Name: _____________________
Geology Inquiry-Based Learning Unit
My/Our inquiry:
Your inquiry should cover one of the following branches of Geology:
 Rocks - Key ideas:
- Minerals and
properties of rocks
- Families of rocks and
the rock cycle
- Weathering and
erosion
Key vocabulary:
o Mineral
o Magma
o Igneous rock
o Intrusive igneous rock
o Lava
o Extrusive igneous rock
o Sediment
o Sedimentary Rock
o Metamorphic Rock
o Fossil
o Fossil Record
o Geologic Time Scale
o Weathering
o Erosion
 Earth’s Crusts - Key ideas:
- Plate tectonic theory
- Earthquakes and
volcanoes
Key vocabulary
o Pangaea
o Mid-ocean ridge
o Plate tectonic theory
o Continental crust
o Oceanic crust
o Divergent boundaries
o Convergent boundaries
o Transformation fault
boundaries
o Subduction zone
o Mountains
o Volcanoes
o Earthquake
o Seismic waves
o Tsunami
Name: _____________________
Your path to your inquiry will be broken down into two phases:
Phase 1: Background knowledge - 2 weeks
During this phase, you are tasked with accessing and acquiring background information
that will help you answer your inquiry question. To do this, you are to make a set of
nomenclature cards for all of the key vocabulary (from your chosen category). During
this will expose you to the basic key ideas that will likely help you to a clearer path
towards answering your inquiry.
Your
-
nomenclature cards should include the following components:
Label (the vocabulary itself)
Definition
An illustration
Phase 1 due: _____________________________
Phase 2: Inquiry Exploration – 3-4 weeks (may begin once Phase 1 is completed)
In this phase, you will take your inquiry and break it down into smaller questions that
may lead you to your answer. These questions should connect to one or more of the key
ideas listed on the first page.
There are two assignments to this stage, and they can be completed in any order. The
first is an investigation or a model that ties into your inquiry. Here is a list of possible
activities:
-
Investigation ideas
Identifying minerals
Investigating factors that affect
erosion by water
Finding patterns in geological
data
Preparing for an earthquake
Your choice of an experiment
(consult your teacher first)
-
Model Ideas
Model of the rock cycle
Model of Pangaea
Model of plate movements
Model of your choice (consult
your teacher first)
Due to the limited amount of resources and time available in class, this assignment may
be required to be completed at your own time or at home.
Finally, you need to present your findings to your inquiry to a group. You may use a
variety of ways to do so (refer to the Products sheet for ideas). Please be prepared to
share your learning with 3-4 other people at the end of the project.
Phase 2 due: ____________________________