PENINSULAR RANGES BATHOLITH TEACHING SUITE: A PETROLOGY LABORATORY CASE STUDY OF CONTINENTAL MARGIN MAGMATISM

Too many geology departments suffer from lack of high quality laboratory materials as instructional aids in introductory undergraduate petrology and geochemistry courses. Laboratory exercises that utilize rock suites particular to specific modern geologic environments are an important approach in geoscience education that helps to overcome the fragmentary spatial/temporal perspective typically afforded by the geologic record. The goal of this student-based project is to establish a reference suite of rocks and teaching materials for the Peninsular Ranges batholith, a classic circum-Pacific continental margin batholith segment, which will be made available to other geology departments by purchase or trade. The PRB suite is based on a transect across the northern part of the batholith in the San Diego region where the structure, petrology, and geophysical characteristics of the batholith are particularly well-documented. It is being designed as a flexible vehicle that can be used in introductory or upper division undergraduate courses, as well as in local middle school and high school programs for place-based earth science education. The suite consists of 24 samples that capture the petrologic diversity and evolution of the batholith and includes the major plutonic rock types as well as a sampling of prebatholithic framework rocks and supracrustal volcanic sequences. Supplementary materials include a petrologic data base with problem sets illustrating the interpretation of data for plutonic and metamorphic rocks. A virtual field tour of the PRB will be keyed to the suite including digital maps of the geology and geophysics. This project will enhance undergraduate research opportunities at SDSU and support student travel to meetings.