Around
Virginia….
To BE or not to BE……an Earth Science
teacher.
Most earth science teachers have a
degree in one type of earth
science….geology, oceanography,
astronomy….or maybe just another
science in general.
In Virginia, there is a shortage of Earth
Science teachers….so I joined a group of
teachers at the Math and Science Center
to get my license to become an Earth
Science teacher.
This is my story…..
To become certified to
teach Earth Science, I had
to take several
classes….astronomy,
oceanography,
meteorology….but the
most important was
Geology – both general and
Virginia geology. This
meant we would have to
travel around the state to
see examples of how
Virginia has changed over
the last billion years or
so….
And it’s changed….a LOT!
So Let’s GO!
In this virtual field trip, you will be ‘visiting’ each
physiographic province (a geological term for region) of
Virginia. You can go in any order you wish – just click on
the links like you would a website and read about each
province, as well as see pictures and real-life examples
from MY trip around Virginia!
Or Click on my
picture to get an
explanation of how
Virginia formed!
Choose 1 of
Virginia’s Regions
Coastal
Plain
Appalachian
Plateau
Valley and Ridge
Blue Ridge
Piedmont
Virginia’s Geologic History
OKAY….this can get complicated….so focus!
Let’s go back 1.2 Billion years….there is an ancient ocean
separating North America and Africa….BUT ‘suddenly’
(meaning over millions of years) the ocean starts to close as the 2
massive continents start to move together
And BAM
North America and Africa connect to form a huge
supercontinent…over the next 340 million years or so,
they slowly separate, leaving a huge proto (old) ocean
where limestone deposits (and fossils from the ocean
animals that formed the limestone) are left behind
Then……
VA Geologic History
BAM
Africa returns! And this time with
FORCE – Africa slams into the
eastern part of the United States.
The ground crumples up, like an
accordion and the Appalachian
Mountains, along with our Blue
Ridge Mountains, form. Take a look
at the satellite pic – see how the
ground crumpled up?
VA Geologic History
So that’s where our Blue Ridge Mountains came
from….AND where our limestone deposits came
from (they’re important to the formation of the Valley and
Ridge Region).
But what about the Piedmont?
And the Coastal Plain?
Why are THEY the way they are?
Click on the license plate to go back to the Virginia Map to find out!
Coastal Plain
Our visit to the Coastal Plain starts with taking
a look at the sediments that make it up!
It is a terraced
landscape, meaning
that it has lots of
different sedimentary
layers
Check it out – close up! See the fossils?
But Where Did Those Sediments Come
From?
Over time, the Appalachian Mountains and
Blue Ridge Mountains, millions of years old,
are weathering and eroding away. The
sediments – sand, silt and clay - that make up
the Coastal Plain are the remains of those
mountains! Along with what has been left
over from rising and falling sea levels!
This weathered and eroded soil is what
makes the Coastal Plain a pretty flat
area….good for growing crops!
Fossils!
That’s me!
Sea creatures make GREAT fossils!
Fossils include various
marine organisms like
clams, scallops, sharks
teeth, and other hard
remains – from the
Paleozoic, Mesozoic,
and Cenozoic eras
What do we get from the Coastal Plain?
We get sand and
gravel from the
Coastal Plain….
which is used for
paving, making
concrete, and glass
making
Back to the map
Piedmont
Travel to the Piedmont!
• This is OUR region!
• It is an area of rolling hills
with ancient igneous and
metamorphic rock
• It is the largest of the
provinces
The Piedmont is the
region where the
sands of the Coastal
Plain meets the
metamorphic rock that
was created when
Africa separated from
North America
My geology professor
is trying to explain to
the confused jail guard
why we are here…..
Piedmont
This is my geology class
checking out an old shoreline
left over from millions of year
ago when the Coastal Plain was
just starting to form….right
across from the Richmond Jail
Mining the Piedmont
High quality slate is mined
from this area
The Piedmont also has one
of the world’s largest
kyanite mines – used for
ceramics and making
panels for the space shuttle
Us
checking
out Kyanite
at a mine
Also provides crushed
stone that is used for
concrete and paving
Back to the map
Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Facts
The billion year old
igneous and
metamorphic rocks
are the oldest in the
state (1.2 billion years old)
Formed when Africa first connected
to eastern side of North America
Blue Ridge Facts
It is a high, thin ridge
separating the Piedmont
from the Valley and Ridge
province – contains the
highest mountain in the state
– Mt. Rogers near Roanoke
This is
where
the
Shen.
Nat’l
Park is
located!
Hiking
with
family
in Blue
Ridge
Blue Ridge –
Evidence of
Geological
Craziness!
These are pictures from Eagle
Rock – they carved away at
the rock to build a road….and
this is what they saw
You can see how the rock was
literally squished so much
that it turned over on itself –
you can tell that something
BIG had to happen to move
all this rock
Valley and Ridge Province
Valley and Ridge
The Valley and Ridge
Province is an area of long
parallel ridges and valleys
with ancient folded and
faulted sedimentary rocks
under them
Ridges are sandstone
Valleys are limestone
Driving through Valley and
Ridge province
Limestone outcrops are
also common in the
Valley and Ridge
Province
Remember the ancient
sea that existed in VA
millions of years ago
from the geological
history of VA? THIS is
where all that
limestone came from –
deposits from ancient
shelled organisms
That is why this area is famous for….
KARST topography!
Remember….forma
tion of caves,
sinkholes, etc.
Resources from Valley and Ridge
• Limestone is mined and used for….
– Construction
– Crushed stone
– Concrete
– Steel making
• Shale (used in cement)
• Gypsum (used in insulation and drywall)
• Natural Gas / Oil (very small amounts)
Appalachian Plateau
Appalachian Plateau Facts
• The Appalachian Plateau has rugged,
irregular topography and has ancient,
flat-lying sedimentary rocks
• Has some shallow, marine fossils
Appalachian Plateau Facts
What dark
rock do you
see in the
background?
Virginia Coal
• Most of Virginia's
coal is found in the
Appalachian
Plateau
• It’s the only real
fossil fuel found in
VA in numerous
amounts