TEACHING PRINCIPLES OF RELATIVE DATING IN RELATIONSHIP TO EVERDAY ACTIVITIES

The principles of relative dating when explained in relationship to day to day activities make learning them interesting and enjoyable for the students taking introductory geology-earth science courses. The paper establishes principles of relative dating, such as superposition, lateral continuity, faulting/cross-cutting, original horizontality, inclusions, and intrusions, in terms of establishing the sequence from the oldest to youngest. The explanations used in class involved were varied. The principle explained is provided in parenthesis at the end of the explanation. The principles explained are as follows: 1) The first example involved constructing a building five stories high. It was explained that to start with the project, one must start with the foundation, followed by the first, second, and third floors. So by the time the second floor is constructed, the construction of the first is already completed making it older than second and subsequently for the third and fourth as well (superposition). 2) The other example used was the folding of papers. To fold papers, the papers had to be present, thereby making the paper older than the act of folding them (original horizontality). 3) To cut a log of wood, the wood had to be present, in order for it to be cut, therefore, rendering the log of wood to be older than the act of cutting (faulting/cross-cutting). 4) To put books in a book bag, the book bag has to be present in order to put the books in it. This makes the book bag older and the books younger (intrusions). 5) To put pens and pencils in a case, the pens and pencils had to be present prior to them being included in the case, which makes the pens and pencils to be older as compared to the case (inclusions). The geology-earth science classes at The University of Akron Wayne College worked on hypothetical and real life geologic formation cross sections. After explanation of the principles in relationship to day to day activities-situations, the success rate in obtaining the correct sequence of events for both hypothetical and real life situations was 97% in comparison to explaining the principles without examples. The high number represented the success of the explanations used in class.