GeoNeed - Northern Environmental Education Development

Movie: The Burren’s Archaeology & History

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:59:43 +0000

Movie: The Burren’s Geology and Landscape

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:53:21 +0000

The Burren’s Geology and Landscape movie:

Farm Heritage Tours – The Burren

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:07:54 +0000

This educational resource is designed for members of the Clare Farm Heritage Tours Co-op. Guided Farm Tours are both educational and fun, allowing you to learn about the Burren landscape – direct from the people who live and work in the Burren.

There is simply no guide like a local guide!

The Farm Tours are both educational and fun, allowing visitors to hear about the landscape of the The farm tours are provided by individual landowners, who share their inherent wealth of knowledge about local history and archaeology, landscape heritage, and farming practices (both old and new), as well as innumerable anecdotes and tales about the Burren and its people.

Contact

Clare Farm Heritage Tours Co-op
Michael Cusack Centre
Carron
Co. Clare

Tel.        +353 (0) 65 7089944 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +353 (0) 65 7089944 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Email.   heritagetours.co.op@gmail.com
Web.   www.farmheritagetours.com

Photos:

Learning Resources:

Download geo-education learning activity maps, Google Earth maps and worksheets.

Download Burren Geology Map
Rocks of the Burren Word Puzzle: Download Worksheet 5 – Burren Rocks

What are those Fossils in the Rocks?

Download – Fossils of the Burren PDF

The Burren Centre: Geo-Education

geoneed_web1 — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:37:57 +0000

The Burren Centre in Kilfenora is a wonderful place to embark on a trip through the history of the Burren’s natural and cultural landscape. Learn about the ancient creatures that lived in the sea over 300 million years ago – and how their fossils are now visible in the Burren’s limestone rocks. You can get an insight into the great ice ages through which the landscape was covered in thick ice sheets – and how human settlers arrived in the last 8,000 years.

Staff at the Burren Centre will assist you with educational materials and activities.

Click here for Burren Centre contact details

Examples of Geo-Education Resources:

Please contact the Burren Centre for further information and assistance with GeoNEED educational resources and activities – examples of which are shown here:

Downloads Maps and Worksheets Here:

Download geo-education learning activity maps and worksheets.

Learn how to read the Geology Map of the Burren:

GPS Coordinates

52.990194° -9.216664°

Google Earth Bedrock Map of Storjord

norway — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 13:08:43 +0000

Norwegian Geological Survey has mapped the area of Storjord with bedrock details. The map can be wieved in google earth here.

Download Storjord Bedrock Geology Map (KML)

The geology of Storjord – Movie

norway — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 06:56:36 +0000

Storjords geology has been described by Norwegian geological survey. This information has been used to make a animation movie on the extreme events that happened after the last ice age. Also it is made a brochure which covers the whole area of Storjord, and informes about the geological highlights of Storjord. Both the brochure and the movie is available at Nordland national park center.

You can also see the movie here:

River processes: Learning module

norway — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:23:19 +0000

This study module is related to the Nordland National Park Centre and its close surroundings. The area has many interesting Geological features and cultural monuments from earlier times. The module is aimed at understanding a Geological phenomenon in nature, river terraces, and their formation based upon using a Geo Lab installation. The valley, Saltdalen, has very many river terraces which is easy to see and access.

Fluvial (river) terraces are elongate terraces that flank the sides of floodplains and fluvial valleys all over the world. They consist of a relatively level strip of land, called a “tread,” separated from either an adjacent floodplain, other fluvial terraces or uplands by distinctly steeper strips of land called “risers.” These terraces lie parallel to and above the river channel and its floodplain. Because of the manner in which they form, fluvial terraces are underlain by fluvial sediments of highly variable thickness.

Fluvial terraces are the remnants of earlier floodplains that existed at a time when either a stream or river was flowing at a higher elevation before its channel down cut to create a new floodplain at a lower elevation. Changes in elevation can be due to changes in the base level (elevation of the lowest point in the fluvial system, usually the drainage basin) of the fluvial system, which leads to head ward erosion along the length of either a stream or river, gradually lowering its elevation. For example, down cutting by a river can lead to increased velocity of a tributary, causing that tributary to erode toward its headwaters. Terraces can also be left behind when the volume of the fluvial flow declines due to changes in climate, typical of areas, which were covered by ice during periods of glaciations, and their adjacent drainage basins (Source Wikipedia).

Downloads

Download River processes – Teachers handbook

Download River processes – Work sheets 1a

Download River processes – Work sheets 1b

Download River processes – Work sheets 2a

Download River processes – Work sheets 2b

Hollows in the ground : Learning module

norway — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:09:20 +0000

This module focuses on the first four types of hollows. It is important that the teacher lets the students explore the sites without giving out any fixed answers. The sequence of the sites in the nature trail is given to the students as GPS coordinates. They must themselves navigate to the sites. By building up knowledge about bedrock and the workings of the glaciers, and past human settlements in the area, students will have a keener eye for details in nature. Reading maps, using GPSs and studying the terrain foster physical skills when moving through different landscapes.

Basic skills are also developed through this module. Students practice expressing themselves orally when working in groups and writing when recording findings. They must describe their own experiences and observations from nature after formulating questions and hypotheses. Natural science terms and concepts are used when working. Arguing for one’s own assessments and giving constructive feedback is important in the natural science subject. The last activity in this module is reporting findings by using digital tools for publication.

Documents

Download Hollows in the ground – Teachers handbook

Download Hollows in the ground – worksheets

The Burren, Ireland

geoneed_web1 — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:51:54 +0000

General info

The Burren is located in northwest County Clare, on Ireland’s western coastline, and is a superb example of a glaciokarst landscape. The region is underlain by limestone, a soluble rock, which has dissolved to form an array of unusual surface and underground landforms that have been modified by the effects of glaciation. The Burren covers an area of approximately 360 km2 and is bounded to the north by Galway Bay, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by a distinctive scarp in the landscape and to the south by the boundary with different rock types (shales, siltstones and sandstones).

Examples of glaciokarst landforms in the Burren include limestone pavements, dolines and uvalas (enclosed depressions), gorges, springs, swallowholes (where streams disappear underground), dry valleys (no longer occupied by rivers), caves, glacial striae, glacial erratics, turloughs (seasonal lakes) and karren (small-scale hollows and channels on the limestone surface). These natural features are superimposed by a multitude of archaeological monuments spanning thousands of years and sequester a rich flora. The whole effect is to generate a vast, varied, remarkably beautiful and wild landscape treasured by local inhabitants and visitors alike

Geology of the North Vatnajökull Area

geoneed_web1 — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:26:03 +0000

At Egilsstaðir Upper Secondary School geology teachers have designed a semester-long geo-science education module that consists of a three-day-long field trip in the highlands north of Vatnajökull and meetings once a week for 14 weeks, where the students process their findings and plan their research. Students prepare their researchwork and present it in a short conference at the end of the semester.
This module is aimed at graduation students aged 17-20, having natural science as a major and it‘s main goals are:

to introduce the students to the area
to give students insight to geological fieldwork and research
to experience the highland surroundings and the nature of the area.

Each research group:

covers and discusses one main volcano or glacier from the main ice sheet in the area, through observation and written references
samples a specimen from one glacial river and measures the amount of alluvial sediments to estimatethe glacial erosion from the bedrock
takes one cross section of soil with tephra layers and determines from which eruptions they came, to determine soil thickening speed e.t.c.
One group creates a rock collection and tries to determine bedrock erosion from secondary minerals
Another group covers glaciers and glaciation in the area
The third group covers volcanic formations, rock types, pyroclastic forms etc.

Specimen sampling is in consult with the rangers at Vatnajökull National Park.

The aim of the study module is to offer it as a guest course at other secondary schools in Iceland.

Photos

Learning Resources

Ásbyrgi – Outdoor Teaching Course

geoneed_web1 — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:08:04 +0000

The course is aimed at teachers working in early secondary education up to university entrance level. It may also be suitable for park wardens and others involved in public education outdoors. The course’s purpose is to introduce participants to the principles of outdoor teaching and give them practical skills in teaching elements of geology. The objective is to use experiential methods and problem solving along an environmental trail as starting points, and then tie the project to the trail as necessary.

Aðalsteinn Örn Snæþórsson, a staff member of the Northeast Iceland Nature Centre, and Sigrún Þórólfsdóttir, a teacher from Borgarhólsskóli School in the town of Húsavík, were responsible for the development and realisation of this project.

Learning Resources

Download Outdoor Teaching Course in ÁSBYRGI

Oskari-Linnansaari Visitor Centre: Environmental trail

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:54:09 +0000

”Aika matka” is a 3-kilometer long environmental trail which is located in downtown Rantasalmi. It consists of nine stops and 12 fascinating stories of which five deal with geological and the rest with culture historical topics.

The stories introduce the visitor to highlights in the geological and cultural past of the region. Main geological theme is the time concept characterised by the evolution of the landscape and the water level alterations of the Saimaa basin. The culture of the region evolved around the Haapaniemi Military Academy and the related manor culture.

Learning Resources

- Learning Material: Download Aika Matka Learning Material

- Brochure: Download The Making of Aikamatka

Learning material in Finnish language is available at the University of Eastern Finland website. Click here to read more and to download resources in Finnish.

Photos

Learning Environment

For further information about services for visitors please contact Oskari-Linnansaari Visitor Centre
Tel int. +358 205 64 5916
Fax: +358 205 64 5915
E-mail: saimaa(at) metsa.fi

Web: Visitor Centre Oskari

Partnership

The “Aika matka” environmental trail was developed in the NEED-project by:
Rantasalmi Institute of Environmental Education
Geological Survey of Finland
Metsähallitus
Click here for more information about the NEED-project.

Koli National Park – GIS-based Learning Module

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:21:52 +0000

The Geological Information System (GIS)-based learning assignments are designed for for the first course of geography in upper secondary school. Geological data of the Koli National Park will be examined with Google Earth.

The tasks develop geographical thinking and learner’s processing skills, problem-solving skills and science content knowledge. Learners become acquainted to bedrock and soil and how they affect the landscape and flora of the Koli National Park. For example, learners examine the rocks and soil of Koli region by comparing the bedrock map and the quaternary deposit data. They also examine influence of erosion of different rock types on the landscape. The aero-geophysical materials help to combine physics and chemistry with the physical geography. For example learners study radiation and magnetism data of the Koli area.

Themes of the activities are:

Rock and soil examination
How do bedrock and soil influence vegetation?
Rock and soil gamma radiation (uranium), magnetism and soil conductivity
Mires and peat formation

GIS Learning Resources

- Koli National Park, GIS Assignments Handbook: Download Koli Landscape GIS Handbook

The GIS data can be viewed in Google Earth. Get Google Earth
- Access Koli National Park GIS data: download Koli.kmz

Learning material in Finnish language is available at the University of Eastern Finland website. Click here to read more and to download resources in Finnish.

Photos

Learning Environment

For more information about Koli National park (nature, history, activities) visit our website.

Koli National Park

Map of Koli NP (www.excursionmap.fi)

For further information about the services for visitors please contact Visitor Centre Ukko
Tel int. +358 205 64 5654
Fax: +358 205 64 5771

Web: Visitor Centre Ukko

Partnership

The GIS based learning module for Koli National Park was developed in the NEED-project by:

University of Jyväskylä, Department of Teacher Education
Geological Survey of Finland
Metsähallitus
Click here for more information about the NEED-project.

Leivonmäki National Park: GIS-based Learning Module

geoneed_web1 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:37:06 +0000

The Geological Information System (GIS)-based learning assignments are designed for upper secondary schools. The assignments develop geographical thinking. The assignments for Leivonmäki National Park are closely connected with the geological nature trail called ”Luupään lenkki”. In the tasks, geological data of the Leivonmäki National Park will be examined with Google Earth. The tasks develop the learner’s processing skills, problem-solving skills and science content knowledge.

The nature trail which utilises spatial information helps the learner to associate geoscience with sense perceptions. The GIS-based tasks are solved with Google Earth, and the outdoor as well as a classroom can serve as the learning environment.

Photos

GIS Learning Resources

- Leivonmäki, GIS Assignments Handbook: Download Leivonmaki GIS Handbook

The GIS data can be viewed in Google Earth. Get Google Earth
- Access Leivonmäki GIS data: download Leivonmaeki.kmz

Learning material in Finnish language is available at the University of Eastern Finland website. Click here to read more and to download resources in Finnish.

Learning Environment

Click here for more information about Leivonmäki National Park (nature, history, activities)

Map of Leivonmäki National Park (www.excursionmap.fi)

For further information about the services for visitors please contact Seitseminen Visitor Centre
Tel int. +358 205 64 5270
Fax: +358 205 64 5271
E-mail: seitseminen(at)metsa.fi

Web: Seitseminen Visitor Centre

Partnership

The GIS based learning module for Koli National Park was developed in the NEED-project by:

University of Jyväskylä, Department of Teacher Education
Geological Survey of Finland
Metsähallitus
Click here for more information about the NEED-project.

Burrenbeo Trust: Geo-Education

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:37:06 +0000

The Burrenbeo Trust is an environmental education and conservation charity. Burrenbeo runs the Ecobeo primary schools programme along with many walks, talks, and environmental volunteer action-days.

The Ecobeo programme is a heritage education programme that is designed to share an awareness of the Burren’s vast and varied heritage among primary school students. The programme gives students, their parents, and their teachers a unique insight into the Burren’s unique karst landscape.

Please contact the Burrenbeo education coordinator for further information and assistance with GeoNEED educational resources and activities.

Burrenbeo Trust contact details

Examples of Geo-Education Resources:

Downloads Maps and Worksheets Here:

Download geo-education learning activity maps, Google Earth maps and worksheets.

Learn how to read the Geology Map of the Burren:

Learn about the Burren Landscape using Google Earth:

Google Earth Files:

Burrenbeo GPS Coordinates

53.138858° -8.936811°

Good and bad geology: Learning Module

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:36:24 +0000

Pupils get to know several aspects of geology. How geological resources creates the background for the modern society today as well as the reason for many of today’s huge environmentally problems like global warming and acid rain. This module develops thinking, learning and problem solving skills, as well as an understanding of how to make evidences and studies about environmental challenges in the future to come.

This study module is linked to the Nordland national park centres learning program in Nordland county. The study module Good and bad geology consists several numbers of activities. The visit at the centre is supposed to be a cognitive starter for the understanding of environmentally challenges in relation to different aspects of the use of geo-recourses. After the visit the schools can keep on working with issues that came up under the module. This to make sure that the learning process in this issue will continue.

The learning module Good & bad geology is very relevant for schools in Nordland county because of the big influence that geology has for the industry in the area. Beside of agriculture and seefarming does the geobased industry make the basis for workplaces. As a result of that, the nature resourses is put under high pressure, and the debate on environmentally issues related to this, is almost daily in the media. By building up a knowledge foundation of how geo-resourses has been used in the region, the children can begin to appreciate the vast history of their local region, as well as be put in position to take their part of the debate.

Learning Resources:

> Download Good & Bad Geology Teachers Handbook
> Download Climate Change Quiz

Kópasker Earthquake Centre: Learning Module

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:26:50 +0000

A collaboration between the Earthquake Centre at Kópasker and the Visitor Centre of Vatnajökull National Park in Ásbyrgi, with the assistance of teacher in Öxafjarðarskóli (An elementary school in the municipality of Norðurþing)

The Earthquake Centre at Kópasker and the Visitor Centre (Gljúfrastofa) of Vatnajökull National Park in Ásbyrgi, with the assistance of teachers from Öxafjarðarskóli, have made an Earthquake educational project for Elementary Schools.

The project involves a visit to both of these Centres, with the main emphasis on earthquakes and especially on the earthquake that struck Kópasker on January 13th 1976. In addition, there will be educational information about other geological phenomena in the vicinity of Kópasker and Ásbyrgi.

The project involves a one-day visit to the two Centers. The employees at the Centers will guide the students around their exhibition, inform them about earthquakes and volcanic activities and then the pupils have to solve certain tasks. Prior to and following the visit, teachers have to prepare their students for the visit and process it when back in the class room again.

Photos

Learning Resources

> Download Introduction to an Educational Earthquake

Vatnajökull National Park: Learning Module

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:10:55 +0000

Learning Resources

> Download Introduction to an Educational Earthquake

Finnish Stone Center: Learning Module

geoneed_web1 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:08:45 +0000

In the study module ‘Rocks around us’ students learn to know some rocks and minerals, they learn to understand the use of rocks and minerals, and to know Geology as a career. The module develops thinking, learning and problem‐solving skills as well as information management skills. Instruction relies on an investigative, problem‐centred approach.

The pedagogical philosophy of this study module is based on the idea of linking science (geology) to society, everyday life and the environment. The learning process starts with discussions on everyday life situations. The science content is then studied, after which the societal, everyday life and environmental issues are considered once again. The students then have better geological knowledge to discuss the issues.

The study module is related to the Finnish Stone Center. It forms a learning process which consists of several tasks (activities). First, there are orientation exercises to be done at school before visiting the Finnish Stone Center, then there are lot of exercises to be carried out during a guided visit at the Finnish Stone Center. After the visit, the learning process continues at school. The process progresses by following the pupils’ exercise booklet, in which all the tasks and exercises are presented in the recommended order. The booklet is only available in Finnish.

Photos

Learning Resources

> Download Introduction to “Rocks Around Us” Learning Module
> Download Finnish Stone Centre Teachers Handbook – 5th and 6th Grade
> Download Finnish Stone Centre Teachers Handbook – 9th Grade

Learning material in Finnish language is available at the University of Eastern Finland website. Click here to read more and to download resources in Finnish.

Learning Environment

For further information about the services for visitors please contact Finnish Stone Center.
Tel: +358 (0) 207 636600
Email: info (at) kivikeskus.com
Web: Kivikylä (website in Finnish)

Partnership

The “Rocks Around Us” learning module for Finnish Stone Center was developed in the NEED-project by:
University of Eastern Finland
Finnish Stone Center
Geological Survey of Finland
Teachers and students of schools in Juuka and Lieksa participated in the testing of the learning module.
Click here for more information about the NEED-project.

Koli National park: Landscape Learning Module

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:14:04 +0000

Activities of the learning module ”Koli Landscape” are primarily designed for two age groups: from 5th to 6th grade and 9th grade. Pupils learn about landscapes, and how landscapes form and change through geological processes and human actions. The landscape of Koli is particularly under study.

The module forms a learning process which consists of several tasks (activities). First, there are orientation exercises to be done at school before visiting Koli. These are followed by a lot of exercises to be carried out during a guided study trip at Koli, after which, the learning process continues at school. (The activities develop pupils’ thinking and problem solving skills. Instruction relies on an investigative, problem centred approach.)
The NEED project Learning module on Koli National Park consists of new indoor and outdoor activities, handbooks for teachers and guides, and materials and equipment related to the module.

Photos

Learning Resources

> Download Koli Landscape Teachers Handbook 5th and 6th Grade
> Download Koli Landscape Teachers Handbook 9th Grade
> Download Koli Landscape Photograph
> Download Koli Landscape Photograph 2

Learning material in Finnish language is available at the University of Eastern Finland website. Click here to read more and to download resources in Finnish.

Learning Environment

For more information about Koli National park (nature, history, activities) visit our website.

Koli National Park

Friends of Ukko-Koli association

Map of Koli NP (www.excursionmap.fi)

For further information about the services for visitors please contact Visitor Centre Ukko
Tel int. +358 205 64 5654
Fax: +358 205 64 5771

Web: Visitor Centre Ukko

Partnership

The “Koli Landscape” learning module for Koli National Park was developed in the NEED-project by:

University of Eastern Finland
Geological Survey of Finland
Metsähallitus
Friends of Ukko-Koli association
Teachers and students of schools in Juuka and Lieksa participated in the testing of the learning module.
Click here for more information about the NEED-project.