Geology Menu Project
You must choose to complete assignments from this menu. You must gather 25 pts
with the assignments that you complete. I am happy to guide you to and through
assignments that I think would be good for you to work on. This is a project grade.
This is due Tuesday October 19, 2010.
Breakfast
1. Choose 5 cities from around the world (each city must be in a different country) and give the
correct longitude and latitude for each city. ………………………………… 4 pts
2. Vocabulary: Choose 20 vocabulary words from our geology unit to define. ……2 pts
3. Landform Formation Chart: Create a chart that includes all landforms discussed, a picture of
each landform, and an explanation of how each was formed. ………… 5 pts
4. EOG Practice: Acquire (from teacher) a set of practice EOG questions. You must answer at
least 85% correctly to be awarded full points for item. …………………. 6 pts
Lunch
5. Landform & Geography Collage: Create a collage (must be larger than 8½ x 11 paper)
connecting landforms and geology. Your collage must show at least 5 famous landforms and
their locations around the world. ……………………………………… 7 pts
6. Landsat 5 has 30m pixel resolution. Each pixel records light for an area 30x30m. Landsat 7
has 15 m resolution. Write at least ½ page that describes the relation between pixels and
resolution. Also, compare the image resolution of Landsat 5 and Landsat 7. (Be sure to
double-space.) ………………………………………………… 10 pts
7. Draw a reflectance curve using the following data……………………………………11 pts
a. 50% of wavelength 0.5 m is reflected
b. 80% of wavelength 0.6 m is reflected
c. 60% of wavelength 0.7 m is reflected
d. 20% of wavelength 1.6 m is reflected
8. Acquire a topographic map and answer the following questions about your map.6 pts
a. What is the location of your map?
b. What is the highest elevation on your map? Lowest elevation?
c. What is the relief of your map?
d. What is the contour interval of your map?
e. Does your map consist mostly of steep slopes (yes or no)?
9. Trip Itinerary: Create an itinerary for an exciting trip around the world. Your itinerary must visit
at least 5 time zones other than our own and you must cross the International Date Line at
least once. Remember to include what time zone you are in, arrival times, departure times,
and activities at the various locations that you will visit. Remember that science is always
detailed and precise! …………………… 15 pts
10. Evolution of a Landform Flow Chart: Choose 1 famous landform and explain how its has
changed over time using pictures and words in the form of a flow
chart……………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 pts
Entrees
11. Topographic Map:Choose one mountain from anywhere around the world and create a
topographic map of that landform. ………………………………………20 pts
12. Research the history of remote sensing. Create a timeline of the developments in remote
sensing throughout history…………………………………………………....18 pts
13. Daylight Savings Time:Research Daylight Savings Time and write a one page paper about the
impact that DST has on time zone differences in the U.S. Your paper must be typed, doublespace, in Times New Roman, and in 12 pt font. …..…… 21 pts
14. Travel Brochure: Create a travel brochure which lays out (very descriptively) organisms that
can be found in your chosen location and how those organisms have adapted to survive and
thrive there. (Must be in color w/ pictures and words.)..19 pts
15. Investigate the process of fossilization. Scientists often study the decay of today’s organisms
to understand which animals from the past could become fossils and to help interpret the
marks seen on those fossils. Prepare a poster that discusses how current organisms can
provide information on ancient fossils…17 pts
16. Obtain a map of the United States. On that map mark location of at least 10 different types of
replacement fossils. At each location label the type of replacement fossil that has been or
could be found there……………………………………………16 pts
17. Breaking news report. You and your team have just discovered the Burgess Shale dinosaur
nests. Put together a news report (to either be performed in class or recorded and given to
teacher) that addresses the ecological insights that are now available from these
discoveries………………………………………………………..….22 pts
18. Uniformitarianism: Research and write a brief (1 pg, typed, double-spaced) report about
uniformitarianism and the contributions of James Hutton, John Playfair, and Sir Charles
Lyell……………………………………………………………..21 pts
Desserts
19. Prepare a list of index fossils for North America, including the periods in which they are
found……………………………………………………………………………………5 pts
20. Unconformity Models: using different colors of clay, create a model of each type of
unconformity…………………………………………………………………………...8 pts
21. Superposition collage: Create a collage of at least 5 different pictures which exhibit correct
superposition. Each picture must have the youngest rock layer and oldest rock layer labeled,
as well as the location of the formation…………………..6 pts
22. Double-bubble map: create a double-bubble map which compares and contrasts absolute
dating and relative dating…………………………………………….4 pts
23. Calculate absolute age: The half-life of potassium-40 is 1.3 billion years. An igneous rock is
found with 25% potassium-40 and 75% daughter product. Calculate the absolute age of this
rock. Be sure to show all work……………………………….2 pts
24. Geography and the Geologic Time Scale: Periods on the geologic time scale are often named
for regions where the rocks of the age were first studied or are widely exposed. Use your
inference skills to answer the following questions………..……..1 pt
a. Where were rocks of the Pennsylvanian Period first studied or widely exposed?
b. Which period represents rocks first studied in the Jura Mountains between France and
Switzerland?
25. Carnivore or Hervivore: Obtain pictures or models of at least 3 different dinosaurs and decide
whether they were meat or plant eaters. Describe what characteristics helped you make your
decision and why………………………………3 pts