GEOLOGY ALONG THE MOOSE RIVER: HANDS-ON STANDARDS-BASED LESSONS FOR ON-LINE OR ON-SITE MIDDLE SCHOOL GEOSCIENCE FIELD STUDY

We are developing a series of web-based inquiry-driven lessons designed primarily for middle school students and focused on the geology along the Moose River in Granby, VT. This state-protected land is an excellent natural resource for local schools because it is reasonably accessible, and the best sites for middle school geoscience lessons are spectacular and easy to find. The website serves either as a field guide for trips to the Moose River including hands-on activities in the field, or as a stand-alone classroom resource for teachers and students. The curriculum is organized around a series of questions students might have about the geology of the Moose River, such as “Why does the river twist and turn?” and “Why do the rocks have stripes?” Detailed Standards-based responses identify and explain concepts, and embedded links encourage further exploration of tangential topics. Simple inexpensive classroom activities engage students in hands-on exploration and enhance scientific inquiry skills such as observation and critical thinking. Questions prompting further thought suggest avenues for individual research. This project explores a way to make state lands more accessible to the public and geoscience more meaningful to students by tying learning to their local landscape.