http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
Written in the Stones
Alan Parkinson
Geography teaching resource
College
© Crown Copyright and Database Right 2014. Ordnance Survey (Digimap Licence)
This is one of a series of teaching resources for use with Digimap for Colleges. For more details about
this service, visit http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
Introduction
When we explore a local landscape, we notice the surface topography and features: the rise of a
slope, steep cliffs and screes, a quarry cut into a hillside or the hollows where water collects. We
might realise that many of the local houses are built of similar materials, or that there is a particular
land-use that dominates.
This surface character is determined by a number of factors, but underlying them all is the geology
that lies beneath: the parent rock that ‘gives birth’ to the landscape that develops above it.
Recent curriculum changes have re-introduced elements of geology, particularly aspect sof
weathering, to Key Stage 3, but there has always been an element of geology in ‘AS’ and ‘A level’
Geography courses, and other similar qualifications.
This activity explores the way that Digimap for Colleges can be combined with other resources to
explore the geology that may be hidden beneath other layers, to consider how the geology
contributes to landscapes becoming distinctive and different.
Context
There are two rocks that are most often named on exam specifications: limestone and granite.
The former is a sedimentary rock, which results in a landscape known as karst: with little surface
drainage, uneven landscape, surface outcrops, and features which result from differential
weathering of the surface by acidic rainfall. Rock scars are found, caves lie beneath the surface, and
lots of shake holes or pot holes will be marked on the map.
The latter is an igneous rock, which may be covered by surface deposits, but produces distinctive
landscape features where it is exposed to rainwater, such as tors, which will line the steep edges of
upland areas. There will be more surface drainage, but also large areas of bog and heather
moorland.
Photo of Dartmoor tors
http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
Limestone
Granite
© Crown Copyright and Database Right 2014. Ordnance Survey (Digimap Licence)
Enquiry Question
Where does the rock below the surface create distinctive landforms above the surface ?
Limestone and granite both result in distinctive landscapes. These can be seen when visiting the
locations which are underlain by these rocks.
Rather than tell students what these landscapes are like, students should be asked to develop some
ideas of their own, and produce an illustrated guide to each of the two rock types, perhaps in the
form of an ‘I-Spy’ type guide book.
Starter
Let’s see what these landscapes look like first of all.
Visit ‘Malham’ in the Yorkshire Dales (enter the name into the search box) and explore the mapping
by changing the scale.
Watch this Vimeo video, which starts in the village, and then heads for Malham cove.
http://vimeo.com/30463935
Visit ‘Top Tor’ on Dartmoor (enter the name into the search box) and explore the mapping by
changing the scale.
Watch these Vimeo videos, which show Dartmoor.
http://vimeo.com/2227861 and http://vimeo.com/82642494
Question for discussion: What similarities do you notice between the two landscapes?
Activity
http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
Locate the Yorkshire Dales and Dartmoor on a UK Geology map.
Students will be asked to produce an illustrated guide to each of the two rock types, perhaps in the
form of an ‘I-Spy’ type guide book. This needs to include the following information:
a) a small map showing the location of the Yorkshire Dales and Dartmoor
b) annotated maps showing features found in each of these areas along with a brief description
of these features and a named location where they can be found
c) at least three examples of people making use of these landscapes, shown on a map
d) a front cover with a bold image of the appropriate area
The maps should also include images of some of the features, sourced from a location which
provides Creative Commons licensed images:
Resources
1. Geology Map of the UK (see Geology Detectives sheet for more details on how to access these)
2. Images of both areas
e.g. Geograph website: http://www.geograph.org.uk
or SAGT Flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sagt/sets/72157623320563104
3. Geology Detectives sheet
When we are using Ordnance Survey maps, there may be clues that we can use to identify the rocktype that lies beneath the surface. Ordnance Survey maps don’t provide geological information
directly. We need to look for what is not there as well as what is represented in the symbols. Place
names can also give clues sometimes.
4. The Digimap for Colleges website
Tip
When using Digimap for Colleges, remember that you can access a key for the scale of the map that
is currently being displayed, using the box in the left hand column.
© Crown Copyright and
Database Right 2014.
Ordnance Survey (Digimap
Licence)
http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
5. Awarding body specification documents
Teachers should check that the appropriate terms required for the exam questions that students are
going to be answering are included in these booklets. There may be specific requests for land-use, or
features above and below ground. See the Word Cloud later in the document for some suggestions.
Adding pictures
In the new Flickr interface, click on a picture that you would like to add to the map, and it will be
displayed as shown below. Click the downward arrow in the bottom right to gain a range of options
for sizes. The best size is Square 150x150 , but you can also opt for other larger sizes.
Add the images using the Annotation Tool – these can be repositioned, or modified (e.g. changing
the size and colour of text) using the Modify buttons.
© Crown Copyright and Database Right 2014. Ordnance Survey (Digimap Licence)
Plenary: Spot the location
One way to assess whether students are now clear on the nature of the rock would be to show a
series of small map extracts created using Digimap for Colleges, and be asked to say whether they
are limestone or granite and provide an explanation as to why. Images from the Geograph website
could also be used to assess this understanding.
http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
Discussion question: What are the differences in the way that the rock has shaped the landscape in
the two areas?
Word Cloud
This contains a range of features, which are found in either limestone or granite landscapes (or
both). It could be used as a prompt for some of the features to be included in the guidebooks.
Further Reading
A number of books have been written on the general geology of the UK, which make mention of
limestone and granite:
‘The Hidden Landscape’ – Richard Fortey (Pimlico, 1993)
‘The Making of the English Landscapes’ – W.G. Hoskins (Penguin, 1985)
Students could also usefully read about the Ten Tors challenge, which takes place on Dartmoor each
year to get a flavour for how the landscape can be dangerous: http://www.tentors.org.uk/
National Park websites – both have education resources
Yorkshire Dales: http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/
Dartmoor: http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/
http://digimapforcolleges.edina.ac.uk
©EDINA at the University of Edinburgh 2014
This work is licensed under a Create Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License