Sequencingofrockswhatwastheorderofevents.docVIP

Sequencing of rocks: what was the order of events?: teachers’ notes Level This activity is designed for students aged 14-16. English National Curriculum reference 4.3.2r ACCAC (Wales) reference 4.3.2.25 AQA modular (3468) reference 15.4 AQA linear (3462) reference 11.9 Edexcel modular (1536) reference 9.25 Edexcel linear (1522) reference C6.17 OCR A (1983) reference 3.7.12 OCR B (1977) reference CD3 OCR C (1974) reference 3.2.6.12 Topic These activities are aimed at teaching students about the evidence that the order of rocks in a sequence tells us about the relative timing of their formation. Description Students use layers of coloured sand and of coloured paper to simulate the sequencing involved in the formation of layers of rock. Combining this activity with the Volcano in the lab. activity about formation of igneous rock, enables the idea of cross-cutting of older rocks by younger rocks to be shown. Context It is assumed that students have grasped the concepts of weathering and erosion of pre-existing rocks into particles the transport of particles by water the formation of sedimentary rocks how magma cuts through layers of rock when moving from depth towards the surface. If the activity is not to be done at the same time as the Volcano in the lab. activity, then it would also be useful if students could recall having seen this activity to model the formation of igneous rock. At the end of the activities students should understand that rocks lower in a sequence are usually older than ones that are higher up. They should also understand that a rock that cuts through another is younger than the one it cuts through. Teaching points Students will probably have an intuitive grasp that something lower down must have been put there before something on top of it. These activities reinforce this idea. The aim of Activities 1a and 1b is to introduce students to the idea of rock sequences and hence to understand why layers lower down in a rock sequence must have been