Monday 26 December 2016

Smartphones as Earthquake detectors

MyShake is a free app for Android phones that has the ability to recognize earthquake shaking using the sensors in every smartphone. The app runs “silently” in the background on your phone using very little power – just like the step-tracking fitness apps. When the shaking fits the vibrational profile of an earthquake, the app sends the anonymous information to the central system that confirms the location and magnitude of the quake.
The app has now been downloaded over 200,000 times. Enabled phones have recorded hundreds of quakes all over the globe since then - some as small as magnitude 2.5.
The goal is to build a worldwide seismic network and use the data to reduce the effects of earthquakes on us as individuals, and our society as a whole. MyShake also provides users with information about recent earthquakes around the world and significant global historical earthquakes.
There are some very good earthquake-related Earthlearningideas - use the search engine or index on our website.

Monday 19 December 2016

Folds and faults and sponge rolls

Today's new ELI is 'Swiss roll surgery; investigating geological structures and their outcrops using sponge rolls'.
This activity can be used in any science or geography lesson when folded and faulted rocks are discussed. By adapting the terminology, it can be used with any age group when explanations of folded and faulted rocks are required. It's popular because the structures can be eaten after investigation!
Many more activities related to folds and faults can be found by using the search engine or the index on our website.

Monday 12 December 2016

Crochet or knit your own woolly fossils

'Get geo-creative; making your own woolly fossils' is an extension idea for 'What was it like to be there? – bringing a fossil to life'.

                                    Jessica Goddard                                   Laura Hamilton

Using one of the readily available patterns, pupils (and teachers) can crochet or knit their own fossils. They could then try answering the following questions about them:-
- What sort of place was this animal living in?
- What did it breathe?
- What did it eat?
- Was it a hunter? – or hunted? – or both?
- What could it have seen?
- What could it have sensed?
- How did it die? – can we tell?
- What happened after it died?
Lots more ideas related to fossils can be found on our website.

Monday 5 December 2016

Continental drift

The new ELI today is 'The Earth time jigsaw puzzle; plot the moving continents, from the past to the future'.

This activity helps pupils to understand the great length of geological time and the movement of continents over time. You can find other Earthlearningideas about continental drift on the website.

Wednesday 30 November 2016

Monday 28 November 2016

Why is the Dead Sea dead?

Why is the Dead Sea dead? This is a classroom activity to measure the density of water of different salinities.


The Dead Sea in the rift valley between Jordan and Israel is the lowest point on land on the Earth’s surface. Most of the water that flows into the Dead Sea does not flow out again but is evaporated in the highly arid conditions. At the end of this ELI, pupils can:-
- describe how dissolving salt in water increases the density of the water;
- describe how a ‘floater’ can be used to measure the density of solutions.
Many more good ideas for teaching can be found on our website.

Monday 21 November 2016

Investigating building materials around your school and local area

Today's new ELI is 'Rock around your school; investigating the building materials around your school and in your area'.


This activity can be used in science or geography lessons. It illustrates Earth science principles out of doors, often without a natural rock in sight, and engages pupils in discussions about Earth processes and products.
Many more activities are listed on our website.

Monday 14 November 2016

The opening of the Atlantic Ocean

'Continental split - the opening of the Atlantic Ocean; modelling how the continents moved, from Pangaea to today'  This ELI is a scissors and paper activity modelling the relative positions and movements of the continents as the ocean floor spreads either side of an oceanic ridge.


This activity could be used in any science or geography lesson about sea floor spreading and Wegener’s concept of continental drift. A video clip accompanies the activity.
Many more activities about plate tectonics and continental drift can be found on our website.

Monday 7 November 2016

Calcium carbonate misconceptions

The new ELI just published is ‘I’m pure calcium carbonate’ – the calcium carbonate question; a discussion focussed on common misconceptions about calcium carbonate.

Are limestone and chalk rocks made of pure calcium carbonate? What about the mineral calcite? This activity helps pupils to understand the likely purity of minerals and rocks.
Many activities to do with limestone and chalk landscapes, the weathering of limestones and the carbon cycle can be found on our website.

Monday 31 October 2016

Three-dimentional magnetic field of the Earth

'Why won’t my compass work on the other side of the Equator?' This ELI helps pupils to understand the three-dimensional magnetic field of the Earth.


The Earth’s magnetic field is three dimensional in the same way as the field of any magnet. It is because of the Earth’s 3D magnetic field that the magnetic needle of a compass has to be weighted so that it floats horizontally in one hemisphere; but this means that the weight is on the wrong end of the needle for the other hemisphere, so that it doesn’t work there. The vertical component of the Earth’s magnetic field can be shown by a dip needle (constrained to rotate in a vertical plane) or a freely-rotating Magnaprobe TM.
Many more activities about the Earth's magnetism can be found on the website.

Monday 24 October 2016

What's the difference between porosity and permeability?

Our new ELI just published is 'Does my rock hold water and will water flow through it?' This activity investigates the differences between porosity and permeability.


The activity can be used in any science or geography lesson where the ability of rocks to hold water or hydrocarbons is being discussed.
There are two activities for your pupils to try and, because they involve chocolate and LegoTM, they are very popular with children!
Related ideas about porosity and permeability can be seen on our website.

Monday 17 October 2016

How thin is the crust we live on?

You can answer the question 'Just how thin is the crust we live on?' by trying this Earthlearningidea - 'Journey to the centre of the Earth - on a toilet roll'


We seldom stop to consider the true scale of many features of the Earth. This activity aims to enable pupils to visualise the thickness of the crust in relation to the rest of the Earth. It also helps them to appreciate the difference in depth between the oceanic crust and the continental crust. It introduces the terms ‘lithosphere’ and ‘asthenosphere’ to help in understanding plate tectonic theory.
Many more activities about the structure of the Earth and about plate tectonics can be found on our website.



Tuesday 11 October 2016

Use the view of your local area to tune yourself into the local geology

Our new ELI published yesterday is 'The view from the site'. Use the view from any viewpoint, to ask the questions provided. These will help your pupils to pick out any landscape-scale evidence for the local geology and its structure.


All the ‘lumps and bumps’ of a landscape are either natural or the result of human activity; larger features can only be natural. This activity uses these features as clues to the underlying geology and geological structure. The photographs used in the activity focus on inland features but at the coast the link
between the coastal features and the geological structure is even clearer.
This activity could be extended to include erosional features such as river, glacial and fault-bound valleys and also depositional features such as fenland and tidal flats.
Pupils always enjoy being out of school and this activity is great fun.

Monday 3 October 2016

Why should I recycle my mobile phone?

A popular ELI in September was the last in our 'Be a mineral expert' series - 'Recycle your mobile (cell) phone.'
This activity is based on an information sheet, which prompts pupils to think about the materials and energy which go into the manufacture and use of a mobile phone, and why they should consider carefully what happens to the phone when its useful life is over.
Other activities about minerals can be found on our website.

Monday 26 September 2016

Questions to ask about recording geological data

Today's new ELI is 'Questions for any rock face 14: recording - what questions about recording geological data might be asked at any rock exposure?'

Pupils should consider if the site were to be filled in or destroyed, in what ways could the geological information be recorded for future use? Many methods could be used. The pupils then need to think about which of the ways they have identified would be best and why. Lastly, where should the records be held?
This activity completes our series of questions to ask at any rock face. Previous ELIs and many more concerned with fieldwork can be found on our website.

Monday 19 September 2016

Using cross-bedding to find the directions of ancient currents

Following on from the post of 5th September about cross-bedding and 'way-up' structures, we now have an ELI about using cross-bedding to find the directions of ancient currents. 'Sedimentary structures - cross-bedding and ancient currents'


Cross-bedding is a common feature of sedimentary rocks. The formation of cross- bedding can be seen in modern depositional environments and then related to similar structures in sedimentary rocks – an example of using the present to help us to understand the past. Cross-bedding can be used as part of prospecting in the minerals or hydrocarbon industries.
Many more activities about sedimentary structures can be found on our website.

Monday 12 September 2016

Questions to ask about potential for quarry re-opening

Today's new ELI is 'Questions for any rock face 13: quarry economics; what questions about potential for quarry re-opening might be asked at any rock exposure?'

Take your pupils to an abandoned quarry and ask the series of questions provided to help them to understand the economics of exploiting raw materials.
At the end of the activity pupils can:-
- carry out arithmetical calculations;
- describe the potential uses of quarry materials;
- describe the economic potential of a quarry site;
- debate the issues around the re-opening of an old quarry.
Many more ideas for fieldwork can be found on the Earthlearningidea website.

Monday 5 September 2016

Cross bedding - are the rocks the right way up?

"Sedimentary structures – cross-bedding and ‘way-up’" This ELI uses cross bedding to determine the way-up of a bed of sedimentary rock.


This activity is an introduction to the types of evidence which can be obtained from cross-bedding in sediments and in sedimentary rocks. Many other sedimentary structures are explained in activities on our website. The index will help you to find all of them.

Monday 29 August 2016

What can boreholes tell us about the Earth?

The new ELI today is 'Boring chocolate!' What can boreholes tell us about the Earth?

This activity can be used in any science or geography lesson about finding what is beneath the Earth’s surface, including the search for natural resources and understanding past environments. As you can imagine, investigating their own edible boreholes is much enjoyed by students of all ages.
More activities for discovering what is beneath Earth's surface can be found on our website.

Monday 22 August 2016

How do day and night and the seasons work?



The ELI 'Earth on Earth' uses a globe in the sunshine to show how day/night and the seasons work.

A model globe is fixed in the same position, relative to the Sun, as the real Earth, allowing pupils to clearly see how day and night and the seasons work.









'Seasons - the effect of our tilted Earth' is an indoor demonstration explaining the changing seasons.

A globe is ‘walked’ round a circle of pupils, with a bright light at the centre, to show how the tilt of the Earth relative to the Sun creates different seasons.







More similar teaching ideas can be found in the Earth in Space category on our website.

Monday 15 August 2016

Today's new ELI is 'Questions for any rock face 12: potential of the quarry or cutting. What questions about the potential of the site might be asked at any rock exposure?'

Take your pupils to an abandoned quarry or cutting and ask the questions provided to debate the potential of the area for use today. Some uses may be highly viable, others should not be considered.
Many more ideas for field work can be found on our website.

Monday 8 August 2016

Solar radiation and latitude

Hot or not? This ELI investigates how latitude affects the amount of solar radiation received


When the Sun is overhead, as in the torch shining down on to the flat piece of paper, the rays are more intense than when the Sun is not overhead and the rays are reaching the Earth’s surface at an angle.
Lots more activities relating to this topic can be found on the website by either using the search engine or the index.

Monday 1 August 2016

Rock builder - simulating the formation of fossiliferous sedimentary rocks

The new ELI today is another in our ELI Early years series - 'Rock builder; simulating the formation of fossiliferous sedimentary rocks'. 

This activity uses a variety of coloured sands and shells in plastic bottles, with filler acting as cement to ‘glue’ the grains together. Once the 'rocks' are set, pupils can remove the plastic bottles and excavate the 'rocks' to find their 'fossils'. The activity is very messy but great fun!
Other ideas for young children can be found in our Teaching strategies - ELI Early years.





A popular activity in July was 'James Hutton - or Mr. Rock Cycle? - thinking towards the rock cycle the Hutton way'

Monday 25 July 2016

Pressure underground and water pressure

'Under pressure; calculating the intense pressures underground'
This Earthlearningidea has been devised to give an idea of the intense pressures underground through measurement and calculation. It is presented in three systems of units.

The activity uses lab measurements of the force applied by different depths of sand and water to calculate their downward pressure and then uses these figures to extrapolate to likely pressures at crustal depths.








'Water pressure - underground; demonstrating how hydrostatic pressure increases with depth' 

This activity helps pupils to visualise the increase of hydrostatic pressure with depth that may have previously been explored in the activity mentioned above.










Lots more teaching ideas can be found on our website by using the search engine or the index.



Monday 18 July 2016

Monday 11 July 2016

Environmental evaluation

This ELI is all about developing a strategy for evaluating the environment.


Help your pupils to appreciate and evaluate the outdoor environment by carrying out an environmental evaluation at different sites and comparing their results.
Many more good ideas for teaching Earth science can be found on our website.

Monday 4 July 2016

Rocky play-park; design your own

New ELI just published - 'Design your own rocky play-park; telling the stories of rocks for everyone'. 
When you have designed your play park, you will need to present your ideas to the public. This could be by: a drawing like the one below; a plan (a view seen from above); a model; a website ...... you decide ..... and then present your ideas in the best ways possible.
Please send us your designs (email) and we will publish them on the website and on this blog.

Monday 27 June 2016

'The present is the key to the past'

The ELI today involves applying ‘The present is the key to the past’. It is an outdoor activity using Earth science-thinking in reverse.


This activity helps pupils to build a picture of the past from the evidence preserved. It is one of many field work activities available to download free of charge from our website.

Monday 20 June 2016

Monday 13 June 2016

What evidence do living organisms leave behind in rocks?

'Trace fossils - burrows or borings' Living creatures often leave behind evidence of their activity in rocks, even if their actual remains are not found as body fossils. Clues may be obtained from living examples, which we can study in their modern habitats.


In this activity, pupils are invited to apply previously learned observations about the features of modern bivalve shells to the fossil record.
Many more activities related to fossils can be found on the website.

Monday 6 June 2016

What questions about metamorphism can you ask when looking at any metamorphic rocks?

The new ELI today is 'Questions for any rock face 9: metamorphic rock; what questions about metamorphism might be asked at any metamorphic rock exposure?'

Take your pupils to an exposure of metamorphic rocks where the features are clearly visible and preferably, where there is also evidence of the former rock type, and ask the questions provided. The answers will help pupils distinguish metamorphic rocks and understand the processes by which they formed.
Other related activities associated with metamorphism can be found on the website.

Monday 30 May 2016

Demonstrate sink hole processes in action

Have you tried 'Sink hole!'? This ELI is a classroom demonstration of sink hole processes and their effects.


Sink holes commonly form over limestone bedrock, but also develop where the underlying materials are even more soluble, such as rock salt and gypsum deposits. This classroom activity models the dissolving of underground materials and the impacts this can have at the surface.
Many more good teaching ideas on a wide variety of topics can be found on the website.

Monday 23 May 2016

Rock Explorers for young children

The new ELI today is part of our series ELI Early years, 'Rock Explorers; putting rocks into families'. As Rock Explorers, pupils investigate a variety of rocks and sort them into groups. The activity includes opportunities for literacy, numeracy and art.

You could ask the pupils how they think the rocks might be used, e.g. the White family might be used to decorate buildings, the Pink family could be used in jewellery.
Other activities written specially for young children can be found on the website; ELI Early years.

Monday 16 May 2016

Magnetic Earth and Toilet roll of time

We have added a suggestion to our Magnetic Earth activity. This idea uses a sponge ball globe instead of Plasticine.

Click here to see the original Earthlearningidea.

We have also added some photos to the photo gallery on the website of students in Slovakia trying out the 'Toilet roll of time'.

Monday 9 May 2016

Clues in sediment to ancient environments

The new ELI today is 'What was it like to be there? – clues in sediment which bring an environment to life' Pupils are asked to imagine themselves to be there at the time when the sediments at the sedimentary exposure (or in the photographs provided) were forming, and to think what the conditions would have been like at the time.
Many more activities related to working out past environments can be found on the ELI website.

Monday 2 May 2016

Earthlearningidea translations into Slovak and a popular ELI in April


The ELI team is delighted to welcome translations into Slovak thanks to Peter Fararik and the Lepšia geografia (Better geography) project.
Three activities have been translated so far and many more will soon be published.



A popular ELI activity in April was 'Earthquake through the window - what would you see, what would you feel? Asking pupils to picture for themselves what an earthquake through the window might look like'
If an earthquake struck now:
• What would you see through the window/   doorway?
• What would be happening to the ground?
• What would be happening to the buildings and trees?
• What would the people be doing?
• What would it be like inside this building?
• How would you be feeling?
• What would you do? What should you tell your friends to do?
• What might have caused an earthquake like this?
• Can we tell when earthquakes like these are coming?

Monday 25 April 2016

Geological time-line - evolution of life on Earth

The new ELI published today is 'The toilet roll of time; make a geological timeline to take home'.


This activity has been devised to address the common lack of knowledge about geological time. Research has shown that many people have no idea of the great length of geological time nor of the order of the key events during the geological history of the Earth.
Click here for a video clip to accompany the activity.
Many more activities related to the evolution of life on Earth can be found on the website.

Monday 11 April 2016

Questions to ask about faults at any rock face

Today's new ELI is 'Questions for any rock face 8: faults; what questions about faults might be asked at any rock exposure?
This activity suggests questions to help pupils to understand faults seen in field exposures, and the forces that caused them.
At the end of this ELI pupils can:-
- describe the differences between faults and other kinds of fracture;
- distinguish between normal and reverse faults in the field;
- explain how the type of faulting is linked to compressional, tensional or shear forces.
Many more related activities about faults can be found on our website.

Monday 4 April 2016

Which way did the river flow? - Sedimentary structures - imbrication

Sedimentary rocks often contain clues about their origins. Sediments which were deposited by fast-flowing currents in rivers or on beaches may
demonstrate imbrication, where rock fragments were pushed in one direction by the current so that they overlap each other. Ask your pupils to simulate this process with dominoes by trying the ELI 'Sedimentary structures - imbrication; which way did the river flow?'


Many more activities about the clues to environment given by sedimentary rocks may be found under 'sedimentary structures' in the index or by using the search engine on the website.

Monday 28 March 2016

Questions to ask at any rock face about tilted and folded rocks

Our fieldwork series continues with 'Questions for any rock face 7: tilted or folded rocks; what questions about tilting and folding might be asked at any rock exposure?'
Bedded sediments that were originally laid down horizontally, often became tilted as part of the limbs of larger folds; sometimes the folds themselves can be seen in the rock face. Take the pupils to some tilted or folded rocks and ask them the questions provided. They will then be able to:-
- explain how tilted rocks form parts of larger-scale folds;
- work out the directions of the stresses which caused the deformation of the tilted and folded rocks;
- explain how hard rocks may have been deformed in the geological past;
- explain how rock deformation results from enormous stresses – stresses only possible from plate collision.
Lots more activities related to tilted and folded rocks may be found on the ELI website.

Monday 21 March 2016

Ice power - physical weathering

'Ice power; freezing water in a syringe to measure expansion'.


This activity may be used in either science or geography lessons on weathering. It can also be used in discussions of molecular theory and changes of state. For the most accurate measurements use pure (distilled or deionised) water at as near to 4 degrees C as possible.
Many more activities associated with weathering can be found by using the search engine or index on our website.

Monday 14 March 2016

New ELI - Questions to ask about fossils when looking at rocks

The new ELI just published is 'Questions to ask at any rock face 6: fossils. What questions about fossils might be asked at any rock exposure?'
- What happened to these animals/plants just after they died?
- Were they buried where they were or moved around, sorted out and broken up?
- As they were being buried, what might they have looked like, smelled like?
- After they were buried, how did they change?
- Why are some types of organism much more commonly fossilised than others?
- What can fossils tell us about a deposit?
Other related activities can be found on the home page of our website.

Monday 7 March 2016

Volcano simulator

Earthlearningidea has lots of activities related to volcanoes and volcanic eruptions.
'Eruption through the window' 
'See how they run'
'Blow up your own volcano'
'Volcano in the lab'
As an excellent addition to these is the VOLCANO SIMULATOR developed by the Alaska Museum of Science & Nature.

You can change the silica content and see the resulting rock type, change the type of eruption and type of volcano. According to the type you have chosen you will be able to see what it looks like in the day and at night, read the pressure, lava temperature and lava viscosity and see the accompanying seismograph. Brilliant!!