WRITING IN THE EARTH SCIENCES: USING FIELD TRIPS TO DEVELOP WRITING AND RESEARCH SKILLS IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Developing writing skills is essential for the academic success of future college students. In the Geology 1-2 college preparatory class at Schurr High School, students write research reports summarizing their field trip experiences. These reports consist of four major parts: An introduction, a technical questions section, a conclusion and a bibliography. The introduction contains a geological background, significance of the area of study, and a map of the field trip stop or stops. This is usually derived from the Internet and is completed prior to the field study. The primary focus of the report is the technical questions section, in which students address the key concepts of the field trip. This section is derived from questions given on a handout the day of the field trip, which are discussed while the students take notes. The conclusion section of the report includes both a summary of what was learned during the field study, and a student evaluation of the trip. The bibliography contains all sources used for the report, including the Internet and any written publications. This exercise provides an excellent opportunity for high school students to develop their writing, Internet research, and note-taking skills. Formulating each section of the report requires students to clarify their understanding of content in order to express their knowledge of the material clearly. These are skills which are critical to all academic areas in high school, college and beyond.