Animas High School Earth Systems Science Capstone Project Description
Project Overview:
Your goal is to compile a descriptive field guide that illustrates and explains the geology along your
favorite stretch of road or trail in the Durango area. Your intended audience should be students and
adults who want to learn more about local geology. During you final class this semester, you will give a
10 minute presentation, to a group of freshman science students, describing what you have learned
about your chosen area. You will turn in your written guide at this time as well.
Learning Objectives:
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Students will use professional (peer reviewed) resources to conduct research
Students will locate appropriate materials for trail guide
Students will use USGS and CGS resources on the web
Students will understand the principal of superposition
Students will identify possible depositional environments for their area based on observations of
sedimentary structures
Students will demonstrate understanding of the principle of uniformitarianism
Students Will create a stratigraphic column
Students will use graphic design software to create a geologic trail guide
Students will read and interpret a geologic map
Students will understand local geology and geomorphology
Students will apply paleogeographic reconstruction to modern landscape
Procedure and timeline:
By week 1: Select a section of road or trail from of the list of possibilities (or come up with your own!!)
In class on 3/31/2014 you will tell your instructor where you will be studying.
By week 3: (Spring break!!): Drive, hike, bike, run, saunter, amble, or somehow navigate your route to
become familiar with the geology. Use topographic maps to navigate and geologic maps to know what
you are looking at. You will want to travel you rout several times over the course of the project to
adequately obtain the knowledge you’ll need to complete the assignment. Take pictures and hand
samples of different rock formations and features you encounter, noting where you took the picture and
sample. Labeled samples will be helpful references for you once you are back at home/in class. You
should always have a topo map, geologic map, compass, and/or GPS unit. You will be asked to turn in
your photos and samples from your field visits on 4/2/14.
By week 5: You will identify the geologic formations that are found along your segment of road or trail
and learn everything about them that you can (ex: name, origin of formation name, rock type, origin,
age, composition, special features, paleogeolgoraphy, paleoclimate, etc) Use resources such as geologic
maps, regional geologic guidebooks, the internet, USGS NGMDB, GeoLex, local experts, your instructor
to gain this knowledge. Start compiling the information you find into a booklet that graphically and
verbally explains the basic geologic story of your route. On 4/10/14 you will be asked to show your
instructor the geologic maps you are using in your study area, along with the portion of topographic
map you are using to navigate.
Your Final Product, Due 4/28/2014
A booklet containing at least 4 pages of 1.5 spaced text plus:
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A topographic base map showing your route
A geologic map that contains your route
A Stratigraphic Column showing the formations present in your study area
Paleogeographic images from Blakey’s website showing the time periods when rocks in your
study area were formed
Photographs of each formation
References
Your 4 pages of text should start with a summary that describes your route’s general geology and
highlights the most interesting features you found. The rest of your text should include descriptions
in the style of a field guide, starting from the beginning of your route and progressing to your ending
point. Describe landscapes that are visible, discuss geologic features along the way, and include
photos of formations and samples when appropriate. Try to verbally illustrate what the landscape
was like when the rocks you are discussing were formed. Take your audience on a miniature field
trip with you, and make your descriptions detailed enough that someone else could use your
booklet as a field guide.
Grading:
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Checkpoints (75 points)
25 points for meeting each checkpoint on time with appropriate materials
Route selection (3/31/2014)
Photos from the field (4/2/14)
Geologic and Topographic maps (4/10/14)
Written report (300 pts)
Required components (75total points, 15 possible for each of the following:
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At least 4 pages of text, not including figures
Topographic base map showing your route, including scale and north arrow
Geologic map zoomed into your area, including legend
Stratigraphic column with relevant formations, ages and descriptions
Paleogeogrphic images from appropriate time periods, labeled
Photos from the field with captions
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References in a bibliography, with in text citation
Quality of Text (135 points total, 45 for each of the following):
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Content is geologically meaningful. You thoroughly describe your routes’ landscapes,
formations, and histories at an appropriate level for your audience
Writing is well-organized and easy to understand. The structure of your sentences, paragraphs
and overall report is excellent.
There are very few grammatical errors
Goal Achieved (60 total points, 30 for each of the following:
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Someone with no prior knowledge of geology could use your field guide to learn more about the
geology of your route or region. Your filed guide would make them want to take this course!!
You successfully applied your new knowledge from this course to a local rout or trail, made
scientific interpretations of what you observed and synthesized this information into a coherent
and interesting field guide.
Presentation (120 total, 20 points for each of the following):
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Length: At least 10 minutes, no more than 15
Style: Creative presentation method that expressed your strengths and interests
Content : You described what you studied, saw and did at an appropriate level of detail
Organization: Presentation had a logical order and clear transitions
Presence: Appropriate posture, eye contact, volume and stance
Passion: you expressed and shared your enthusiasm
Route Suggestions for Field Guide
Local Trails:
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FLC Rim Trail
Hourse Gulch trail to Medow Loop
Horse Gulch trail, Raider Ridge
Horse Gulch trail, Telegraph Hill
Sale Barn Trail, South Rim
Animas Mountain Trail
Durango Mountain Park
Falls Creek (CR 205 past Capman)
Junction Creek –Colorado Trail
Log Chutes
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Hermosa Creek
Haflin Creek
Dahla Mountain Park
Colorado Trail at Molas Lake
Mitchell Lakes Trail
DMR
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Interesting Roads
CR 250 N, Bread to Trimble ln
CR 250 N from Trimble ln to Bakers Bridge
HWY3
Hwy 160 west to lightner Creek rd
Hwy 160 to D. West
CR 141 to Rafter J
CR 211-212 Smelter roads and trails
CR 213 from Home depot to Bodo
CR 205 Falls Creek/Hidden Valley
CR 201, Hermosa Creek Rd to Campground
Laplata canyon
Date
3/31/14
Learning Objective
Students will understand the
expectations of the project and
begin researching materials for the
Trail Guide pamphlet
Students will locate appropriate
materials for trail guide
Learning Activity
We will review the project overview independently
and discuss as a group. Students will be given list of
helpful websites including: USGS NGMDB, USGS
GEOlex, CGS, Topo map resources
We will make official selection of the local trail and
make sure no one is covering the same area
(checkpoint #1, 25pts) After making selection
studnets will begin to gather topo maps and
correlate geologic map
4/02/14
Students will locate appropriate
materials for trail guide
4/03/14
Students will use professional (peer
reviewed) resources to conduct
research
4/04/14
Students will use USGS and CGS
resources on the web
4/07/14
Students will understand the
principal of superposition
4/08/14
Students Will create a stratigraphic
column
4/09/14
Students will demonstrate
understanding of the principle of
uniformitarianism
4/10/14
Students will identify possible
depositional environments for their
area based on observations of
sedimentary structures
Students will apply paleogeographic
reconstruction to modern landscape
By the end of class students should have topo map
of trail, and geologic map of area. Students should
begin correlating the geologic units on the map to
those encountered on the trail
We will explore the web resources available and
print resources. I will model navigating the NGMDB,
Geoloex, and CGS websites. We will find resources
for Durango west Quadrangle together, students will
work independently to find peer reviewed resources
Building on the lesson before, students will conduct
independent research. I will check in with them
individually to monitor progress
We will use the USGS Graded Bedding Activity in the
class room. We will also look at some cross-sections
and identify the units chronologically.
We will make a stratigraphic column based on the
results of the graded bedding activity. If time allows
we will go outside and measure a section using the
Jacobs staff.
We will take a soil column from Lightner creek and
compare it to stratigraphic column created from the
graded bedding activity. We will begin a discussion
of sedimentary structures. (The present is key to the
past) Ex: ripple marks, graded bedding, etc
We will use web and book resources to compile a list
of possible sedimentary structures and their
associated depositional environments
4/01/14
4/11/14
4/14/14
Students will read and interpret a
geologic map
Students will understand local
Using Ron Blakey’s website, we will identify what the
paleogeography was like at the time of deposition.
This map will be included in pamphlet, and will
depend on the time period of deposition.
We will go into the field and use geologic map, topo
map and observation to create field notes:
Monday- Ellie
geology and geomorphology
4/15/14
Students will read and interpret a
geologic map
Students will understand local
geology and geomorphology
Students will read and interpret a
geologic map
Students will understand local
geology and geomorphology
Tues: Jess
4/17/14
Students will read and interpret a
geologic map
Students will understand local
geology and geomorphology
Alley
4/18/14
Students will take field notes and
revise information for the report
Students will use graphic design
software to create pamphlet
We will take the field notes and pictures and
samples and revise information
Roxy will guest lecture
4/16/14
4/21/14
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4/22/14
4/22/144/24/14
4/28/14
Write, revise and create pamphlet
Students will present their projects
to freshman and prepare for
exhibition
Wed: Kaleb