: Materials

    Bake for approximately 7 minutes.

    Photo: Finished product

    The teacher should:

    Review the fact there are three types of rocks  (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic). 

    Discuss how each of the three types are formed.
     

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    Where will the water go?

    Introduction - If you’d like to demonstrate the series of events that may take years to occur in a natural setting, you may be interested in using a stream table. This stream table is a large, water-tight box (measuring 36" x 6'8").  The stream table is used to show how sediment and flowing water makes changes to a river’s channel.

    A stream table was developed by the Missouri Department of Conservation and is available on loan to educators in Iowa.  If you would like more information about the stream table and other aquatic education programs offered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, contact: Aquatic Education Program, 2473 160th Road, Guthrie Center, IA 50115, phone 641-747-2200, E-mail bstrngr@netins.net  

    What is limestone used for?

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