Hanging Rock State Park An Environmental Education ... Rock EELE.pdf · Hanging Rock State Park, NC 1.3 April 2000 during the early days of the second World War, the CCC was abolished

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Designed for Grade 5

Hanging Rock State ParkAn Environmental Education Learning Experience

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iHanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

“Today’s understanding of the earth’s historybears little resemblance to earlier ideas.Many old theories have been revised andnew theories developed. As researchcontinues, the story of the earth’s historyas we presently understand it will continueto change. Every day discoveries raisenew questions and result in the eliminationor revision of old ideas. Much of theearth’s history has yet to be decipheredand the farther back one goes in time,the less clear the evidence becomes.”

Fred Beyer,North Carolina–The Years Before Man

iiHanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

Funding for the original printing ofthis Environmental Education Learning Experience

was generously contributed by

iiiHanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

This Environmental Education Learning Experiencewas developed by

Jaye DowPark Ranger III

Hanging Rock State Park

Bill HolmanSecretary

James B. Hunt Jr.Governor

N.C. Division of Parks and RecreationDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources

ivHanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

Other Contributors . . .

Park volunteers;

David Howells, former Ranger, Hanging Rock State Park;

Luann Bridle, Hanging Rock State Park AdvisoryCommittee;

Fred Beyer, Science Educator, Fayetteville, NC;

The N.C. Department of Public Instruction;

The N.C. Department of Environment and NaturalResources;

and the many individuals and agencies who assistedin the review of this publication:

Phyllis Baker Smith, Hanging Rock Advisory CommitteeMarjory Roth, Principal, Greenhill SchoolNancy Parks, former Secretary, Greenhill SchoolCarl Merschat, N.C. Geological SurveyMark Carter, N.C. Geological SurveyTyler Clark, N.C. Geological SurveyTracy Davis, N.C. Division of Land Resources

500 copies of this public documentwere printed at a cost of $3,242

$6.48 per copy

Printed on recycled paper.4-00

vHanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

Table of Contents

1. Introduction• Introduction to the North Carolina State Parks System........................................... 1.1• Introduction to Hanging Rock State Park................................................................ 1.2• Introduction to the Activity Packet for Hanging Rock State Park ........................... 1.4• Introduction to the Geology of Hanging Rock State Park ....................................... 1.5

2. Activity Summary .................................................................................................... 2.1• Correlation Chart ..................................................................................................... 2.2

3. Pre-Visit Activities• #1 A Rock Solid Foundation ................................................................................... 3.1• #2 Layer on Layer ................................................................................................... 3.2• #3 A Rock Called Sandstone ................................................................................... 3.3• #4 For a Change ...................................................................................................... 3.4• #5 Shake It, Baby, Shake It ..................................................................................... 3.5

4. On-Site Activities• #1 Erosion of a Mountain ........................................................................................ 4.1• #2 A Geo-hike ......................................................................................................... 4.2

5. Post-Visit Activities• #1 A Sauratown Bulletin Board ............................................................................... 5.1• #2 Geo Talk ............................................................................................................. 5.2• #3 Do You Mine? .................................................................................................... 5.3

6. Vocabulary ................................................................................................................ 6.1

7. References ................................................................................................................. 7.1

8. Forms ........................................................................................................................ 8.1

9. Notes .......................................................................................................................... 9.1

11.Hanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

For more information contact:

NC Division of Parksand RecreationP.O. Box 27687

Raleigh, NC 27699-1615919/ 733-4181

Website – www.ncsparks.net

reserving and protectingNorth Carolina’s naturalP of public land has grown into

58 properties across the state,including parks, recreationareas, trails, rivers, lakes andnatural areas. This vast net-work of land boasts some ofthe most beautiful scenery inthe world and offers endless

recreation opportunities. Butour state parks system offersmuch more than sceneryand recreation. Our landsand waters contain uniqueand valuable archaeological,geological and biologicalresources that are importantparts of our natural heritage.

As one of North Carolina’sprincipal conservation agen-cies, the Division of Parksand Recreation is responsiblefor the more than 160,000acres that make up our stateparks system. The Divisionmanages these resources forthe safe enjoyment of thepublic and protects and pre-serves them as a part of theheritage we will pass on togenerations to come.

An important componentof our stewardship of theselands is education. Throughour interpretation and envi-ronmental education ser-vices, the Division of Parksand Recreation strives to of-fer enlightening programsthat lead to an understandingand appreciation of our natu-ral resources. The goal ofour environmental educationprogram is to generate anawareness in all individualswhich cultivates responsiblestewardship of the earth.

Introduction to the North Carolina State Parks System

resources is actually a rela-tively new idea. The seedsof the conservation move-ment were planted early inthe 20th century when citi-zens were alerted to the dev-astation of Mount Mitchell.Logging was destroying awell-known landmark – thehighest peak east of the Mis-sissippi. As the magnificentforests of this mile-highpeak fell to the lumbermen’saxe, alarmed citizensbegan to voice theiropinions. GovernorLocke Craig joined themin their efforts to saveMount Mitchell.Together they convincedthe legislature to pass a billestablishing Mount Mitchellas the first state park.

That was in 1915. TheNorth Carolina State ParksSystem has now been estab-lished for more than three-quarters of a century. Whatstarted out as one small plot


anging Rock State Parkcovers 6,554 acres in

The History of HangingRock

Two Native Americantribes inhabited this area dur-ing the same period – theSaura in Stokes County andthe Cherokee in SurryCounty. The Saura people,after whom the SauratownMountains were named, werea peaceful tribe. They had anumber of village sites alongthe Dan River; evidence indi-cates habitation as far back asAD 1000. Around 1710, theSauras moved south to even-tually join the Catawbas nearthe Pee Dee River in SouthCarolina. By the time of theAmerican Revolution, theSaura population had beengreatly reduced by smallpoxepidemics. There are a fewindividuals in Stokes Countywho claim ancestry today.

The first European settlersto enter what is presentlyStokes County traveled fromPennsylvania and Virginiaalong the “Great WagonRoad” and settled in the richbottomland of the Town ForkCreek area. These settle-ments were well establishedprior to 1752 when Morav-ians entered the area and es-tablished dwellings alongTown Fork Creek from theDan River to an area west ofpresent-day Germantown.

British troops did not

appear in the Stokes Countyarea until late in the Revolu-tionary War, but there wereconflicts with Tories, as apopular legend indicates.Reportedly, a section of thepark called Tory's Den wasso named when a group ofTories captured the daughterof a local member of theWhig party and held her cap-tive in a cave to gain aid fortheir cause.

In the mid-1930’s consid-erable enthusiasm existed forthe creation of a state park atHanging Rock. The StokesCounty Committee for Hang-ing Rock State Park, a citizengroup, joined forces with theWinston-Salem Foundation.On April 20, 1936, theStokes County Committeefor Hanging Rock State Parkdeeded a gift of more than3,000 acres in the SauratownMountains to the state ofNorth Carolina.

In 1933, Franklin Roose-velt began the first reliefagency, the Civilian Conser-vation Corps (CCC), to pro-vide jobs through the devel-opment of public property.The CCC began work atwhat was to become HangingRock State Park in 1935.CCC activity continued inthe park during the early1940’s. During this period anumber of projects werecompleted. In 1942,

Hthe Sauratown Mountains.One of the most easterlymountain ranges in the state,the Sauratown Mountains areoften called “the mountainsaway from the mountains,”because they are separatedfrom the nearby Blue RidgeMountains. Prominent peaksin the Sauratown range risefrom 1,700 feet to over 2,500feet in elevation and stand inbold contrast to the surround-ing countryside, which aver-ages only 800 feet in eleva-tion.

The Sauratown Mountainsare the remnants of a oncemighty range of peaks. Overmillions of years, wind, waterand other forces wore downthe lofty peaks. What re-mains of these ancient moun-tains is due to erosion-resis-tant quartzite, which now sup-ports the scenic ridges ofMoore’s Knob, Cook’s Walland Hanging Rock.

The park is named for oneof its prominent topographicalfeatures, Hanging Rock,which offers a view across thevalley of the Dan River to theBlue Ridge Mountains ofNorth Carolina and Virginia.In addition to beautiful scen-ery, numerous facilities andactivities make Hanging Rockone of the most popular parksin the state parks system.

Introduction to Hanging Rock State Park


during the early days of thesecond World War, the CCCwas abolished and work atthe park slowed dramatically.Nonetheless, most of thepark's goals had been attainedand the park was formallyopened on July 21, 1944.

Program Options:Rich in natural history and

cultural resources, HangingRock State Park is an excel-lent place to teach ecology,environmental issues, biol-ogy, conservation, earth sci-ence and Sauratown Moun-tain geology, as well as to en-joy recreation.

Groups are encouraged tovisit the park during all sea-sons of the year for hikes, ex-ploration, nature study andother activities. The newvisitor center includes an au-ditorium, classroom and ex-hibit hall. Leaders maychoose to design and conducttheir own activities or usethis Environmental EducationActivity Packet.

Park staff will be happy toassist you with your program-ming needs. Please contactthe park office at least twoweeks in advance.

Scheduling a Trip:1. To make a reservation,contact the park at least twoweeks in advance. Pleaseprovide the following infor-mation:

• Name of group (school)• Name, address, work and

home telephone numbers

of the group contact• Requested date, time of

arrival and meeting placeat the park

• Departure time from thepark

• Number of participantsand adult leadersA maximum of 30 partici-pants is recommended.Please have at least oneadult leader per 10 stu-dents. Adult leaders areresponsible for maintain-ing control of the group.

• Age range and/or specialneeds of participants

• Desired activities; types ofpark facilities needed;other assistance neededfrom park staff

2. Research activity permitsmay be required for samplingactivities. If your group plansto collect any plant, animal,or mineral within the park,please contact the park officeat least 30 days in advance toobtain a permit application.

3. The usual fees for activi-ties, such as boat rental,camping, and swimming willapply.

Before You Make theTrip:1. Visit the park without theparticipants prior to the grouptrip. This will allow you tobecome familiar with facili-ties and park staff and toidentify any potential prob-lems.2. Group coordinators shoulddiscuss park rules and behav-ioral expectations with adultleaders and participants.Safety should be stressed.3. Inform the group aboutpoison ivy, ticks, snakes andinsects. Discuss the need touse sun screen and insect re-pellent from late springthrough early fall.4. Everyone should wear aname tag. Please color-codetags (for groups) and establisha buddy system.


5. Encourage everyone towear appropriate, comfortableclothing and walking shoes.

While at the Park:Please obey the followingrules:1. Be as quiet as possiblewhile in the park. This willhelp you get the most out ofthe experience, while increas-ing the chance of observingwildlife.2. On hikes, walk behind theleader at all times. Trails leadto areas of cliffs and highrock ledges. Running, climb-ing or horseplay are not per-mitted. Please stay on thetrails!

3. All rocks, plants and ani-mals in the park are protected.Injuring or removing plants,animals or rocks is prohibitedin all state parks. This allowsfuture visitors to enjoy ournatural resources.4. Picnic only in the desig-nated picnic areas. Help keepthe park clean and natural bynot littering and by picking upany trash left behind by oth-ers.5. In case of an accident oremergency, contact park staffimmediately.

Park Information:Address:

Hanging Rock State ParkPost Office Box 278Danbury, NC 27016

Tel: (336) 593-8480Mon - Fri8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Fax: (336) 593-9166Email: [email protected]

Hours of Operation:Nov - Feb 8:00 AM - 6:00 PMMar, Oct 8:00 AM - 7:00 PMApr, May, Sep 8:00 AM - 8:00 PMJun - Aug 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM


Introduction to the Activity Packet for Hanging Rock State Park

The environmental educa-tion learning experience,Rock Around the Clock, wasdeveloped to provide hands-on environmental educationactivities for the classroomand the outdoor setting ofHanging Rock State Park.This activity packet will ac-quaint your students with thebasic geological processesthat influenced the formationof the Sauratown Mountains,of which Hanging Rock is apart. It is designed to beimplemented in grade 5, butalso meets established cur-riculum objectives of theNorth Carolina Departmentof Public Instruction in othergrades. (See CorrelationChart in Activity Summary.)

Three types of activities areincluded:

1) pre-visit2) on-site3) post-visitThe on-site activities will

be conducted at the park,while the pre-visit and post-visit activities are designedfor the school environment.The pre-visit activities shouldbe introduced prior to thepark visit so that students willhave the necessary back-ground and vocabulary forthe on-site activities. We en-courage you to use the post-visit activities to reinforceconcepts, skills and vocabu-lary learned in the pre-visit

and on-site activities.The environmental educa-

tion learning experience,Rock Around the Clock, willexpose the students to thefollowing major concepts:

• Rock Cycle• Rock Formation• Weathering & Erosion• Geologic Time• Geologic Processes• Sauratown Mountain

Geology• Conservation of Natu-

ral Resources

Vocabulary words usedthroughout this EELE appearin bold type the first timethey are used in each activity.These words and their defini-tions are listed in the back ofthe activity packet. A list ofthe reference materials usedin developing the activitiesfollows the vocabulary list.

This document was de-signed to be reproduced, inpart or entirety, for use inNorth Carolina classrooms.If you wish to photocopy oradapt it for other uses, pleasecredit the N.C. Division ofParks and Recreation.

NOTE: While in the park,please remember that the purposeof the state parks system is topreserve and protect our naturalresources. Explain to studentsthat they should not pick, injure,or destroy any plants or animals.Rocks should not be removedfrom the park, but should be re-turned to their original positionsin the areas from which theywere collected. Please stay onthe trails!

The educator will assist in see-ing that all safety precautions arefollowed. It is also the responsi-bility of the educator to becomeaware of special considerations,medical needs, etc. of partici-pants and be prepared to take ap-propriate precautionary mea-sures. Park staff should be in-formed of any special consider-ations prior to the group’s arrivalat the park.


closed, the sandstones andother sedimentary rocks werefolded and metamorphosed.The quartzite found in thepark today is this metamor-phosed sandstone. In otherparts of the Sauratowns, youcan find schist and gneiss;these rocks probably resultedfrom the metamorphism ofshale and mudstones.

Between 250 and 500 mil-lion years ago, the entire re-gion was gradually pushed upto heights that would rivaltoday's Rocky Mountains.Originally the layers of rockwere lying horizontally like astack of papers; however, asthe earth's surface moved, thelayers were gradually foldedand bent. Older layers ofrock were thrust up and overyounger layers. Today, theSauratown Mountains repre-sent the axis of a giant fold inthe crust that geologists callthe Sauratown Mountainanticlinorium. (An anticlin-orium is an area where therocks were arched upwards.)

During crustal movement,the rocks behaved like taffycandy. Today these rock lay-ers are sloping or dippinggently to the southeast on oneside of the anticlinorium andto the northwest on the otherside. Fractures show upclearly in the cliffs of the up-per ridges, the Upper Cas-cades, and especially well atHidden Falls. Along these

fractures, smooth-sidedblocks of quartzite break outof the cliffs like buildingblocks.

Other products of themountain-building period arethe quartz veins foundthroughout the quartzite rock.During metamorphism, solu-tions of hot water weresqueezed between the beds orlayers in the quartzite. Asthe water cooled, silica pre-cipitated out and solidified tocreate the quartz veins.

About 220 million yearsago, the continents of NorthAmerica and Africa began topull apart. The AtlanticOcean formed, as well asmany rift valleys and Triassicbasins, including the DanRiver basin. At this time,weathering and erosion be-came the dominant forcesacting on the SauratownMountains.

Over millions of years,erosion has removed thesofter rocks and exposed themore resistant quartzite,which forms the ridge line ofthe Sauratown Mountains.Each time it rains or the windblows, a little more of themountains are carried away.Some of these sedimentstravel down the Dan River ontheir way to the AtlanticOcean. Eventually, thesemountains will disappearsometime in the distant fu-ture of geologic time.

By carefully observing therocks at Hanging Rock StatePark, geologists have piecedtogether their geologic his-tory. Remember that as re-search continues, geologistswill modify or revise thisversion of the earth's history.

Over 800 million yearsago during the Proterozoiceon, the Iapetus Sea was lo-cated off the east coast ofwhat was then the NorthAmerican continent. Sand-stones and other sedimen-tary rocks formed slowlyhere as layer upon layer ofsand, silt and mud was de-posited.

We can see evidence of theancient sea preserved in therocks at the park. Somerocks preserve the originalbedding (layering), as well ascross-bedding where thesediment layers are alignedat an angle to one another.Cross-bedding usually occursin a nearshore environment.Here, sand-carrying currentsof water and wind frequentlychange direction.

The next series of geologi-cal events that contributed tothe formation of the Saura-town Mountains can betraced to movements in theearth's crust. About 500 mil-lion years ago, the crustalplates carrying the continentsof North America and Africabegan to move toward eachother. As the Iapetus Sea

Introduction to the Geologyof Hanging Rock State Park

2.1.Hanging Rock State Park, NC April 20001

Activity Summary

The following outline provides a brief summary of each activity, the major conceptsintroduced, and the objectives met by completion of each activity.

I. Pre-Visit Activities

#1 A Rock Solid Foundation (page 3.1.1)Students are introduced to the three basic rock types and the rock cycle. The concept of

geologic time is also introduced by an involving, visual activity.

Major Concepts:• Rock cycle• Weathering• Erosion• Geologic time

Learning Skills:• Observing, inferring, using models• Organizing and expanding information; creating a product• Measuring

Objectives:• Name the three basic rock classes and explain how they are formed.• Name the rock class found in the Sauratown Mountains.• Describe the forces of weathering and erosion, and explain how these shape the land.• Explain the rock cycle.• Give three reasons why understanding the rock cycle is important.• Define geologic time.• Name the epoch, period and era in which we live.

#2 Layer on Layer (page 3.2.1)Sedimentary rock formation is the focus of this activity. Students simulate the formation

of sedimentary rocks either in an aquarium using different colors and types of sediments, orin the edible version, using various flavors of gelatin in a clear container.

Major Concepts:• Sedimentary rock formation• Faulting, folding and thrusting

Learning Skills:• Observing, inferring, predicting• Drawing conclusions from models

2.1. April 2000Hanging Rock State Park, NC 2

#4 For A Change (page 3.4.1)By firing greenware in a kiln to make bisque, students will simulate the formation of

metamorphic rocks. Careful observations are an integral part of this activity.

Major Concepts:• Metamorphic rocks• Sedimentary rocks

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating, using models• Writing observations; comparing and contrasting

Objectives:• Define sedimentary rock and explain how sedimentary rock forms.• Using a simple model, demonstrate and describe what can happen to rock layers

when the earth’s crust is compressed.• Give examples of the evidence that geologists use to reconstruct the geological

history of the Sauratown Mountains.

#3 A Rock Called Sandstone (page 3.3.1)Once again, students focus on the formation

of sedimentary rock. In this activity, theysimulate the creation of an actual sedimentaryrock using canary grit and Epsom salts. Afterthe “rock” is created, they have the opportunityto compare and contrast their creation withrocks created through natural processes thattake millions of years.

Major Concepts:• Lithification• Sedimentary rock characteristics• Sedimentary rock formation

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating, defining operationally• Writing observations and inferences; comparing and

contrasting

Objectives:• Compare sandstone made in the laboratory with natural

sandstone; list similarities and differences between thetwo samples.

• Write a paragraph explaining how sedimentary rocks areformed.


Objectives:• Compare greenware (dried clay) with bisque (fired clay) by listing two similarities

and two differences.• Write a short paragraph explaining how firing clay in a kiln is similar to the process

by which sandstone metamorphoses to quartzite.

#5 Shake It, Baby, Shake It (page 3.5.1)W eathering and erosion have shaped the current landscape of Hanging Rock State Park. Inthis activity, students will act as forces of weathering and erosion and measure their effects ontwo types of rock–quartzite and weathered quartzite.

Major Concepts:• Weathering and erosion• Mechanical and chemical weathering

Learning Skills:• Observing, inferring, predicting• Summarizing new facts and comparing information

Objectives:• Define weathering and erosion.• Give examples to show how water can be an agent of both weathering and erosion.• Compare the effects of abrasion on weathered quartzite and quartzite in a simulated

stream environment by listing observations for each rock and then writing aconclusion.

II. On-Site Activities

#1 Erosion of a Mountain (page 4.1.1)Students will gain a sense of how landforms change over time by constructing a model

representing the Sauratown Mountains approximately 300 to 400 million years ago. Thenthey will act as agents of erosion to witness the effects on the model landscape.

Major Concepts:• Erosion• Change over geologic time

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating, formulating models• Recording and comparing information; drawing conclusions; expressing opinions and

ideas• Measuring heights

Objectives:• Participate in a group to create a model representing the Sauratown Mountains 300 to

Quartzite

2.1. April 2000Hanging Rock State Park, NC 4

400 million years ago, then simulate the effects of erosion by pouring water on themodel.

• Record significant changes in the model by measuring, writing notes or sketching.• Based on the experiences with the model, write a paragraph describing the geologic

history of the Sauratown Mountains beginning 400 million years ago and continuing150 million years into the future.

#2 A Geo-hike (page 4.2.1)The Geo-hike will expose the students to the effects of geologic processes in the park and

give them the opportunity to identify some rocks and minerals common to the area.

Major Concepts:• Sauratown Mountain geology• Erosion• Weathering

Learning Skills:• Observing, classifying, inferring, communicating• Taking notes and developing conclusions

Objectives:• Identify one mineral and one rock found in the park.• Gain an appreciation for the geologic formations in Hanging Rock State Park.• Present at least one theory that explains how the geologic formations found in the

park may have formed.

III. Post-Visit Activities

#1 A Sauratown Mountain Bulletin Board (page 5.1.1)This post-visit activity will give students an opportunity to share their new geological

knowledge with others.

Major Concepts:• Geologic processes• Sauratown Mountains

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating• Creating a group product of the field trip

Objectives:• Describe at least one part of the rock cycle.• Explain how weathering and erosion affect geologic formations.• Describe one or more geological concepts, using text and art materials.


#2 Geo Talk (page 5.2.1)In this activity, students will review the vocabulary they have learned through their explo-

ration of the Hanging Rock EELE. Additionally, they will research the importance of earthresources in our daily lives.

Major Concepts:• Geology• Earth resources

Learning Skills:• Observing and communicating• Identifying key words; collecting and organizing new information• Acquiring information from primary and secondary sources

Objectives:• Match geology words with their correct definitions.• Collect and organize information on a specific rock or mineral. Include information

on location of major sources, how it is mined, how people use it, its economic impor-tance, and environmental issues related to its extraction and use.

#3 Do You Mine? (page 5.3.1)Students will explore different viewpoints surrounding a proposed mining operation near

a fictitious state park. Each student will write an essay representing a particular interestgroup, then work toward a group solution tothis issue.

Major Concepts:• Mining• Environmental issues• Conservation of natural resources

Learning Skills:• Predicting, communicating• Participating effectively in

groups, problem-solving• Using language for personal

response• Evaluating the accuracy and value of information and ideas

Objectives:• Write an essay supporting or opposing a proposed mining operation near a state

park. Provide at least three logical reasons to support the position.• Listen critically to oral presentations and write notes of key points.• Demonstrate a willingness to acknowledge other points of view and work toward a

group solution to a natural resource issue.

2.2.1Hanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

Grade English Lang. Arts MathematicsSoc. StudiesScience

CORRELATION CHART - Hanging RockHanging Rock State Park’s EELE: Rock around the Clock

Note to classroom teachers: The following Correlation Charts show how each activityin this Environmental Education Learning Experience (EELE) correlates with the NorthCarolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) objectives in science, mathematics,social studies and English language arts. The activities are listed in the order in whichthey appear in this EELE. The recommended grade levels are listed along the side of thechart. Notice that only the objective numbers are listed. Use your DPI Teacher Hand-book for each subject area to get a complete description of the objectives in that subjectarea.

Pre-Visit Activity #1: Rock Solid Foundation, p. 3.1.1

5 3.01 1.1, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 1.1Nature of Science 3.6, 3.10, 3.12, 5.1Science & Tech.

6 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 2.3, 1.13.2, 3.9, 5.1

7 1.1, 2.3, 3.2, 5.1 1.1, 4.3

8 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, 3.6, 3.7, 1.5, 2.123.04 3.12, 4.1, 4.2, 5.6, 6.3Nature of Science

Earth 1.02, 3.01, 3.02Science 3.03

Nature of Science



5 3.01, 3.03 1.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1,Nature of Science 3.6, 3.10, 5.1Science as Inquiry

6 1.2, 1.3, 2.3, 3.2, 3.9,4.1, 6.2

7 1.2, 3.2, 5.6

8 3.01, 3.03, 3.04 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.3, 6.3Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry

Earth 1.02, 2.04, 4.01Science Nature of Science

Science as Inquiry

Pre-Visit Activity #2: Layer on Layer, p. 3.2.1


Pre-Visit Activity #3: A Rock Called Sandstone, p. 3.3.1

5 3.01 1.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.6,Nature of Science 4.1, 5.1, 5.5, 6.2, 6.5Science as Inquiry

6 1.2, 3.2, 3.9, 4.1, 5.4,5.8, 5.10, 6.2

7 4.01, 4.04 3.2, 5.3, 6.7, 6.8Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry

8 3.01, 3.04 1.2, 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.3,Nature of Science 5.1, 5.5, 6.3Science as Inquiry

Earth 1.02, 4.01Science Nature of Science

Science as Inquiry



Pre-Visit Activity #4: For a Change, p. 3.4.1

5 3.01 1.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.6,Nature of Science 5.1, 6.2, 6.6Science as Inquiry

6 1.2, 3.2, 3.9, 4.1,5.4, 5.7, 6.2

7 4.05Nature of Science 3.2, 5.3Science as Inquiry

8 3.01, 3.04 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 6.3Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry

Earth 1.02Science Nature of Science

Science as Inquiry


Pre-Visit Activity #5: Shake It, Baby, Shake It, p. 3.5.1

5 3.01 1.1, 2.4, 3.1,Nature of Science 3.6, 5.1, 6.6 1.15, 4.3, 4.5Science as Inquiry

6 1.01 1.2, 3.2, 3.9,Nature of Science 4.1, 6.2 4.4, 4.6Science as Inquiry

7 4.05Nature of Science 3.2, 5.3 4.5, 4.10Science as Inquiry

8 3.01, 3.04 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 6.3 2.12, 4.3, 4.6Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry


Science as Inquiry



On-Site Activity #1: Erosion of a Mountain, p. 4.1.1

5 3.01, 3.02, 3.03 1.1, 2.4, 3.1, 4.1,Nature of Science 5.1, 6.2Science as InquiryScience & Tech.

6 1.01 1.2, 3.2, 4.1, 5.4, 6.2Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry

7 3.2, 5.3, 5.6, 6.7

8 1.05, 2.02, 3.01, 2.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 1.1, 1.23.04 5.5, 6.3 Skill Goal INature of ScienceScience as Inquiry

Earth 1.02, 1.05, 1.06Science 3.03, 4.01

Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry


On-Site Activity #2: A Geo-hike, p. 4.2.1

5 3.01, 3.02, 3.03 1.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.1Nature of Science 3.6, 5.1, 6.6 Skill Goal IScience as Inquiry

6 1.01 3.2, 3.9, 4.1, 5.4,Nature of Science 6.2, 6.7Science as Iinquiry

7 3.2, 5.3, 6.7

8 1.05, 2.02, 3.01 2.1, 3.2, 3.6, 4.1, 1.1, 1.23.04 5.1, 6.3 Skill Goal INature of ScienceScience as Inquiry

Earth 1.02, 1.05, 1.06Science 3.03, 4.01

Nature of ScienceScience as Inquiry



Post-Visit Activity #1: Sauratown Mountain Bulletin Board, p. 5.1.1

5 3.01, 3.02, 3.03 5.1, 5.4, 6.2Nature of Science

6 1.01 5.7, 6.2Nature of Science

7 5.1, 6.5, 6.7

8 3.01, 3.02, 3.03 5.2, 5.3, 5.6, 5.73.04Nature of Science



Post-Visit Activity #2: Geo Talk, p. 5.2.1

5 2.02, 3.01, 3.03 1.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.6, 2.3, 5.2, 5.3Science & Tech., 3.10, 3.12, 5.1, 6.2, Skill Goals I & IIPersonal & Social 6.6Perspectives

6 1.03 2.2, 3.2, 3.9, 4.1, 3.1, 5.2, 9.2Science & Tech., 5.4, 5.7, 6.2 Skill Goals I & IIPersonal & SocialPerspectives

7 1.04 3.1, 5.2, 9.2Science & Tech., 2.3, 3.2, 5.6, 6.7 Skill Goals I & IIPersonal & SocialPerspectives

8 1.04, 2.02, 3.01 2.1, 2.7, 3.2, 3.6, 3.7, 1.2, 1.33.04 4.1, 5.5, 6.3 Skill Goals I & IIScience & Tech.,Personal & SocialPerspectives

Earth 1.02, 1.03, 1.06,Science 7.01, 7.02

Science & Tech.,Personal & SocialPerspectives



Post-Visit Activity #3: Do You Mine? p. 5.3.1

5 1.03, 1.06, 2.02, 1.1, 2.1, 2.4, 3.1, 3.6, 2.3, 5.2, 5.33.01 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.15, Skill Goals I, II,Science & Tech., 5.1, 6.2, 6.6, 6.7 III, & IVPersonal & SocialPerspectives

6 1.01, 1.03 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.2,Science & Tech., 3.2, 3.9, 3.13, 4.1, 5.2,Personal & Social 5.4, 5.7, 5.11, 6.2, 6.6,Perspectives 6.7

7 1.04 1.2, 1.3, 2.3, 3.2, 3.4,Science & Tech., 3.5, 3.11, 3.12, 4.1, 4.2,Personal & Social 5.3, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1, 6.2,Perspectives 6.3, 6.8

8 1.04, 1.05, 2.01, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, 1.3, 1.52.02, 2.03, 2.04, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.9, Skill Goals I, II,2.05, 3.04 3.10, 4.3, 5.1, 5.5, 5.7, III & IVScience & Tech., 5.8, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3Personal & SocialPerspectives

Earth 1.03, 1.05, 1.06,Science 4.01, 7.01, 7.02,

7.03Science & Tech.,Personal & SocialPerspectives

3.1.1 April 2000Hanging Rock State Park, NC

Pre-Visit Activity #1 "A Rock Solid Foundation"

Educator’s Information

This activity is dividedinto two parts:

Part A, "Let’s Get the Ba-sics," is designed to intro-duce the students to the rockcycle and the three classes ofrocks.

Part B, "Time After Time,"is designed to help studentsunderstand that geologictime is much more than min-utes, hours and days. By vi-sually comparing our exist-ence with the formation ofthe Sauratown Mountains,the large expanse of time be-comes more understandable.

Note: The term Precambrianis sometimes used to de-scribe rocks older than 544millon years. Precambrian is

Part A: Let’s Getthe Basics

Objectives:• Name the three basic rock

classes and explain howthey are formed.

• Name the rock classfound in the SauratownMountains.

• Describe the forces ofweathering and erosion,and explain how theseshape the land.

• Explain the rock cycle.• Give three reasons why

understanding the rockcycle is important.

• Define geologic time.• Name the epoch, period

and era in which we live.

Instructions:1. Use the backgroundinformation on the geologyof Hanging Rock State Park(page 1.6) to acquaint stu-dents with the SauratownMountains and with the con-cepts of weathering anderosion.

2. Distribute the Student’sInformation and the RockCycle Diagram. Have stu-dents read this backgroundinformation.

3. Discuss how the rockcycle works. Emphasize theformation of sedimentary,igneous and metamorphicrocks. Explain that all therocks in the SauratownMountains today are meta-morphic rocks. They origi-nated from sedimentary andigneous rocks that weredeeply buried and folded inthe earth's crust. Millions ofyears of erosion have ex-posed these rocks at theearth's surface.

Major Concepts:• Rock cycle• Weathering• Erosion• Geologic time

Learning Skills:• Observing, inferring, using

models• Organizing and expanding

information; creating aproduct

• Measuring

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts• Mathematics* See the Activity Summary

for a Correlation with DPIobjectives in these subjectareas.

Location: Classroom

Group Size:30 students, class size

Estimated Time:Part A: 30 minutesPart B: 2 - 3 class periods

Appropriate Season: Any

Materials:Part A:Provided by the educator:Per student: Student’s Informa-

tion, Rock Cycle Diagram

Part B:Provided by the educator:

A 65' long continuous stripof 24" wide paper, measuringstick, markers or crayons,tape, reference books on fos-sils and life during the vari-ous geologic time periods

Per student: Geologic TimeFact Sheet and the Events inGeological History chart

a time term without specificrank. In this EELE, we usethe more specific term, Pro-terozoic eon, to refer toearth's history prior to 544million years ago.


Student’s Information:

Minerals combine to formrocks. There are a few

rocks that consist of only onemineral. But, most rocks aremade of a few major, or essen-tial minerals, along with anumber of minor, or accessoryminerals. All rocks fall intoone of three classes, which arenamed according to their ori-gin. These classes are sedi-mentary, igneous and meta-morphic.

Sedimentary rocks areformed as loose sedimentswash into streams and rivers,then settle along the river’scourse or at the river’s delta.As this deposition piles upover time, pressure on the bot-tom layers increases, compact-ing and cementing the layerstogether to eventually formsedimentary rock. An ex-ample of this type of rock issandstone.

Fossils of plants and ani-mals are sometimes found insedimentary rocks and, rarely,in slightly metamorphosedsedimentary rocks. Fossilsform when plants and animalsare buried quickly in sedimentand remain undisturbed for along time. The organic mate-rial usually decays, leaving be-hind only the hard parts, suchas bone, shell or wood.

Sedimentary rocks usuallyhave a layered or bedded ap-pearance. They may evenshow ripple marks or mudcracks, revealing the environ-ment where they formed.

Igneous rocks come frommagma. Magma is moltenmaterial found deep below the

earth’s surface. Some igneousrocks, such as granite, areformed when magma coolsslowly within the earth's crust.Other igneous rocks areformed when molten magmaflows or spews out of a vol-cano or crack onto the earth’ssurface. Magma that comes tothe surface of the earth iscalled lava. Lava on theearth’s surface cools muchfaster than magma trapped be-neath the surface, causing dif-ferent types of rocks to form.Igneous rocks never containfossils. Temperatures highenough to melt rock are alsohigh enough to burn up anyorganic matter, plant or ani-mal, as well as fossils.

Metamorphic rocks areformed when heat and pres-sure change exisiting rockswithout actually melting them.“Meta” means changed and“morphic” means form, so ametamorphic rock is one thathas changed form. An ex-ample found in the park isquartzite, which is the harder,more dense form of sandstonethat has been metamorphosed.

Sedimentary, igneous andmetamorphic rocks are all re-lated to one another. TheRock Cycle Diagram showshow. Follow the arrows in thediagram to find out how onekind of rock changes to an-other. For example, what hap-pens if any of the three rockclasses undergoes melting?Follow the melting arrow tomagma –the rock melts to be-come magma. Now followthe cooling arrow to igneous

rocks. (After magma cools, itbecomes a new igneous rock.)You can also follow the ar-rows backward to learn theorigin of a particular class ofrock.

The rock cycle is really aseries of geologic processesthat make and destroy rocks.It explains how rocks areformed and how they changeinto other rocks through earthmovement, pressure and heat.It also explains how rocks andmountains are worn awaythrough weathering by windand water. This makes a com-plete cycle of building up andtearing down.

The rock cycle is an impor-tant geologic concept. Geolo-gists have been able to put to-gether a record of the earth'shistory by learning about theprocesses through which rockschange. They are also able topredict ongoing large-scaleformation processes, such asearthquakes and volcaniceruptions.

Once you are able to iden-tify the rocks you see and un-derstand how they are formed,you can make educatedguesses about the rocks youcan not see. These inferencesmay help you determine thestability of a site as a buildinglocation, determine where wa-ter would likely be found(hence, where to dig a well),and determine the location ofecomonically important rocksand minerals.

3.1. 3A

pril 2000H

anging Rock S

tate Park, N

C

Magma

Sedimentary Rocks

Sediment

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

cooling

erosion

compaction

erosionerosion

melting

melting

As sediments pile up, thosesediments on the bottom are

packed together by the weightof all the sediment piling on top.

Eventually, the compactedsediments turn to rock.

Compaction

The movement of the earth’scrust and the tremendous heatfrom the center of the earth act

together to transform rocks.

Heat and Pressure

First, weathering processes breakdown all kinds of rock into

sediment. Erosion occurs whenwind, water, ice and snow carry

these sediments away.

ErosionMelted rock is called

magma. When magmacomes out of a volcano,

it is called lava.

Magma

heat &pressure

heat &pressure

heat &pressure

melting


Part B: Time After Time

Educator’s Information:

Geology is the science ofthe earth and its history.

When we study geologicalhistory, we find that waterinvaded the land, layers ofsediment were deposited, theland was pushed up intomountains and eventuallywind, rain and ice leveled theland again. This sequencehas been repeated manytimes over the history of theearth.

It is quite difficult for mostof us to understand the con-cept of geologic time. Be-cause we tend to regardevents on our planet using atime scale of hours, days,months and years, it is easyto underestimate the vastamount of time covered dur-ing an eon like the Protero-zoic.

By creating a visualmodel, the students shouldbegin to more clearly under-stand the broad scope of geo-logic time.

Instructions:

1. Starting near the class-room door, run a continuousstrip of paper around theroom. If the circumferenceof the classroom is less than65 ft (19.8 cm), the paper canbe spiraled around the room.The recommended width ofthe paper strip is 24 inches(61 cm).

2. Using a yardstick and ablack marker or crayon, havethe students draw a continu-ous line, three inches (7.6cm) up from the bottom ofthe paper, along the entirelength of the paper. If amarker is used, make sure itwill not “bleed through” ontothe classroom wall.

3. Have the students drawanother continuous line withthe marker or crayon 16inches (40.6 cm) above thefirst line.

4. Have the students makeanother continuous line threeinches (7.6 cm) above theline drawn in step 3. Aftersteps 1 - 4, the paper should

look similar to Figure A.

5. Using the magic marker orcrayon, have the studentsplace and label 390 equallyspaced marks on the paperbelow the bottom line. Thedistance between the marksshould be two inches (5.1cm). Each mark stands for 10million years, giving a totalrepresentation of 3,900 mil-lion years, or 3.9 billionyears. Note: This works outwell as the oldest rock onearth is 3,800 million yearsold.

Calculation: 65 feet = 780inches, divided by 2 inchesgives you 390 marks, each ofwhich represents 10 millionyears, for a total of 3,900 mil-lion years. (3,900 million =3.9 billion.)

You may also want to di-vide the last 10 million yearsinto 1 million year segments(approximately 5 mm apart).The term millions of yearscan be abbreviated to "mya."After step 5, the paper shouldlook like Figure B.Figure A

2"

3"

16"

3"

24"


Figure B

familiar with the animals andplants found in their time pe-riod. After step 6 the muralshould resemble Figure D.

7. In the space remaining onthe mural, students can illus-trate geologic events over theappropriate years. Use theEvents in Geological History(pages 3.1.11-13) and libraryreferences as a guide.

8. After the students havecompleted the timeline mu-ral, remind them that whenstudying geology, it is oftendifficult to determine abso-lute ages. Therefore, geolo-gists use geological eras andperiods when discussing theearth’s history rather than

always agree on the exact be-ginning and ending for eachperiod. The geologic timescale in this EELE includesthe latest information fromthe North Carolina Geologi-cal Survey.

The students will also il-lustrate what animals andplants lived during their pe-riod. Students workingwithin the 0 to 10 mya scale(Quaternary period) will nothave room within these twoinches to place the illustra-tions. They can use arrowsto indicate where their illus-trations fit into the mainscale on the paper. The stu-dents can do some indepen-dent research if they are not

6. This geologic time activityprovides information on 12periods. Divide the classinto 12 teams. (Some“teams” may consist of justone student.) The wholeclass will be responsible fordepicting the Proterozoic eonafter the periods in the Phan-erozoic eon have been por-trayed.

Each team should be as-signed a period from theGeologic Time Fact Sheet.The team is responsible forfinding their period on thetime scale mural and markingit off with vertical lines, be-ing sure to label the time pe-riods (Figure C). Note thatdifferent references do not

Figure C

10 20 30

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

millions of years ago

TERTIARY PERIODMiocene Epoch Oligiocene EpochPliocene

10 20 30

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9



calendar dates. This muralillustrates the vast number ofyears our earth’s history cov-ers.

9. Compare the student’s lifehistory (years of age) with thehistory and age of the earth,and with rocks and forma-tions of the Sauratown Moun-tains. Be sure to note whatera, period and epoch we livein.

10. The Abbreviated Eventsin Geological History (page3.1.13) is a simplified over-view of the geological historyof the earth. Geologic eventsin the Sauratowns are high-lighted. Use this page withyounger students, or toquickly give the "big picture."

Figure D

Assessment:

1. Remove the words writtenin the arrows on the RockCycle Diagram, then copyfor each student. List thefollowing five terms on thechalkboard or overhead:compaction; melting; cool-ing; erosion; heat & pres-sure. Ask students to labelthe arrows on the RockCycle Diagram.

2. Scramble the events onthe Abbreviated Events inGeological History chart.Can students place them inthe correct sequence?

Extension:

Using reference books,encyclopedias, field guides,etc., search for other earthhistory events not listed inthe Events in GeologicalHistory in this EELE and in-clude them in the mural.High school students couldassess the evidence for ma-jor geologic events andpaleoclimatic changes.

10 20 30

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9


TERTIARY PERIODMiocene Epoch Oligiocene EpochPliocene


Geologic Time Fact Sheet

1.8 – presentQuaternary

Holocene0.008–presentPleistocene1.8 – 0.008

Epochs

Pliocene5.3 – 1.8

Miocene23.8 – 5.3

Oligocene33.7 – 23.8

Paleocene65 – 55.5

Eocene55.5 – 33.7

65 – 1.8Tertiary

Eras Periods

145 – 65Cretaceous

213 – 145Jurassic

248 – 213Triassic

286 – 248Permian

325 – 286

Mississipian360 – 325

Pennsylvanian

410 – 360Devonian

440 – 410Silurian

505 – 440Ordovician

544 – 505Cambrian

65 – presentCenozoic

248 – 65Mesozoic

Paleozoic544 – 248

Proterozoic Eon

Phanerozoic Eon

Figures indicatemillions of years ago

Information courtesy of N.C. Geological Survey


Geologic Time Fact Sheet

Time is an important con-cept in geology. Geo-

logic time includes all thetime that has occurred sincethe formation of the earth –an estimated 4.5 billion yearsago. These 4.5 billion yearshave been broken down intodifferent eons, eras, periodsand epochs. Eons are subdi-vided into eras; eras are sub-divided into periods; and pe-riods are subdivided into ep-ochs.

Each of the units of geo-logic time is characterized bydifferent environmental con-ditions and specific kinds oflife that flourished. Often,the boundaries between thegeologic time periods weremarked by mass extinctions.Geologists continue to studyrock formations today to puttogether a more accurate his-tory of our planet.

Note: The earth's history isdivided into four eons: Phan-erozoic, Proterozoic, Archeanand Hadean. Because thereare no ancient rocks from theArchean or Hadean in NorthCarolina, we will concentrateon the two more recent eons–Phanerozoic and Proterozoic.

PROTEROZOICEON...2.5 billion years ago to 544million years ago

The Proterozoic eon is di-vided into three eras: early,middle and late. The oldest

known rock in North Carolina(Roan Mountain) dates to theearly Proterozoic (1.8 billionyears old). By the beginningof the Proterozoic, blue-greenalgae had evolved and photo-synthesis had begun. Theoxygen produced during pho-tosynthesis changed theearth's atmosphere, enablingthe evolution of more com-plex life. Sponges, soft cor-als, jellyfish and annelidworms also evolved duringthis eon.

PHANEROZOICEON...544 million years ago to thepresent

PALEOZOIC ERA“Age of Ancient Life”544 million to 248 millionyears ago

Cambrian Period544 to 505 million years ago

This period marks the firstappearance of fossil shells.The most common shelledanimal of this time was thetrilobite. Trilobites wereprobably scavengers on theocean floor. All life lived inthe ocean during this period,because the earth’s atmo-sphere had not yet developedto protect the land from theultraviolet radiation of thesun. Along with the trilobites,there were sponges, brachio-

pods and gastropods (one-shelled mollusks likewhelks). At the end of theCambrian, 75% of all the tri-lobite families, 50% of thesponge families and many ofthe brachiopods and gastro-pods disappeared. No oneknows what caused this massextinction.

Ordovician Period505 to 440 million years ago

A few very primitiveplants evolved to live on landduring this period. However,most life forms were stillevolving in the oceans.Bivalves, like clams and oys-ters, developed during theOrdovician period, alongwith most of the other inver-tebrates (animals without abackbone). Starfish, brittlestars, hard corals andcrinoids were some of theseinvertebrates. Very primi-tive, jawless fishes also de-veloped during this period.Fish are one kind of verte-brate, or animal with a back-bone. A mass extinctionended this period, whenmany of the remaining trilo-bites and some of the earlyfish and sponges died out.

Silurian Period440 to 410 million years ago

This period is marked bythe development of extensivecoral reefs. No new majorforms of life developed dur-ing this period. All of the life


that had already evolved con-tinued to flourish with the ex-ception of the trilobite whichcontinued to become rarer.Millipedes and scorpionsmay have begun to live onthe land.

Devonian Period410 to 360 million years ago

This period is called theAge of Fishes because theearly, primitive forms of fishmultiplied and diversified.Sharks, rays and bony fishesdeveloped during this period.A giant, 30 foot long fishcalled the Dunkleosteus didnot have any teeth, but thebones in its jaw were as sharpas knives. Other inverte-brates began to live in fresh-water during this period. Thefirst amphibians, animals thatlive part of their life in waterand part on land, evolved.The first forests, with gianthorsetails and tree ferns, werefound during the Devonianperiod. The first seed-bear-ing plants also evolved then.Mass extinction marked theend of this period–25% of allspecies disappeared.

Mississippian Period360 to 325 million years ago

During this period almostall of North America wascovered byoceans.Crinoids,featherstars andsea liliesflourished

in the oceans. The trilobitescontinued to decline.

Pennsylvanian Period325 to 286 million years ago

The 39 million years ofthe Pennsylvanian periodwere a time of mountainbuilding and the loss of manyof the shallow seas. As a re-sult, many of the marine spe-cies declined. However, thefirst insects and reptilesevolved. In fact, the largestinsect that ever lived, a drag-onfly with a wingspan of29", lived during this time.Most of the land was coveredwith swampy forests. Coni-fers first developed duringthe Pennsylvanian period.

Permian Period286 to 248 million years ago

During the 38 millionyears of the Permian period,the marine invertebrates spe-cialized into many differentforms. The ginko tree firstappeared. Reptiles and am-phibians continued to de-velop. One of the most im-portant groups of reptilesfrom this period was the pe-lycosaurs, ancient forerun-ners of the mammals. Theyhad tall, sail-like projectionsfrom their backs that weresupported by spines out oftheir backbone. The pelyco-saur probably used its sail tohelp heat and cool its body.This period ended with themost severe of all mass ex-tinctions–96% of all specieswere lost.

MESOZOIC ERA“Time of Middle Life”248 to 65 million years ago

Triassic Period248 to 213 million years ago

At the beginning of theTriassic period, there wasvery little marine life left af-ter the mass extinction thatended the Permian period.The first modern corals de-veloped. The entire Meso-zoic era is known as the Ageof Reptiles because the rep-tiles developed to dominatethe air, land and sea. Thefirst dinosaurs appeared nearthe end of the Triassic.These dinosaurs were thesaurichians, which walked ontwo feet and had stabbingteeth. Crocodiles also ap-peared at the end of the Trias-sic. Lizards, turtles and ma-rine reptiles, like the plesio-saurs, also evolved inthe Triassic. Finally, the firstmammal, a small mouse-like animal that ate insects,evolved. The Triassic endedwith a mass extinction inwhich 25% of all species be-came extinct.

Jurassic Period213 to 145 million years ago

Oysters, crabs, lobsters,sea urchins and shrimps de-veloped in the oceans. Thestegosaurus and the ptero-saurs (flying reptiles) ap-peared during this time. Themammals were still quitesmall, but more diverse. The


Jurassic period marks theevolution of the first bird.Insects continued to becomemore diverse.

Cretaceous Period145 to 65 million years ago

The Cretaceous period wasone of the longest periods,lasting 80 million years.Much of the land was cov-ered by shallow seas. Ptero-saurs, the flying reptiles, be-came more specialized.Some of the Cretaceous dino-saurs include tyrannosaurs,ankylosaurs and the duck-billed dinosaurs. Floweringplants, bees and butterfliesalso evolved during this time.The end of the Cretaceouswas also the end of the Me-sozoic era and was markedby a mass extinction, secondonly to the extinction thatmarked the end of the Per-mian. All of the dinosaurswent extinct, along with ma-rine reptiles, pterosaurs,many corals, sponges andother marine invertebrates.

CENOZOIC ERA“Time of Recent Life”65 million years to present

Tertiary Period65 to 1.8 million years ago

Paleocene Epoch65 to 55.5 million years ago

Much more dry land wasexposed as the seas dried upduring the Paleocene or “oldrecent life” epoch. The en-

tire Tertiary is known as theAge of Mammals becausemany different kinds of mam-mals developed during the 63million years of this period.Along with the developmentof hoofed mammals, rodents,and squirrel-like primates onland, sharks were abundant inthe oceans.

Eocene Epoch55.5 to 33.7 million years ago

Eocene means the dawn ofrecent life. Mammals contin-ued to diversify giving rise towhales, sea cows, bats, earlyhorses, and rhinoceroses.

Oligocene Epoch33.7 to 23.8 million years ago

Oligocene means “fewrecent (kinds of life).” Dogs,rats, camels, cats and pigs allmultiplied during this time.Sloths, armadillos and guineapigs all evolved separately inSouth America.

Miocene Epoch23.8 to 5.3 million years ago

The “less recent” epochlasted for 19 million years.Saber-toothed cats, elephants,apes, monkeys, giraffes andcattle are some of the mam-mals that evolved and multi-plied during this epoch.

Pliocene Epoch5.3 to 1.8 million years ago

The vegetation of the Plio-cene was much like today’s.Australopithecines, the ances-tors of humans, evolved dur-

ing the Pliocene. The mam-mals that had evolved duringthe other epochs continued tomultiply and spread through-out the earth.

Quaternary Period1.8 million years ago to thepresent

Pleistocene Epoch1.8 million to 8,000 years ago

There were at least fourglacial advances during thePleistocene epoch, or IceAges. Most notably duringthis epoch, Homo sapiens, orhumans, evolved–probably inAfrica. During the Ice Ages,wooly mammoths, mast-odons, and wooly rhinocer-oses were common. Duringthe warmer periods, giantground sloths, saber-toothedcats, lions, wolves, bison,camels, cattle and horseswere common. Many of thelarge mammals went extinctat the end of this epoch.Some scientists think that itmay have been due to huntingby the early humans, but noone knows for sure.

Holocene Epoch8,000 years ago to present

The climate of the presentepoch is much warmer thanthe climate of the Ice Ages.Humans are playing a greaterrole in causing extinctions,particularly in the rain forestregions of the world. Hu-mans may also be playing arole in global warming.


Events In Geological History

Millions ofYears Ago

4500 +++ .................................................Planet formed. Hadean eon begins.4000 .........................................................By now, earth has a relatively stable crust with

oceans and primitive atmosphere.3800 .........................................................Age of some of oldest rocks on earth’s surface today.

Hadean eon ends; Archean eon begins.3400 .........................................................Primitive single cell life appears.2500 ......................................................... Archean eon ends; Proterozoic eon begins. Algae

have evolved – photosynthesis begins.1800 .........................................................Oldest known rock in North Carolina.1600 .........................................................Sediments deposited in a very ancient ocean off the

North American continent. (Later, they were meta-morphosed and formed the Blue Ridge Mountains.)

800 ...........................................................Layers of sediment accumulate in the Iapetus Sea.(Sandstones and other sedimentary rocks formedhere are the "parent rocks" to those found in theSauratown Mountains today.)

544 ...........................................................Proterozoic eon ends; Phanerozoic eon begins.Cambrian period begins – First animals with shellsappear in oceans.

505 ...........................................................Ordovician period begins – Continental collision ofNorth America and Africa. This is the beginning ofthe mountain-building process. Layers of sandstoneare folded and metamorphosed.

440 ...........................................................Silurian period begins – Uplift continues alongwith some erosion.

410 ...........................................................Devonian period begins – Plants are thriving onland above the sea; first land animals appear; insectsare common.

408 ...........................................................Due to movement of the earth’s crust as NorthAmerica and Africa move together, the Iapetus Seacloses and disappears.

360 ...........................................................Mississippian period – Time of uplift and erosion.325 ...........................................................Pennsylvanian period – Time of uplift and erosion.300 ...........................................................Reptiles appear.286 ...........................................................Permian period begins – Final collision of North

America and Africa. Thrust faulting occurs in west-ern North Carolina along with deformation of rocksin the Piedmont.

248 ...........................................................Triassic period begins – Formation of AtlanticOcean, as North America and Africa drift apart.Weathering and erosion of Piedmont and mountains.


Millions ofYears Ago

225 ...........................................................Faulting and rifting creates the Dan River Basinand other Triassic basins in North Carolina.

213 ...........................................................Jurassic period begins – Dinosaurs rule! Firstmammals appear. Erosion continues.

145 ...........................................................Cretaceous period begins.78 .............................................................Modern fish appear.70 .............................................................Dinosaurs become extinct; Rocky Mountains

pushed up. Weathering and erosion continue in thePiedmont and mountains of North Carolina.

65 .............................................................Tertiary period begins with Paleocene epoch –Limestone deposited in Coastal Plain; weatheringand erosion continue in Piedmont and mountains.

60 .............................................................Beginning of the Age of Mammals; first hoofedmammals and primates appear.

55.5 ..........................................................Eocene epoch begins.33.7 ..........................................................Oligocene epoch begins.23.8 ..........................................................Miocene epoch begins – Phosphate is deposited in

eastern North Carolina.5.3 ............................................................Pliocene epoch begins – Erosion of Piedmont and

Appalachian Mountains to their present rugged fea-tures.

1.8 ............................................................Quaternary period begins with the Pleistoceneepoch.

1 ...............................................................Time of Ice Ages.

Thousands ofYears Ago

100 ............................................................Neanderthal man walks the earth.40 ..............................................................Modern humans (Homo sapiens) appear.30 ..............................................................People first cross over to North America.20 .............................................................Physical evolution of humans as we know them to-

day is complete.15 ..............................................................Ice sheets still cover most of North America.10 .............................................................Groups of people in North America begin to settle

down in villages.8 ................................................................Holocene epoch begins – glaciers retreat.1 ...............................................................The Saura people have a number of villages along

the Dan River.0 ................................................................Present time.

Geologic Time Information Courtesy ofthe North Carolina Geological Survey


Abbreviated Events in Geological HistoryMost geologists think that the earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Let’s squeeze this vastamount of time into one day, a 24-hour cycle. On this scale, one second represents 52,000years! Here are some benchmarks in this special 24-hour day. Notice that most of theevents occurred just a few hours before midnight!

Compressed Event ApproximateTime Real Time

12:00 Midnight The Earth is born. 4.5 billion years ago

6:30 AM Earliest life forms appear (bacteria). 3.3 billion years ago

10:00 AM Blue-green algae appear & photosynthesis 2.6 billion years agobegins.

2:30 PM Oldest known rock in North Carolina 1.8 billion years agoforms.

7:45 PM Sandstone (“parent rock” to quartzite 800 million years agofound in park) forms in Iapetus Sea, anancient ocean.

8:15 PM Soft-bodied sea creatures appear. 700 million years ago

9:00 PM Hard-shelled sea creatures appear. 550 million years ago

9:15 PM Sandstone in park metamorphoses to 500 million years agoquartzite when crustal plates carryingNorth America and Africa collide.

10:00 PM First land plants and animals appear; 400 million years agoamphibians follow soon after.

10:25 PM Early reptiles and flying insects appear. 300 million years ago

10:40 PM Dinosaurs appear. Weathering & erosion 250 million years agoof Piedmont and Sauratown Mountains.

10:50 PM Dan River basin develops; Atlantic Ocean 220 million years agoforms as Africa and North America moveapart; small mammals appear.

11:00 PM Birds appear. 195 million years ago

11:40 PM Early primates appear; dinosaurs become 65 million years agoextinct. Erosion in Piedmont continues.

11:59 PM Humans arrive seconds before midnight. 1 million years ago orless


Pre-Visit Activity #2 "Layer on Layer"

Major Concepts:•Sedimentary rock formation•Faulting, folding, thrusting

Learning Skills:•Observing, inferring, pre-dicting

•Drawing conclusions frommodels

Subject Areas:•Science•English Language Arts*See Activity Summary fora Correlation with DPIobjectives in these subjectareas.

Location: Indoors

Group Size: 30 or less

Estimated Time:Option A: 60 minutesOption B: 60 minutes overseveral days

Appropriate Season: Anyseason

Materials:Provided by the educator:Option A

Per group: Small aquarium or3-liter clear plastic sodabottle with the top cut off,water, sand, clay soil, andother “sediments.” Note:Any type of fine materialthat will settle in water canbe used, preferably of sev-eral different colors so thelayering effect can be seen.Make sure none of the mate-rials can float before usingthem with students!

Option BPer class: Several packages

of gelatin in assorted colors,hot water, two-quart bowl,package of licorice strings,

plastic wrap to cover gela-tin, glass cake pan, spatula

Per student: Clear plastic 8oz. cup, spoon, pen to markcup

Credits: Museum Institute forTeaching Science, Oct/Nov1988. (See Referencessection.)

Objectives:• Define sedimentary rock

and explain how sedimen-tary rock forms.

• Using a simple model,demonstrate and describewhat can happen to rocklayers when the earth’scrust is compressed.

• Give examples of evi-dence that geologists useto reconstruct the geologi-cal history of theSauratown Mountains.


n this activity, studentswill manipulate simple

models of sedimentaryrocks in order to visualizethe geological history of the

Sauratown Mountains.Two options are provided:Option A focuses on sedi-ment deposition and howmovements in the earth’scrust can later fold or de-form the original layers.Option B reinforces the con-cept of geologic time anddemonstrates cross-bed-ding.

Although most of the ex-posed rock in the park todayis metamorphic, the parentrock was sedimentary. Ge-ologists think that the sedi-mentary rock (primarilyquartz sandstone) was laiddown in a shallow sea about800 million years ago.Much later this deeply-bur-ied sedimentary rock wasmetamorphosed and becamequartzite. Although thequartzite was folded, meta-morphosed and thrust upand over younger rocks, itstill exhibits the sedimentsand layers in the originalsandstone.aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaI


Student’s Information:When your students visitHanging Rock State Park,they may observe that somerock layers, although paral-lel, have internal layersaligned at an angle, one toanother. This feature iscalled cross-bedding and oc-curs when the currents orwinds that carry sandchange direction over time.Cross-bedding within thequartzite layers providesevidence that the rocks ofthe park were formed in anearshore or beach environ-ment. Note: This originalsedimentary feature is bestdisplayed beneath HangingRock in the more weatheredrock layers. ( Cross-beddingcan also be observed on theupwind side of large sanddunes such as those atJockey’s Ridge State Park.)

At the park, students willobserve that some of thequartzite layers are tilted.This indicates that deforma-tion of the earth’s crust oc-curred after the depositionof the sediments. Geolo-gists think that beginningabout 500 million years ago,large folds and faults devel-oped in the crust as the tec-tonic plates carrying NorthAmerica and Africa startedto come together to form the

supercontinent, Pangaea. Inthe Sauratown Mountainarea, older rock units werethrust westwardover youngerrock units.Later, these thrustsheets were archedupwards to form the

Sauratown Mountainanticlinorium. Some ge-ologists describe thisanticlinorium as a large foldin the crust that has floppedover on its side.

Instructions:Review the Student’s In-

formation and determine ifyou wish to use this as anintroduction to the activityoptions below. Make copiesas needed.

OPTION A:1. Divide the students intogroups of four. Provideeach group with a container,water, and portions of claysoil, sand, or other sedi-ments. At least one groupshould use an aquarium, orthe teacher can complete theactivity in the aquarium as a

demonstration.

Note: DO NOT move theaquarium once the water and

sediment have been added.This could break the

seals and cause theaquarium to leak.

2. Each group should filltheir container about half-way with water.

3. Have the students veryslowly sprinkle some claysoil (or whatever materialthey are using) into the con-tainer of water.

4. Allow all the depositedmaterial to settle to the bot-tom of the container. (Timewill vary depending on thematerial used; generally itwill take about one minute.)

5. After the first layer hassettled, add a second layerof sand. Continue makinglayers, alternating clay soil,sand, and other sedimentsuntil there is a minimum ofeight layers. Remember tolet the materials settle forabout a minute before add-

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa a aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaCross-bedding


ing the next layer. If de-sired, students can placeleaves, shells or other natu-ral objects against the glassin several layers to simulatefossils.

6. After the final layer hassettled, have the students ob-serve the results in their con-tainer and make a sketchshowing the different layers.Explain that this representsthe original rock at HangingRock State Park that formedin an ancient ocean about800 million years ago.Draw their attention to theparallel layers and ask themwhy they think the layers areparallel and not tilted.(Answer: gravity and theeven distribution of sedi-ments in still water)

7. Using the aquarium as ademonstration, take a thinpiece of plywood or similarmaterial and place it throughthe layers to the bottom atone end of the aquarium.

8. Ask the students to pre-dict what will happen to thehorizontally-layered sedi-ments as you push the ply-wood towards the other end.Have them write down theirpredictions. Explain thatthis will represent the com-pression of the earth’s crustthat occurred about 500 mil-lion years ago when the con-tinental plates carryingNorth America and Africacollided.

9. Now slowly move theplywood, pushing and com-pressing the layers of sandand clay. By doing this youare changing the position ofthe layered soil that was de-posited in the still water ofthe aquarium. This changein position of the sedimentscan be used to represent therocks in the earth that arefolded, faulted and changedby movement in the crust.

10. Have the students drawa sketch and write about the

results of this compression.If desired, they can use thediagrams in the Student’s In-formation to help them labeland interpret the new geo-logical formations.

11. Discuss the accuracy oftheir predictions. Reviewmajor events in the park’sgeological history. Discuss:During our up-coming visitto the park, what clues willwe look for that will tell usmore about these events?(Sediments in rock, layers inrock, cross-bedding, tiltingor folding of rock layers)

Assessment:Discuss the following

questions, or ask your stu-dents to write/sketch theiranswers on paper.• How do sedimentaryrocks form in nature?(Here's one possibility:Sediments, soils or rockfragments are carried bywind or water and depositedin layers. As the layers ac-cumulate, the pressurecaused by the weight of theupper layers compresses thelower layers into rock.)

• Which layer is the oldest?(the bottom layer)

• Which layer is the young-est?(the top layer)

• Describe what can happenif the earth’s crust is com-pressed after the sedimentsare deposited.

anticlinesyncline

fault


(Layers will be folded, tiltedor faulted. See diagrams inStudent’s Information.)

OPTION B:1. Have each student label acup with their name.

2. Prepare one color of gela-tin, following directions onthe package. Allow mixtureto cool slightly and spoonsome into each student’scup. The teacher shouldalso pour a thin layer into aglass cake pan for classdemonstration use.

3. Have the students datethe layer (today’s date) onthe cup. Tell the studentsthat today, the winds or wa-ter currents are moving fromeast to west. Each studentshould place licorice strings(or similar item) on top ofthe gelatin in an east-westorientation. The licoricestrings represent the orienta-tion of the various sedi-ments in the rock. Note:Do not include licoricestrings in the class demon-stration model.

4. Refrigerate the first layerovernight. Note: If thegelatin layers are kept freshby covering cups with plas-tic wrap each time, studentsmay enjoy eating the end re-sults!

5. Repeat the procedure ofpreparing another packageof gelatin––this time with adifferent color. Spoon some

into each student’s cup, ontop of the first layer. Pour athin layer on top of the firstlayer in the class demonstra-tion model also.

6. Have the students date thenew layer as well (with ap-propriate date). Tell the stu-dents that today the winds orwater currents are movingfrom the north to the south.Therefore, they should placetheir licorice strings on thegelatin in a north-south ori-entation. Note: Omit thelicorice strings in the classdemonstration model.

7. Repeat steps 5 & 6 forseveral days.

8. After 4 to 5 days, the stu-dents will have several lay-ers in place and should beable to understand that lay-ering requires a great deal oftime. They should also beable to observe that differentlayers are oriented in differ-ent directions to one another,depending on the directionof the wind or water currentsduring their formation.

9. Have the students drawand explain their results inwriting (comparing classtime with geological time).Discuss how thismodel of sedimentaryrock formation issimilar to what ge-ologists think actu-ally happens in na-ture. Remind stu-dents that geolo-gists think the

original rocks at HangingRock State Park wereformed under an ancient seabetween 500 and 800 mil-lion years ago.

10. Ask students to predict:What would happen if thelayers are compressed ortilted after they set up? Theteacher can now use theclass demonstration modelto show the results of crustalmovements. One sugges-tion is to use a spatula to cuta large block of the layeredgelatin and place it onposter paper or other heavypaper. Push on both ends ofthe paper to illustrate whathappens to rock layers whenthey are arched upwards.Geologists think somethinglike this may have occurredto form the SauratownMountains. (Geologists callthis large arch of rock theSauratown MountainAnticlinorium.) Faultingand thrusting can also bedemonstrated by cutting thelayered gelatin into twoblocks and placing oneblock on top of the other sothat older layers from thetop block cover youngerlayers in the bottom block.

Fault - rock layers slide along a break

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See the diagrams on theStudent's Information pagefor other ideas.


questions, or ask your stu-dents to write/sketch theiranswers on paper.

• How does the time re-quired for the gelatin layer-ing compare to the geologi-cal time required for thelayering of sedimentaryrock?

(One day could represent 50to 100 million years.)

• Which layer is the oldest?(The bottom layer)

• Which is the youngest?(The top layer)

• Why can an older layer ofrock sometimes be found ontop of a younger layer?(During faulting and thrust-ing, one rock unit may bepushed up and over another.)

• What causes cross-bed-ding?(Wind or water currents de-posit the sediment in layers.If the wind or water shiftsdirection, the sediments inone layer may be orienteddifferently than the sedi-ments in another layer. Thishappens in sand dunes andalso near the shore of anocean or large lake.)


Student's Information

If you were outdoors ob-serving a large section ofsedimentary rock, whichlayer would be the oldest?The one on the bottomwould usually be the oldest.If you chose one layerwithin the rock, it would beolder than the layer above it,but younger than the layerbelow it. Sometimes largeunits of rock are thrust upand over other rocks. Whenthis happens, older layerscan be pushed on top ofyounger layers. Geologistslook for evidence of thrust-ing before deciding on theage of a rock layer.

Some sedimentary rockscontain the fossils of ani-mals and plants that weretrapped in the sediments.Geologists can use thesefossils to estimate the age ofthe rock. Rarely, fossils canbe seen in sedimentary

rocks that have been slightlymetamorphosed. Unfortu-nately, no fossils have beenfound in the metamorphicrocks at the park.

Sometimes, the sedimentsor particles in one layer maybe oriented differently thanthose in the layer above orbelow it. This is calledcross-bedding. It happenswhen wind or water currentschange direction as sedi-ments are being laid down.Demonstrate this by holdingyour right hand in front ofyou with fingers togetherand palm down. Your fin-gers should be pointingstraight ahead of you, indi-cating the direction of thewater currents that depositedthe sediments in this right-hand “layer.” Now placeyour left hand across yourright hand to form a cross.

Geologists think that therocks of the Sauratown

Mountain area, includingHanging Rock State Park,originated in an ancient seaabout 800 million years ago.What evidence would leadthem to this conclusion?The most common rock inthe park is called quartzite,a type of metamorphosedsandstone. Sandstone typi-cally forms underwater, usu-ally near the shore in abeach environment. By ob-serving the sediments andlayers in the rocks at thepark, geologists have evi-dence for an ancient sea thatexisted before the time ofthe dinosaurs!

You can make a model ofa sedimentary rock likesandstone by depositing lay-ers of sediment, one at atime, into a container filledwith water. Of course, yoursediments will not actuallymake a rock. In nature, asmore and more layers aredeposited, the bottom layersare crushed by the weight ofthe top layers. This pressurecompacts and cements thesediments together and turnsthem into a rock. The sedi-ments that formed the rockin the park were mostlymade of quartz sand. Sedi-ments in other sedimentaryrocks may be clay, silt,pebbles or even volcanicash.

Cross-bedding in weathered quartzite locatedoff the trail below the Hanging Rock


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folded layers

The fingers in your lefthand will be pointing to theright, indicating a differentcurrent direction than in the“layer” below. The make-believe sediments in yourleft-hand “layer” are linedup at right angles to thesediments in your right-hand“layer.”

If you deposit sedimentsin a container, you will no-tice that the layers are paral-lel to each other and to thebottom surface. However, ifyou visit Hanging RockState Park, you will see rock

layers that are folded ortilted at different angles.What could this mean?

Tilted or folded layers in-dicate that the earth’s crustmoved after the layers weredeposited. Geologists thinkthis movement could haveoccurred during severalmountain-building periodsbeginning nearly 500 mil-lion years ago. Study thediagrams on this page to dis-cover how rock layersmoved as the SauratownsMountains were formed.

The heat and pressureduring mountain buildingcaused the original sand-stone rocks to recrystallizeinto a hard metamorphicrock called quartzite. Dur-ing metamorphosis, the lay-ers and cross-bedding in theoriginal sandstone were pre-served. When you visit thepark, you will see thequartzite and you can learnabout the park’s geologicalstory by observing the rocklayers. Sorry, you won’t ac-tually see the ancient ocean.You’re about 500 millionyears too late!

tiltedlayers


Pre-Visit Activity #3 "A Rock Called Sandstone"

W

Major Concept:• Lithification• Sedimentary rock charac-

teristics• Sedimentary rock forma-

tion

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicat-

ing, defining operationally• Writing observations and

inferences; comparing andcontrasting

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts* See Activity Summary for

a Correlation with DPI ob-jectives in these subjectareas.

Location: Classroom

Group Size: 30 students

Estimated Time:Initial procedure 20-30 min-utes. Drying time - mini-mum of one week.


Materials:Provided by the educator:Per student: One copy of

Student’s Information andworksheet; magnifying glass(optional)

Per group: Canary grit, Epsomsalt, 2 paper cups, water,popsicle sticks (for stirring),large chunks of gravel,*sandstone sample, pie plateor heavy sheet of paper

*Note: The North CarolinaRock Kit, given to each pub-lic school by NC GeologicalSurvey, contains severalspecimens of sandstone.

Credits:Elementary Science Discov-

ery Lessons – The EarthSciences, 1973 (See Ref-erence section.)

Objectives:• Compare sandstone made

in the laboratory withnatural sandstone; listsimilarities and differ-ences between the twosamples.

• Write a paragraph ex-plaining how sedimentaryrocks are formed.


hen you visit Hanging Rock State Park, you

will notice the mountainousterrain. Geologists specu-late that the rocks compos-ing the Sauratown Moun-tains were actually formednear the shore in an ancientocean (called the IapetusSea) between 800 and 500million years ago. Since thesediment that formed therocks was primarily quartzsand, the resulting sedimen-tary rock is called sand-stone. The transformationof loose sediments into ahard rock is calledlithification. This occurswhen the weight of manysediment layers compactsthe lower layers into a rock.Or, in some cases, solublematerials such as silica(quartz), calcite, or iron ox-

ides precipitate out of thewater, filling the spaces be-tween sediment grains andcementing these grains to-gether.

About 500 million yearsago, crustal movementscaused the original sand-stones to become deeplyburied, folded and faulted.The resulting heat and pres-sure recrystallized the rockso that the sandstone meta-morphosed to quartzite,which you can see in thepark today. Later, thequartzite was thrust upwardsduring the final episode ofmountain building.

In the previous pre-visitactivity, the process of rockformation was emphasized.In this activity, the compo-nents of rock formation arethe focus. Your studentswill simulate the formationof sandstone using a mixtureof canary grit, Epsom saltsand water. The canary gritrepresents sand and othersediments deposited in theocean. The Epsom salts andwater represent salt water,complete with its mineralcomponents. Your studentswill compare and contrastreal sandstone with the ma-terial they create.

Instructions:Review the Student’s In-

formation and worksheet


Student’s Information:with your students beforebeginning this activity. Fol-lowing steps 1-9 below, thestudents should work insmall groups of two or threein order to create the sand-stone. Each student shouldcomplete his or her ownworksheet.

1. Place one inch of canarygrit into a paper cup.

2. Add about 1/2 inch of Ep-som salt.

3. Add enough water to rise1/4” to 1/2” above the grit/salt surface. Adding toomuch water will increasedrying time significantly.(You want the consistencyof thick soup.)

4. Take turns and stir themixture well! (The objectis to dissolve as much Ep-som salt as possible.)

5. Fill the second cup withgravel and put this cup ontop of the salt/grit/watermixture to add pressure.

6. Place the cups where theywill be undisturbed for oneweek allowing the mixturetime to set up and begin dry-ing out. Hint: Put the cupsclose to a heat source or on asunny window sill to speedup drying time.

7. Remove the top cup withthe gravel so that additionalair can reach the sand mix-ture. Again leave it undis-turbed for one week to con-

tinue drying out. Hint: If anoven is available, you cantry to dry the homemadesandstone by placing it in anoven at 250˚ for 2-3 hours.Use caution – place the pa-per cups on a cookie sheetand monitor carefully!

8. Carefully tear the papercup away from the sandmixture and place the“chunk” gently (withoutbreaking it apart) on a pieplate or heavy sheet of pa-per. Again, place the“chunk” where it will be un-disturbed and allow it to dryout completely. (It takestime for evaporation of saltwater to occur.)

9. Compare the homemadesandstone with sand andalso with real sandstone.Complete the worksheet.

Assessment:Check student worksheets

for completeness and accu-racy of observations. Thendiscuss the following, or askstudents to write their an-swers on paper:

Observe the homemadesandstone with a magnifyingglass. Observe sand (canarygrit) with a magnifyingglass. How are they differ-ent? Alike? Where is thesalt? What holds the "rock"together? (The homemaderock is composed of sandheld together by an Epsomsalt “cement” that crystal-lized around the particles.)

How is the process that youused to make sandstonesimilar to the process thatoccurs in nature? How is itdifferent? (In nature and inthe classroom, sand is de-posited in water and settlesto the bottom. Then miner-als in the sea water and thesilica in the sand work to“glue” the particles togetherto make a rock. In nature,the process takes millions ofyears while your homemaderock was made in only aweek or two. The pressureon the sediments is muchgreater in nature than in theclassroom.)

Which is harder, thehomemade sandstone or thenatural sandstone? Why is itharder? (Pressure helpsmake natural sandstonestronger by pressing thesand grains closer together.)

Modification:If your school has the

Mineral and Rock Kit Guideby Mary Watson of the NCGeological Survey, refer topages 51 and 52 for similaractivities on making sand-stone in the classroom. (Acopy of this guide should belocated in the North Caro-lina Rock Kit.)

Quartz



By studying the rocks atHanging Rock State

Park, geologists find clues totheir origins. The rocks mayhave formed under a shal-low sea, called the IapetusSea, about 800 million yearsago. Note: The Iapetus Seastarted to close about 500million years ago as thecrustal plates carryingAfrica and North Americamoved closer together.About 200 million yearsago, when Africa and NorthAmerican began to driftapart again, the AtlanticOcean formed.

Quartzite (metamor-phosed sandstone) is the ma-jor kind of rock found in thepark today. The “parent”rock to the quartzite wassandstone, a sedimentaryrock formed when layers ofsand were deposited underthe ancient Iapetus Sea. Theweight of water and sedi-ments above squeezed thesand grains close together.Minerals, which were dis-solved in the trapped seawater, precipitated out andcrystallized around the sandgrains, gluing them togetherlike cement.

The area around HangingRock State Park is one ofthe few places in the worldwhere you can find “flexiblesandstone” or itacolumite.(Actually, itacolumite is nota true sandstone, but a spe-cial form of weatheredquartzite.) Pieces of thisrock can actually bend alittle bit! As the itacolumiteweathers, the interlockinggrains of mica and quartz inthe rock are loosened. Thegrains can then slide overeach other like the pages ina large phone book. Theflexible mica grains allowthe rock to bend a littlewithout breaking.

In this activity, you aregoing to make homemadesandstone using canary grit,Epsom salts and water. Af-ter you mix up the grit, saltsand water, you will put themixture in a paper cup andcompress it with a cup filledwith rocks. In about threeweeks, you will have a pieceof homemade sandstone.The canary grit representsthe sandy sediments thatwere deposited in theIapetus Sea. The mixture ofwater and Epsom salts issimilar to the saltwater thatfilled the Iapetus Sea. Thecup filled with rocks thatcompresses the grit mixturerepresents the weight of wa-ter and sediments that com-pressed the layers below

them. The three weeks thatit will take for all the waterto evaporate represents themillions of years that it tookfor the layers to become ce-mented together to finallyform a rock under theIapetus Sea.

After you make yourhomemade sandstone, youwill observe it very carefullyand compare it to real sand-stone. The chart on theworksheet will help you or-ganize your observations.When you have completedthe worksheet, it is time touse your imagination. Writea paragraph answering thequestions below on the backof this paper. If you havetime, draw a picture of your-self as a piece of sand in achunk of sandstone.

• Imagine that you are agrain of sand in a piece ofsandstone. Where did youcome from?• What is your name?• How did you get herefrom where you started?• What forces made youinto a piece of sand?• What forces helped youbecome part of the piece ofsandstone?• How old are you?• Where do you think youmight go next?

Quartzite


A Rock Called Sandstone - Worksheet

Student’s Name: Date:____________

My drawing of homemade sandstone: My drawing of natural sandstone:

How are natural and homemade sandstone alike? different?

Similarities: Differences:

1. ________________________________________ 1. ________________________________________

2. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________

3. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

4. ________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________

In a short paragraph, compare real sandstone with your homemade sandstone.


A Rock Called Sandstone - Answer Sheet

Student’s name: Date:____________

My drawing of homemade sandstone: My drawing of natural sandstone:

Sketches will vary depending on Sketches will vary dependingmaterials used. on specimens used.

How are natural and homemade sandstone alike? different?

Similarities: Differences:

1. Both are light in color. 1. Natural sandstone displays layers.

2. Both are brittle. 2. Natural sandstone is not as brittleas homemade sandstone.

3. Both result in sand when crumbled. 3. Natural sandstone seems to breakoff in layers. Homemade does not.

4. Both were created with pressure. 4. Particles in homemade sandstonewill probably be larger.

In a short paragraph, compare real sandstone with your homemade sandstone.

Sandstone is a rock made up of sand grains cemented together. The sand is deposited inlayers over time by water. As the layers increase, pressure from their weight pushes the sandgrains together. As the water evaporates over time, minerals crystallize and cement the layerstogether. The homemade sandstone is also made up of sand. Like real sandstone, the grainsof the homemade sandstone were deposited in water, which eventually evaporated leavingonly the minerals behind. However, the time and pressure required to make real sandstoneare incredible. The short time and little pressure resulted in a product that is much softer andmore brittle. Also, the homemade sandstone did not form in layers like real sandstone.


Pre-Visit Activity #4 "For a Change"

B

Major Concepts:• Metamorphic Rocks• Sedimentary Rocks

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating,

using models• Writing observations; com-

paring and contrasting



Location: Classroom

Group Size: Approximately30 students with teacher

Estimated Time: 30 minutes(plus firing time in a kiln)


Materials:Per class: Ceramic greenware

(dry clay), access to a kiln, 3samples of sandstone, 3samples of quartzite*

Per student: One copy ofStudent’s Information andworksheet

*Note: The North CarolinaRock Kit, given to each pub-lic school by the NC Geo-logical Survey, contains sev-eral specimens of sandstone.The park can loan you speci-mens of quartzite.

Credits:Elementary Science Discov-

ery Lessons - The EarthSciences (See Referencessection.)

Objectives:• Compare greenware

(dried clay) with bisque(fired clay) by listing atleast two differences andtwo similarities.

• Write a short paragraphexplaining how firingclay in a kiln is similar tothe process by whichsandstone metamorphosesto quartzite.


y firing greenware in akiln to make bisque,

your students will gain agreater appreciation of howsome metamorphic rocksare formed. The process ofgreenware changing tobisque in a kiln is analogousto the process by whichsandstone changes toquartzite deep in the earth’scrust. The time, heat andpressure required to natu-rally produce metamorphicrocks are almost incompre-hensible on a human scale.However, using thegreenware analogy, yourstudents should understandthat rocks are recrystallized,not melted, during metamor-phism.

Here’s how sandstonemay have been changed tothe quartzite that you cansee in the park today. Ge-ologists think that about 500million years ago, the tec-tonic plates carrying NorthAmerica and Africa began tomove towards each other.As the Iapetus Sea closed,the resulting heat and pres-sure caused the sandstonescreated under deep burialbeneath this sea to recrys-tallize – the quartz crystalsin the sandstone enlargedand grew together to create anew rock, called quartzite.Recrystallization is not thesame as melting. (If a rockcompletely liquifies andthen solidifies, it would beclassified as an igneousrock, not a metamorphicrock.) Recrystallizationcould be as simple as achange in texture or as com-plex as a rearrangement ofions resulting in new miner-als.

Metamorphic rocks oftenhave complicated geologichistories. The rocks in theSauratown Mountainshave undergone several peri-ods of metamorphism. Arock that originally formedunder medium or high tem-peratures and pressurescould have been subject tolower temperatures andpressures at a later time. Al-though the basic elements inmica schist


Student’s Information:observations and thorough-ness of comparisons. Thendiscuss:

What did heat do to thegreenware? (Heat changedgreenware to bisque.)

How are greenware andbisque similar? (Both wereoriginally mud.) Different?(Greenware is soft, brittle,grayish white. Bisque isharder, more resistant toscratching, and white.)

How are sandstone andgreenware similar?(Greenware and sandstoneare both soft and brittle.)

How are bisque andquartzite similar? (Bisqueand quartzite are both hardand resistant to scratching.Quartzite formed from sand-stone as the bisque formedfrom greenware.)

What is the relationshipbetween sandstone and

quartzite? (Sandstone is asedimentary rock; quartziteis metamorphic. Quartzite isformed from sandstone byheat and pressure.)

What is metamorphicrock? (Metamorphic rockoccurs when one rockchanges into another due toheat and/or pressure.)

Extension:1. Measure mass and/or vol-ume of the greenware beforeand after firing in the kiln.

2. If samples of other meta-morphic rocks, such asschist and gneiss are avail-able, ask the students tocompare quartzite with theserocks. (Some of these rockscan be seen in the exhibithall at the park’s visitor cen-ter.) Discuss the parentrocks and metamorphic con-ditions that were necessaryto create these differentmetamorphic rocks. Bystudying the minerals in the

this rock did not change, theminerals in the rock result-ing from these two meta-morphic events could bequite different. Geologistsstudy metamorphic rocksunder the microscope anduse other lab tests to try tounravel the complex histo-ries of these rocks.

Instructions:

1. Students should observethe greenware and recordobservations on theirworksheets.

2. Using a pen, each studentshould carefully carve his/her name in his/her piece ofgreenware.

3. Fire the greenwaresamples in a kiln.

4. Have the students observethe samples (now calledbisque) and record observa-tions on their worksheets.

5. Ask the students to sharethe samples of sandstoneand quartzite. Studentsshould record their observa-tions on the worksheets.

6. Ask students to write aparagraph explaining howthe firing of greenware tomake bisque is similar to themetamorphic process thattransforms sandstone intoquartzite.

Assessment:Check the students'

worksheets for accuracy of

Earth’s Crust(10 to 25 miles)

Solid Mantle of olivine rock

Liquid Outer Core of nickel-iron

Solid Inner Core


rocks, geologists have evidence that the rocks in the Sauratowns were metamorphosed underlow to medium temperatures and pressures. In the following chart, foliated refers to a rock inwhich the mineral grains are aligned in a particular direction. Note that gneiss, metagray-wacke and schist can be found throughout the Sauratown Mountains, while marble is rare,but present.

Metamorphic Rocks Found in the Sauratown Mountains

Metamorphic Rock Name Description Possible Protolith orParent Rock

Quartzite Nonfoliated to foliated Sandstone (sedimentaryrock with large amounts ofquartz)

Metagraywacke Weakly foliated Graywacke - “dirty” sandstone(contains some clay, but stillhas lots of quartz)

Marble Nonfoliated; fizzes with acid Limestone (sedimentary rock)

Foliated; can often see abun- Shale or similar sedimentarySchist dant flakes of mica in the rock rocks with large amounts of

clay

Gneiss Foliated; rock has a banded Granitic gneiss comesappearance and is usually from granite, an igneousmore coarse-grained than rock. (Other types of gneissschist; more quartz and come from other igneous rocks,feldspar than mica sedimentary rocks, and even

metamorphic rocks.)



Metamorphosis means atransformation, a

marked change in appear-ance or condition. Think ofa caterpillar changing, ormetamorphosing into a but-terfly. Or, think of a snow-ball. To make a snowballyou scoop up some fresh,soft, fluffy snow. Then theheat and pressure from yourhands changes it into a hard,icy snowball.

Metamorphic rock isrock which has beenchanged by heat and/or pres-sure, often over a long pe-riod of time. The originalrock, sometimes called theparent rock, may have beenan igneous rock, a sedi-mentary rock or even an-

other metamorphic rock.The same rock will look dif-ferent, depending on theamount of heat and pressurethat it experiences. For ex-ample, the sedimentary rockcalled shale will becomeslate if it is exposed to lowtemperatures and pressures.However if the shale is ex-posed to higher temperaturesand pressures, it will be-come another kind of meta-morphic rock called schist.

The metamorphic rockfound at Hanging RockState Park is quartzite.Quartzite is a type of rockwhich formed from sand-stone, a sedimentary rock.Sandstone is made ofquartz sand and is rela-

tively brittle. Over millionsof years, the sandstone be-came deeply buried. Theheat and pressure fromwithin the earth’s crustcaused the sandstone tochange, or metamorphose,into quartzite. Most of theoutcrops and large rock for-mations that you will see atHanging Rock are quartzite.

But what actually hap-pened to the sandstone tochange it into quartzite?The sandstone did not melt.At higher temperatures, thesandstone recrystallized –the quartz crystals in therock enlarged and grew to-gether. This resulted in awhole new texture and alsomade the quartzite muchstronger than the originalsandstone.

In this activity, you willuse a kind of clay called ce-ramic greenware. Clay isbasically mud, just like thesediments that make upmany sedimentary rocks.The clay will be heated in aspecial oven called a kiln.After it is heated for a while,it will recrystallize intobisque, a kind of pottery.The bisque will have a dif-ferent texture and appear-ance than the originalgreenware. This process issimilar to sandstone chang-ing into quartzite.

SEDIMENTARY

METAMORPHIC ROCKS

IGNEOUS ROCKS

Heat

Cementing

Deposition

Transportation

Erosion

Weathering

HeatMelting

Magma

Pressure

Rock Cycle


Student’s name: Date: ____________

Greenware characteristics: Bisque characteristics:

Is it brittle? _____ Is it brittle? _____

Does it break easily in your hands? ______ Does it break easily in your hands? ______

Can you scratch it with a fingernail? _____ Can you scratch it with a fingernail? _____

Color: _______________ Color: _______________

Other characteristics: _________________ Other characteristics:___________________

___________________________________ ____________________________________

Sandstone characteristics: Quartzite characteristics:

Is it brittle? _____ Is it brittle? _____

Does it break easily in your hands? ______ Does it break easily in your hands? ______

Can you scratch it with a fingernail? _____ Can you scratch it with a fingernail? _____

Color: _______________ Color: _______________

Texture: _____________________ Texture: ______________________

Other characteristics: _________________ Other characteristics:___________________

___________________________________ ____________________________________

In a short paragraph, describe how firing clay in a kiln is similar to the process bywhich sandstone becomes quartzite, a metamorphic rock.

For A Change - Worksheet


For A Change - Answer Sheet

Student’s name: Date:____________

greenware characteristics: bisque characteristics:

Is it brittle? yes Is it brittle? noDoes it break easily in your hands? yes Does it break easily in your hands? noCan you scratch it with a fingernail? yes Can you scratch it with a fingernail? noColor: gray Color: white

sandstone characteristics: quartzite characteristics:

Is it brittle? yes Is it brittle? noDoes it break easily in your hands? yes Does it break easily in your hands? noCan you scratch it with a fingernail? yes Can you scratch it with a fingernail? noColor: depends on your sample Color: depends on your sampleTexture: coarse, gritty Texture: smooth, fine-grainedOther characteristics? Layers; dull luster Other characteristics? Layers; sugary luster

In a short paragraph, describe how firing clay in a kiln is similar to the process bywhich sandstone becomes quartzite, a metamorphic rock.

Dried clay and sandstone are both examples of sedimentary rock; they formed from sedi-ments under water. When clay is baked in a kiln, it recrystallizes and becomes much harder.When sandstone is placed under heat and/or intense pressure, the quartz crystals in the rockswell and interlock to create a much harder rock, called quartzite.


Pre-Visit Activity #5 "Shake It, Baby, Shake It"

Major Concepts:• Weathering and erosion• Mechanical and chemi-

cal weathering

Learning Skills:• Observing, inferring,

predicting• Summarizing new facts,

comparing information

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts• Mathematics (See Modi-

fication.)* See Activity Summary

for a Correlation withDPI objectives in thesesubject areas.

Location: Classroom

Group Size: Class size of30; divide into six groupsof five students per group

Estimated Time: 45 min-utes


Materials:Provided by the educator:Per student: One copy of

Student’s Information(optional), worksheet, andpencil

Per group: Four smallpieces of weatheredquartzite, 4 small piecesof quartzite, quart-sizedplastic jar with screw-typelid, water, paper, marker,worksheet

For the modification, youwill also need a graduatedcylinder for each group oranother instrument tomeasure changes in mass.

Note: For pieces of quartziteand weathered quartzite, callthe park staff. As an option,purchase small rock speci-mens of various types fromschool supply catalogs.

Credits: Elementary ScienceDiscovery Lessons - TheEarth Sciences, and Scienceis Elementary, Museum Insti-tute for Teaching Science.(See References section.)

Objectives:• Define weathering and

erosion.• Give examples to show

how water can be anagent of both weatheringand erosion.

• Compare the effects ofabrasion on weatheredquartzite and quartzite ina simulated stream envi-ronment by listing obser-vations for each rock andthen writing a conclusion.

Educator’s Information:he previous activities inthe Hanging Rock En-

vironmental EducationLearning Experience have

T

focused on the early geo-logic history of the park.This activity will emphasizehow weathering and ero-sion have created the land-scape we find in the park to-day. This activity would beespecially helpful as an in-troduction to the Geo-hiketo the Upper Cascades (On-site Activity #2). In this on-site activity, students willexplore firsthand, how waterin Cascade Creek erodes thequartzite formations in thepark.

In this simple experiment,your students will simulatehow rocks are weatheredand eroded by water. Bycomparing the effects ofabrasion on both weatheredquartzite and quartzite, theywill find that quartzite is farmore resistant to erosionthan weathered quartzite.They will discover thatquartzite must undergo agreat deal of weathering be-fore it can be eroded by wa-ter. See the Student’s Infor-mation for a review of geo-logic history.

streamside


Student’s Information:Important Note: In theSauratowns, all the rocksare metamorphic. Schist,gneiss and metagraywackeare examples of metamor-phic rocks that are moresusceptible to weatheringand erosion than quartzite.After millions of years ofweathering and erosion, thequartzite was left behind toform the ridge line of theSauratown Mountains. Asan option, the teacher couldpurchase small samples ofvarious types of rocks forthis activity. Alter the In-structions to reflect the ac-tual rocks used.

Read the Modification inthis activity and, if you de-cide to use it, add the appro-priate cues to the Instruc-tions below.

Instructions:Assemble the needed ma-

terials. Discuss theStudent's Information withyour students and assignthem to work groups. Askeach student to fill out aworksheet to record his/herobservations. Guide thegroups through the exercise:

1. Examine both weatheredquartzite and quartzite.(The weathered quartzitehas been exposed to bothwater and air at the earth'ssurface for a very long time.It has a grainy texture simi-lar to that of sandstone.)Predict which rock will bemore resistant to erosion.What observations helped

you make your predictions?

2. Place one piece of weath-ered quartzite on a sheet ofpaper labelled “0.” This willserve as the control. Put thethree remaining pieces ofweathered quartzite in theplastic jar. Fill the jar halffull of water, tighten the lid,and shake the container vig-orously 300 times.

3. Remove one piece ofweathered quartzite andplace it on a sheet of paperlabelled “300.”

4. Ask a different groupmember to shake the con-tainer vigorously another300 times. Remove a pieceof weathered quartzite andplace it on a sheet of paperlabelled “600.”

5. A third group membershould repeat the procedure,shaking another 300 times,removing the last piece andputting it on a sheet of paperlabelled “900.”

6. Compare the rocks on thefour sheets of paper. Ob-serve what is left in the jarof water.

7. Repeat steps 2-6 withpieces of quartzite (and

other kinds of rocks if de-sired).

8. Each student should com-pare the results for weath-ered quartzite and quartziteby sketching rock fragmentson his or her worksheet.


questions with your stu-dents, or ask them to writetheir answers on paper.

After completing theworksheet comparing thechanges in weatheredquartzite and quartzite,which is more resistant toweathering and erosion?Why? (Quartzite showed theleast amount of change; it isa very hard rock; mineralgrains interlock. Duringweathering, the boundariesbetween the quartz grainsand other mineral grains inthe quartzite were graduallyloosened. This processweakened the rock, makingit more susceptible to ero-sion by water.)

Predict what will happento the weathered quartziteand quartzite after severalthousand shakes. (Weath-ered quartzite will breakdown into smaller sandgrains. Quartzite will notchange very much.)

How do rocks shaken in ajar compare to rocks from astream? (Rocks carried in astream bang against each

stream rock


other like those shaken in ajar.)

What is erosion? (Carry-ing away of rock fragmentsand soil)

Can rain cause erosion?Can streams? (Yes to both.Rain carries away debris asit runs down hill. This ac-tivity simulates what is hap-pening in the Dan River andits tributaries, such as Cas-cade Creek.)

What is weathering?(Breaking up of rocks)

How can water causeweathering? (Water canweather rocks mechanicallyor chemically. Mechani-cally: Water can wear awayrocks, or it can break rocksinto pieces during freezingand thawing. Chemically:Water can react with miner-als in the rock to form newcompounds. Over time,chemical changes can dis-solve the rock.)

What is left in the jar ofwater after shaking theweathered quartzite?(Quartz sand. Quartz is moreresistant to weathering thanother minerals that may bepresent in the rock.)

How does this activityhelp explain why theSauratown Mountains looklike they do today? (Erosionhas removed the softer rocksto expose the more resistantquartzite. Quartzite must be

exposed to water and air atthe earth’s surface for a longtime before it can be erodedaway. This erosion-resistantquartzite forms the peaksand ridges of Hanging Rock,Cook’s Wall, Moore’s Knob,and Pilot Mountain.)

Modification:You can add math and

measurement practice to thisactivity by asking studentsto find the volume of eachrock piece. The volume ofeach piece should be mea-sured at the beginning of theexperiment, after 300shakes, after 600 shakes,and finally at the end of theexperiment. Volume can be

measured by using the waterdisplacement method with agraduated cylinder. Fill thecylinder part way with wa-ter and take a reading. (Thisis the “volume of wateronly.”) Drop in the rockpiece and take another read-ing. (This is the “volume ofwater plus rock.”) Subtractthe “volume of water only”from the “volume of waterplus rock” to find the vol-ume of the rock. You canask the students to graphtheir results or do furthercalculations, such as findingthe percent change in vol-ume after 900 shakes, or de-termining the mean, medianand mode of class data.

rock overhang



You have already learnedhow geologists think

the rocks of Hanging RockState Park were formed.Remember that over 800million years ago, the origi-nal rocks (sandstone) weredeposited under water.Later, most of these sedi-mentary rocks were deeplyburied and transformed byheat and pressure intoquartzite, a metamorphicrock. Next, uplift andmovement of the earth’scrust created mountains,which may have been ashigh as the Rocky Moun-tains are today. Finally, mil-lions of years of weatheringand erosion wore down themountains to their currentheights.

The forces of weatheringand erosion are still at workin the Sauratown Moun-tains today. In the warm,humid climate of NorthCarolina, water is the mostpowerful agent of weather-ing and erosion. Water canweather rocks in two differ-ent ways: mechanically andchemically. First, weather-ing processes break down allkinds of rock into smallerpieces. In chemical weath-ering, minerals in the rockreact with water or air toform new compounds. Overtime, this process can dis-solve rocks. In mechanicalweathering, the rock simplybreaks into smaller pieces,

but is not chemicallychanged. One way that wa-ter can mechanically break arock is through the freezingand thawing cycle. Whenwater invades cracks orpores in a rock and laterfreezes and expands, thepressure may break offpieces of rock. This iscalled ice wedging.

Quartzite is very resistantto weathering. However,over long periods of expo-sure to water and air at theearth’s surface, the bound-aries between the interlock-ing mineral grains becomeloosened. The rock beginsto soften and crumble. (Atthis point, the weathered

quartzite resembles its “par-ent rock,” sandstone.)Then, erosion occurs whenwind, water, ice and snowcarry these sedimentsaway.

In this activity, you willsimulate mechanical weath-ering and erosion by plac-ing rocks into a jar of waterand shaking it. This activ-ity will help you determinewhat kinds of rocks aremore resistant to weather-ing and erosion. You willdiscover how the weather-ing process continues asrocks are moved around bystreams and rivers. Getready to “shake it, baby,shake it”!

freshly-broken rock showingsharp edges

stream rock with roundededges due to abrasion


Shake It, Baby, Shake It - Worksheet

Name: ___________________________________________ Date ______________

Weathered Quartzite results: (Draw results and write a short description for each rock.)

0 300

600 900

Quartzite results: (Draw results and write a short description for each rock.)

0 300

600 900

Which rock is more resistant to weathering and erosion? Why? ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________


Shake It, Baby, Shake it - Answer Sheet

Weathered Quartzite results: (Draw results and write a short description for each rock.)

Note: The function of sketching is to get students to observe each specimen more carefully.

0 coarse feelingedges are fine layers

300 rock appears smaller than the one at “0”

600 rock is smaller and edges are beginning to round off

900 rounded edges; layers still obvious; much smaller

Quartzite results: (Draw results and write a short description for each rock.)

0 smooth - not grainy; layers; appears broken at right angles

300 no change from piece at “0”

600 no change

900 no change

Which rock is more resistant to weathering and erosion? Why? Quartzite; it was notchanged by this activity, while the pieces of weathered quartzite became smaller as the activ-ity progressed.


On-Site Activity #1 "Erosion of a Mountain"

Major Concepts:• Erosion• Change over geologic time

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating,

formulating models• Recording and comparing

information, drawing con-clusions, expressing opin-ions & ideas

• Measuring heights


a Correlation with DPI ob-jectives in these subject ar-eas.

Location: Park Lake - Beach

Group Size:Approximately 30 students,divided into three groupswith an adult supervisingeach group.

Estimated Time: 45 minutes


Materials:Provided by the educator:Per class: (Optional) camera or

camcorderPer student: Worksheet and

pencilProvided by the park:Per group: Quartzite rocks

(large & medium sizes), sand(on location–beach), water,watering can (or hose),shovel, meter stick

Credits:Elementary Science Discov-ery Lessons - The EarthSciences. (See References.)

Special Considerations:Students should stay withtheir group leaders – awayfrom the water! Remindstudents that the lake isopen for swimming onlyfrom June 1 - Labor Day.

Objectives:• Participate in a group to

create a model represent-ing the Sauratown Moun-tains 300 to 400 millionyears ago, then simulatethe effects of erosion bypouring water on themodel.

• Record significantchanges in the model bymeasuring, writing notesor sketching. (Also mea-sure, in centimeters, thehighest point on themodel after each erosionevent.)

• Based on the experienceswith the model, write aparagraph describing thegeologic history of theSauratown Mountains,beginning 350 millionyears ago and continuing150 million years into thefuture.


In this activity, your stu-dents will gain a sense of

how landforms change overgeologic time by construct-ing a model representingthe Sauratown Mountainsapproximately 300 to 400

million years ago. At thattime, geologists think therange was as least as high asthe Rocky Mountains are to-day. In general, softer, morerecent rocks were closer tothe surface, while older,metamorphosed rocks wereat the core. Using a water-ing can or hose, your stu-dents will simulate hundredsof millions of years of ero-sion in only a few minutes.Throughout the demonstra-tion, the students will stop atdesignated times to sketchthe changes in the appear-ance of the model and mea-sure heights. They will usetheir experiences with themodel to explain the geo-logic history of theSauratowns.

Note: No answer sheet hasbeen prepared for theworksheet, as student mod-els and simulated erosiontechniques will vary consid-erably. Focus on the stu-dents’ abilities to participatein the model-making processas well as their abilities tomake careful observationsand arrive at logical conclu-sions based on observations.

Instructions:Before coming to the

park, the teacher may wishto use the Student’s Infor-mation from Pre-visit Activ-ity #5 to familiarize thestudents with the terms,

4.1.2 Apri l 2000Hanging Rock State Park, NC

weathering and erosion.

1. Divide the class into threegroups and ask them to sitalong the stone divider or onthe timbers at Park Lake.

2. Prepare the students forthis activity by describingthe process of making a geo-logic model of theSauratowns. Here’s asample script:

Sometimes, geologistsuse models to help them un-derstand the geologic pro-cesses that shape the land-scape over long periods oftime. You will be workingin your groups to construct amodel representing theSauratown Mountains 300 to400 million years ago. Atthat time, geologists thinkthe mountains were much

were harder, highly meta-morphosed rocks.

Keeping this in mind,build your model of theSauratowns by using thequartzite rock pieces to formthe core of your mountainrange. Don’t forget aboutlayering; you want yourmodel to be as realistic aspossible. Then cover thequartzite with lots of sand torepresent the softer rocksnear the surface. Hint: Ifyou have ever seen theRocky Mountains, or otherrecently formed mountains,you know they have sharppeaks and do not look asrounded as older mountains.Remember to work togetheras a group to make yourmodel; be sure to ask every-one for ideas.

Once you have completedyour model, group membersshould take turns simulatingwater erosion by pouringwater on the model with awatering can or hose. Youradult leader will ask you tostop at various times in thedemonstration to take noteson your worksheet. You willalso be asked to measure theheight, in centimeters, of thehighest peak in your moun-tain range. Take turns sothat everyone in the groupgets to do something. Later,you will use your experi-ences with the model to tryto explain why theSauratown Mountains lookas they do today. You will

also predict how they mightlook millions of years in thefuture.

3. Pass out the worksheetsand pencils. Studentsshould work on their modelsin the areas designated bythe park staff. If group ma-terials are not already inplace at the designated sites,have students carry theequipment for their group totheir site.

4. Once each group has fin-ished its model, the studentsshould individually make asketch in the space marked“Beginning” on theirworksheets. One or twogroup members should usethe meter stick to measure,in centimeters, the highestpoint on their model. Stu-dents should record this onthe worksheets under “Be-ginning.”

5. Have one or two studentsin each group create “rain”on the mountain by usingthe watering can or hose.The adult leader should stopthem when they have ex-posed less than 20% of thequartzite rock pieces in theirmodel. Students will nowsketch the result under Stop1 on their worksheets. Theywill also measure the high-est point on their model andrecord it under Stop 1.

6. Different groupmember(s) should continuethe erosion process by pour-ing more water on the

higher – perhaps higher thanthe Rocky Mountains are to-day. In general, the rockscloser to the surface of thesemountains were softer, morerecent rocks. The rocks inthe core of the mountains


model. The adult leadershould stop them whenabout 50-75% of the quartz-ite has been exposed. Stu-dents should draw the resultunder Stop 2 on theirworksheets. They shouldcompare the model at thisstage with Moore’s Knob,which is located just acrossthe lake from this activitylocation. Finally theyshould measure the highestpoint on their model andrecord it under Stop 2.

7. Again, have differentgroup member(s) pour wateron their group’s model.Stop them when they haveeroded away most of thesand and exposed most ofthe quartzite. They willmake their final sketch un-der Stop 3 and take a finalheight measurement.

8. The teacher may wish tocollect the studentworksheets at this point.When students return to theclassroom, they can writetheir paragraphs on the geo-logic history of theSauratowns. Studentsshould assist the teacher andpark staff to clean up the ac-tivity site before leaving thepark.

Assessment:Review student work-

sheets for completeness andaccuracy of observations.Then, ask your students thequestions below. This maybe done as a class discus-

sion, or students can writetheir answers on paper.

• What does moving waterdo to mountains? (Erodessofter rocks)

• How did the peaks andledges at Hanging RockState Park form over time?(Water eroded away thesofter rocks, leaving themore resistant quartzite be-hind.)

• What do you think hap-pened to the softer rocks thatwere here over 300 millionyears ago? Where did theygo? (You can see sand and

small rock particles in thesoil at various locationswithin the park. Most of therock pieces and sedimentshave long ago washed awayinto the Dan River and itstributaries. Some sedimentsmay have travelled to theAtlantic Ocean by now!)

• What happened to thequartzite in your model?(No change)

• In nature, quartzite is veryslowly worn away by weath-ering and erosion. Sincerunning water doesn’t seemto affect quartzite verymuch, what other agents of


weathering might be able tobreak down this rock?(Water freezing in cracks inthe rocks and expanding,tree roots, people, wind-blown sand)

• Today, the highest point inthe Sauratown Range isMoore’s Knob at approxi-mately 2,570 feetabove sea level. Iferosion has made itthis size today, howtall might it havebeen when it wasfirst uplifted? Hint:Some geologistsspeculate it mayhave been five timesits present size about350 million yearsago. (Answer:12,850 feet)

• Compare yourmodel to the “realthing.” What was theheight of your modelat the beginning andat Stop 2, presenttime? Does thisrepresent a five-folddecrease in height?Do you think yourmodel of the Sauratowns isaccurate? (Answers willvary depending on groupmodels. Most likely, themodels are not very accu-rate, but only crudely repre-sent erosional events. Youcan discuss how scientistsdevelop models that aremore accurate in order topredict events with a fairamount of accuracy.)

• Predict what will eventu-ally happen to these moun-tains. (Accept a variety ofanswers. Erosion will con-tinue and the mountains willbecome smaller. However,at some point in the future,tectonic plate activity maycause mountain building tobegin again. Refer to the

camera or camcorder, a pho-tographic or video recordcan be made and used whenthe class returns to school.

Extension:Have students correlate

their geologic stories withthe information on geologiceras and periods they

learned in Pre-visitActivity #1 in thisEELE. For ex-ample, they couldwrite the era andperiod names ontheir worksheet forBeginning, Stop 1,and Stop 2.(Answers: Begin-ning = Paleozoicera and Devonian orMississipian period;Stop 1 = Mesozoicera and Jurassic pe-riod; Stop 2 =Cenozoic era andQuaternary period)Then, they could re-write their para-graphs on page twoof the worksheet toinclude informationabout the plants andanimals of these pe-

riods. If your class createdthe timeline suggested inPre-visit Activity #1, theycould add sketches of howthe Sauratowns may havelooked during the Devonianand Jurassic periods and in-clude a recent photograph ofthe Sauratowns for the Qua-ternary period.

Rock Cycle Diagram onpage 3.1.3 of this EELE.)

Modification:If time does not allow stu-

dents to sketch and measuregroup models, one classmodel can be made quickly.The teacher can narrate thegeologic story while stu-dents act as “rainmakers.”If the teacher has access to a


Mountain Erosion - Worksheet

Name: ___________________________________________ Date: __________________

Draw changes observed during the activity. Label (or shade in) the rocks and use arrows toshow directions in which sand was carried away. Also, measure the highest point on yourmodel and record in the appropriate spaces on the worksheet.

Beginning - Represents how the Sauratown Mountains looked 350 million years ago.

Height in cm __________

Sketch:

Stop 1 - About 150 to 200 million years ago, erosion became the dominant force and beganto reshape the land. (Mountain-building period is over.)

Height in cm ________

Sketch:

Stop 2 - Represents present time. Height in cm ________. Draw sketch below:


Mountain Erosion - Worksheet Page 2

Compare your model at Stop 2 to Moore’s Knob, the peak you can see across the lake.

Similar:____________________________________________________________________

Different: __________________________________________________________________

Stop 3 - Represents how the mountains may look another 150 million years in the future.

Height in cm: _____

Sketch:

In a short paragraph, write the geologic story of the Sauratown Mountains beginning 350 mil-lion years ago and continuing about 150 million years into the future.


On-Site Activity #2 "A Geo-hike"

Objectives:• Identify one mineral and

one rock found in thepark.

• Gain an appreciation forthe geologic formationsin Hanging Rock StatePark.

• Present at least onetheory that explains howthe geologic formationsfound in the park mayhave formed.


his activity is a hike toobserve some of theT

park’s geologic features.On-site Activity #1 and

Pre-visit Activities #2 and#5 in this EELE are recom-mended prerequisites toyour hike.

Option A is an easy hiketo the Upper Cascades (0.6mile round trip) on an acces-sible trail. This option is thebetter one for school groups.On this hike you will be ableto observe:

• water erosion• fractures or joints in the

quartzite• tilted rock layers• metamorphic layering

(foliation) in rocks.

Option B is a challenginghike to the base of HangingRock (two miles round trip)over steep, uneven terrain.This hike is NOT recom-mended for persons whohave difficulty walking.Option B might be used bygroups that would like moredetailed study of rock for-mations and a more rigorousphysical experience. On thishike you will be able to see:

• how the effects of weath-ering and erosion shapedthe current landscape

• rocks which were foldedand fractured

• cross-bedding in meta-morphosed sedimentaryrock.

Major Concepts:• Sauratown geology• Erosion• Weathering

Learning Skills:• Observing, classifying, infer-

ring, communicating• Taking notes and developing

conclusions

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts• Social Studies*See Activity Summary forCorrelation with DPI objec-tives in these subject areas.

Location:Option A -

Upper Cascade TrailOption B -

Hanging Rock Trail

Group Size:Approximately 30 studentswith a teacher, plus at leastthree adult assistants.

Estimated Time:Option A -

30 minutes to 1 hourOption B -

2-3 hours

Appropriate Season: Any,except winter months

Materials:Provided by the educator:

Per student: Student's Infor-mation, park map (pg. 4.2.4),note paper and pencil

Special Considerations:Please read the information inthe Introduction to HangingRock State Park on "BeforeYou Make the Trip" and"While at the Park."


Student’s Information:

mineral, not a rock. Super-heated water containing silicawas pushed into the cracks inthe quartzite during mountainbuilding. As the watercooled, the silica precipitatedout and solidified, filling thecracks.

Option B:During the geologic time

period that witnessed themovement and collision ofthe land masses, this entireregion was pushed up. Rocklayers were folded, bent andfractured, and large slices ofrock were shoved over oneanother. In many places, thisprocess resulted in olderrocks being pushed up andover younger rocks. HangingRock has a complex and fas-cinating geologic history,which geologists are still try-ing to unravel!

The knife-edge ridge youwalk along to get to HangingRock is an interesting geo-logic feature. In the past, thisridge was a continuation ofthe Hanging Rock ridge andwas capped with the samedurable quartzite that formsHanging Rock itself. Thisridge is a preview of what theHanging Rock ridge will looklike in the distant future aserosion takes its toll.

Although quartzite is moreresistant to weathering anderosion than other types ofrock, it is not immune. Atype of weathering called ice

Option A:The gorge at the Upper

Cascades was created by mil-lions of years of erosion.Here, water has eroded therock along major fractures orjoints. When the quartzitebreaks off, it breaks alongthese fractures into smooth-sided blocks.

Originally, the layers ofrock were lying horizontallylike a stack of papers. How-ever, as the earth’s crustslowly moved, the layerswere gradually folded andbent. At the time of thecrustal movement, the layerswere under about 8 1/2 milesof rock, and therefore underconsiderable pressure! At theincreased temperatures andpressures deep in the earth,the rocks behaved plastically,something like taffy candy.

When put under intensepressure, some minerals inrocks will line up in bands orlayers. This is called folia-tion. You can see this meta-morphic layering, or foliation,in the quartzite at the UpperCascades. Geologists thinkthese layers may be parallelto the original bedding of theparent rock, sandstone. To-day these layers of quartziteare sloping or dipping gentlyto the southeast.

Another item of interest atthe Upper Cascades is thepresence of quartz veins andpods between the layers in thequartzite. Quartz (silica) is a

wedging can be very effec-tive at breaking even thishard rock. When water getsinto cracks and joints, thenfreezes and expands, it cre-ates enough force to pushrocks apart. The dailyfreeze-thaw cycle that oc-curs in winter and earlyspring slowly but surelyweathers these rocks.

At the base of HangingRock, you can see the origi-nal layering of the nowmetamorphosed sandstone(quartzite). Look carefullyto observe cross-bedding,where minor layers lie at anangle to the main layers.This is evidence that the par-ent rock formed in an oceannear the shore, where chang-ing wind or water currentsrearranged the originalsandy sediments.


cuss how the cascades wereformed. Emphasize how therocks were laid down, theuplifting process, and thenthe erosive force of waterand its effects on the rocks.

5. Have the students searchfor quartz veins in thequartzite and look for anylayering or foliation. See ifthey can find fractures per-pendicular to these layersand observe how straightand smooth the fractures are.Have the students also lookat fallen rocks. Encouragethem to speculate on whythe rocks fell and why therocks are shaped as they are.

Option B:

1. Discuss with the studentsbasic trail safety informa-tion. (See page 1.4.) Re-mind the students that thepurpose of the state parkssystem is to preserve andprotect our natural re-sources. Explain to the stu-dents that they should notpick, injure or destroy anyplants or animals. Rocksshould not be removed fromthe park, but should be re-turned to the area fromwhich they are collected.

2. Before you leave on thehike, give an overview ofthe background informationand review the rock cycle(Pre-Visit Activity #1). En-courage the students to usetheir observation skills tonote the erosion which hasoccurred along the ridge,giving it a distinctive shape,

Instructions:

Option A:

1. Discuss with the studentsbasic trail safety informa-tion. (See page 1.4.) Re-mind the students that thepurpose of the state parkssystem is to preserve andprotect our natural re-sources. Explain to the stu-dents that they should notpick, injure or destroyany plants or animals.Rocks should not be re-moved from the park, butshould be returned to thearea from which they arecollected.

2. Before you leave on thehike give an overview of thebackground information andreview the rock cycle (Pre-Visit Activity #1). Encour-age the students to use theirobservation skills to deter-mine how the gorge wasformed and note any layer-ing, fractures or tilt in therock formations. Studentsshould record their observa-tions by making simplenotes or sketches.

3. Lead the hike to the Up-per Cascades. (You maywant to stop at the "rockgarden" along the way.)

4. Once there, be sure to dis-

and to note any layering,fractures or tilt in the rockformations. Students shouldmake simples notes orsketches to record their ob-servations.

3. Before you reach the baseof Hanging Rock, you willwalk along a knife-edgeridge. Have the studentscompare the differences inheight between the top ofHanging Rock and the ridgeyou are standing on. Con-tinue the hike to the base ofHanging Rock, stopping forbrief discussions where evi-dence of weathering anderosion of rock formationsare noticed by the students.

4. Once at the base, ask stu-dents to observe fallen rocksfor evidence of layering.Remind the students thatquartzite is metamorphosedsandstone, but still showsthe layering of the quartz-rich sediments as they werelaid down by water. Withcareful observation, youmay be able to see cross-bedding at this location.

5. As you continue the hiketo the top of Hanging Rock,remind the students thatwhen this region was up-lifted, the older quartziterock was pushed up andover softer, younger rocks.In this geologic process, thequartzite was tilted, foldedand later, fractured. Havethe students search for evi-dence of these folds andfractures, and see if any ofthe rocks appear to have

quartz


broken along these fractures,showing a straight andsmooth surface. Discusswith them that fractures areweak spots, and with theprocesses of weathering anderosion constantly workingon them, the quartzite willeventually break along theseweak lines. Ask students tolook for any evidence thatweathering and erosion haveoccurred. Emphasize the

trail map (section of park map)

importance of ice wedging(freeze-thaw cycle) in theweathering of quartzite.

Assessment:

1. Back in the classroom,ask students to work ingroups to present a theorythat explains how the geo-logical formations they ob-served in the park may haveformed. Their theoriesshould be based on observa-

tions, but they do not haveto agree with the ideas pre-sented in the Student's Infor-mation. Each group shouldcreate at least one audiovi-sual to illustrate their theory.

2. Ask students to define orexplain the following terms:quartz, quartzite, fracture orjoint, foliation, erosion,cross-bedding, and icewedging.

Cascade Creek

WindowFalls

LowerCascadesFalls

Moore’s Springs Rd. S.R. 1001

Tory’sDenandFalls

HuckleberryRidge

Trail

BalancedRock

IndianFace

WolfRock

UpperCascades

FallsHiddenFalls

Hanging RockTrail

HANGINGROCK

Hall Road S.R. 2012

Pied

Dan River

Moore’sKnob

Park

Lake

Indi

an C

reek

Indi

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eek Tra

il

VisitorCenter

Tory

n Trail

Wolf Rock Lo

opTr

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Casc

ade

Cree

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Chestnut Oak Nature Tra

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Moo

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allLoopTrail

Rock State Park


Post-Visit Activity #1

Major Concepts:• Geologic processes• Sauratown Mountains

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating• Creating a group product of

the field trip

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts* See the Activity Summary

for a Correlation with DPIobjectives in these subjectareas.

Location: School

"Sauratown MountainBulletin Board"

Objectives:• Describe at least one part

of the rock cycle.• Explain how weathering

and erosion affect geo-logic formations.

• Describe one or moregeologic concepts, usingtext and art materials.

Group size:30 students – may want to

work in small groups

Estimated Time: Variable


Materials:Provided by the educator:

Construction paper, mark-ers or crayons of variouscolors, stapler and staples,glue, tape, scissors, bulletinboard, any other art mate-rial that the students chooseto use (perhaps clay, or pa-per mache?)

Instructions:

1. As a class, plan the bulle-tin board. Be sure to coverone or more of the followingconcepts: rock cycle, rockformation, weathering, ero-sion and geologic time. Alsobe sure to relate this to thepark and to the students’ ex-periences. Sketch it.

2. Construct. (Students maywant to work in small groupsand do different parts of thedisplay.)

3. Label various points,i.e., rocks, layers, ages, etc.Arrows could be used topoint out “this formed fromthis” to demonstrate a rockcycle.

4. Display the bulletin boardwhere other students can seeit and learn from it.


This activity reinforcesthe vocabulary and con-

cepts learned in the previousactivities.


Post-Visit Activity #2 "Geo Talk"

Major Concepts:• Geology• Earth resources

Learning Skills:• Observing, communicating• Identifying key words;

collecting and organizingnew information

• Acquiring informationfrom primary and second-ary sources

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts• Social Studies* See the Activity Sum-

mary for a Correlationwith DPI objectives inthese subject areas.

Location: Classroom

Group Size: Approximately30 students plus teacher

Estimated Time: 30 minutesfor part 1; 45 minutes orlonger for part 2


Materials:Provided by the educator:Per student: Word Search and/

or Word Puzzle, pencilPer class: (Optional) map of

country or world, libraryresources to assist withreports

Objectives:• Match geology vocabu-

lary words with theircorrect definitions.

• Collect and organizeinformation on a speci-fic rock or mineral.Include information onlocation of majorsources, how it ismined, how peopleuse it, its economic im-portance, and environ-mental issues related toits extraction and use.


In this activity, studentswill review some of the

new vocabulary theylearned as a result of com-pleting the other activities inthe Hanging Rock Environ-mental Education LearningExperience. They will alsodo research to learn moreabout the importance ofearth resources in our daily

lives, and environmental is-sues that may be associatedwith them.

Instructions:Part 1 -Vocabulary Review

1. Give each student a copyof the Word Search and in-struct them to fill in theblanks with the appropriateword suggested by eachdefinition or example. Youcan list the words on thechalkboard, or use the WordSearch in combination withthe Word Puzzle.

2. Create cards of vocabu-lary terms for a game of"Password." A student callsout words related to a giventerm in order to get his/herteam members to say thecorrect term within 30 sec-onds. For example, if thevocabulary term is sedi-mentary rock, the playermight call out the words:layers, water, fossils or


sandstone. He could not usea word that is containedwithin the vocabulary term,such as sediment or rock.

Assessment:Use the Word Search as a

quiz after playing the vo-cabulary games, or createyour own matching testbased on the Word Search.

Instructions:Part 2 -Rocks and Minerals inYour Daily Life

1. In this activity, studentswill do research on a spe-cific rock or mineral. Theteacher may wish to assign adifferent rock or mineral toeach student or have stu-dents work together inteams. If desired, this couldbe correlated with the SocialStudies unit in each gradelevel. For example, studentscould be assigned rocks andminerals from NorthAmerica, Europe, or Africa.

2. Instruct students to collectinformation on their rock ormineral. They can do a websearch, use printed resourcesfrom the media center, orcontact a geologist or min-ing company. As a mini-mum requirement, theyshould collect the following:• Location of major sourcesof their earth resource (usemap, if possible)• How people extract thisresource from the earth• How people use thisresource

• Environmental issuessurrounding their resource(mining issues, limitedquantities, transportationissues, pollution that mayresult from processing thematerial, etc.)• Any information on theeconomic importance oftheir earth resource (for ex-ample, is it a major exportfor the countries they arestudying in Social Studies?)

3. Students should organizetheir information so that itcan be shared with others.Pictures, sketches or photo-graphs would add to theirreports.

Assessment:• Check student reports forcompleteness. If time per-mits, ask students or teamsto give brief reports to theclass about their resource.• Bulletin board activity:Ask students to use piecesof yarn to connect an illus-tration of their resource to amap of North Carolina, a

country, a region, or theworld (depending on yourgeographical focus for thisactivity). They should try topinpoint the specific loca-tion of a major source oftheir rock or mineral.• Make a class list of theenvironmental issuessurrounding the earthresources. Discuss howindividuals or countries canbe better stewards of earthresources.• Ask students to thinkabout their specific earth re-source. Decide if they, orthe country they are study-ing, could get along withoutthis resource. Why is thisresource important? Whathardships might result if thisresource were no longeravailable? Are there substi-tutes for this resource?

Extensions:If you prefer to concen-

trate on North Carolinarocks and minerals, see theactivities in the Mineral andRock Kit Guide by MaryWatson of the N.C. Geologi-cal Survey. Refer to theReferences section for moreresources from the Surveythat illustrate the importanceof earth resources in ourdaily lives.


WORD SEARCH Name_____________________

1. Substance made up of one or more minerals___ ___ ___ ___

2. Rock that forms the ledges, peaks, and ridges of the Sauratown Mountains___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

3. Sedimentary rock composed primarily of quartz grains___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

4. Naturally-occurring substance with its own crystal shape___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

5. Rock type formed when heat and pressure change or recrystallize a rock___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

6. Term used when water carries away rock debris___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

7. Rock type formed when sand, clay or other materials are deposited in layers under water___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

8. The geologic process that breaks down rocks into smaller pieces___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

9. Name of mountain range that includes Hanging Rock, Moore’s Knob, and Cook’s Wall___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

10. One of the most common minerals (You can see veins of this throughout the park.)___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

11. Scale used to describe the earth’s history; includes eras and periods___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

12. Describes how rocks are repeatedly made and destroyed___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

13. Rock type formed when molten (liquid) rock cools and hardens___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

14. The remains of prehistoric life, or some other evidence of once-living organisms___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

15. The name geologists give to a section of the earth’s crust that arches upward___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___


WORD SEARCH - Answer Sheet

1. Substance made up of one or more minerals r o c k

2. Rock that forms the ledges, peaks, and ridges of the Sauratown Mountains q u a r t z i t e

3. Sedimentary rock composed primarily of quartz grains s a n d s t o n e

4. Naturally-occurring substance with its own crystal shape m i n e r a l

5. Rock type formed when heat and pressure change or recrystallize a rock m e t a m o r p h i c

6. Term used when water carries away rock debris e r o s i o n

7. Rock type formed when sand, clay or other materials are deposited in layers under water s e d i m e n t a r y

8. The geologic process that breaks down rocks into smaller pieces w e a t h e r i n g

9. Name of mountain range that includes Hanging Rock, Moore’s Knob, and Cook’s Wall S a u r a t o w n

10. One of the most common minerals (You can see veins of this in the park.) q u a r t z

11. Scale used to describe the earth’s history; includes eras and periods g e o l o g i c t i m e

12. Describes how rocks are repeatedly made and destroyed r o c k c y c l e

13. Rock type formed when molten (liquid) rock cools and hardens i g n e o u s

14. The remains of prehistoric life, or some other evidence of once-living organisms f o s s i l

15. The name geologists give to a section of the earth’s crust that arches upward a n t i c l i n o r i u m


WORD PUZZLE

ANTICLINORIUM

EROSION

FOSSIL

GEOLOGIC TIME

IGNEOUS

METAMORPHIC

MINERAL

QUARTZ

QUARTZITE

ROCK

ROCK CYCLE

SANDSTONE

SAURATOWN

SEDIMENTARY

WEATHERING

Name_____________________


WORD PUZZLE - Answer Key

ANTICLINORIUM

EROSION

FOSSIL

GEOLOGIC TIME

IGNEOUS

METAMORPHIC

MINERAL

QUARTZ

QUARTZITE

ROCK

ROCK CYCLE

SANDSTONE

SAURATOWN

SEDIMENTARY

WEATHERING


Post-Visit Activity #3 "Do You Mine?"

Major Concepts:• Mining• Environmental issues• Conservation of natural

resources

Learning Skills:• Predicting, communicating• Participating effectively in

groups, problem solving• Using language for per-

sonal response• Evaluating the accuracy

and value of informationand ideas

Subject Areas:• Science• English Language Arts• Social Studies* See Activity Summary for


Location: Classroom

Group Size: 30 students

Estimated Time: 90 minutes(two 45-minute periods over atwo or three day period wouldbe preferable)


Materials:Provided by educator:Per student: One copy of

Student’s Information withmaps, and a Possible Argu-ments page that either sup-ports or opposes the miningproject (pp 5.3.6 - 5.3.7)

Per class: Additional resourceson mining – Call N.C. LandQuality Section at (919)733-4574.

Objectives:• Write an essay supporting

or opposing a proposedmining operation near astate park. Provide atleast three logical reasonsto support the position.

• Listen critically to oralpresentations and writenotes of key points.

• Demonstrate a willing-ness to acknowledgeother points of view andwork toward a group so-lution to a natural re-source issue.


In this activity, studentswill explore many view-

points surrounding miningadjacent to a state park. Arealistic scenario is providedthat centers on an imaginarystate park in a fictitiouscounty. Each studentshould choose,or be assigneda viewpoint torepresent. Thepurpose ofthis activityis to helpstudents be-come awareof environmental issues re-lated to earth resources, ap-preciate different points ofview, and develop skills inproblem solving.

The process for citizenparticipation in the mining

issue presented in this activ-ity roughly parallels the pro-cess followed in NorthCarolina. The North Caro-lina Department of Environ-ment and Natural Resources(DENR) receives and re-views applications from in-dividuals and companiesthat would like to conductmining activities here. (Theactual agency within DENRthat is responsible for thisreview is the Land QualitySection of the Division ofLand Resources.) The ap-plicant must notify adjacentlandowners, local govern-ment officials, and other in-terested parties that he/shehas filed a mining permitapplication with DENR. Allparties have 30 days to pre-pare written comments andrequest a public hearing inthe application.

Depending on public in-terest in the proposed

project and thepotential envi-ronmental im-pacts, DENRmay scheduleand conduct apublic hearing.At the hearing,

private citizens and groupsmay present their views andlearn more about the pro-posed mining project.DENR staff evaluates thetechnical issues concerningthe project as well as the


public comments provided,then makes a recommenda-tion to the Director ofDENR’s Division of LandResources. The Director ul-timately makes the final de-cision on the application. Ifmining is allowed, the com-pany is given a permit thatdetails the procedures andprecautions it must follow tominimize environmental im-pacts from the project.

Instructions:1. Give each student a copyof the Student's Informationand discuss the proposedmining project near RockyCliffs State Park. List prosand cons of the miningproject on the chalkboard oroverhead. Also, list all pos-sible stakeholders in thisissue.

2. Divide the class in half;give one half the opposingviewpoints and the other, thesupporting viewpoints. As-sign, or ask them to choose aviewpoint from their sheetand write an essay explain-ing this position. This couldalso be done in the form of aletter to the State MiningBoard. Each student shouldhave at least three key pointsto back up their argument.If desired, give students timeto research their viewpoint,their interest group, or moreabout mining operations ingeneral.

3. Ask several students oneach side of the debate to

read their essays or letters tothe class. The studentsshould make notes of thekey points presented. Then,as a class or in small groups,brainstorm solutions to theproblem; the goal should beto list as many solutions aspossible. Next, have stu-dents suggest criteria thatcould be used to evaluate thesolutions. Finally, use thecriteria to rank the solutions.If this is done in smallgroups, ask each group toreport on its top-ranked so-lution. Discuss ways thatenvironmental issues are re-solved in a democraticsociety.

Assessment:Have each student write a

second essay representing adifferent viewpoint. For ex-ample, if the student’s firstessay was opposed to themining project, her secondessay should be in supportof the project.

Modification:Do this activity as a simu-

lated public hearing wherestudent teams are assignedinterest groups to representat the hearing. Each teamcould orally present its posi-tion to a group of studentsrole playing the State Min-ing Board. After listening toall the interest groups, theState Mining Board shouldmake a recommendation,explaining their reasons tothe class.

Extension:Have students do research

on a real environmental is-sue in their state or county.Identify all the interestgroups and their positions.Who made the final decisionon how the issue was to beresolved? What agency orgroup of people carried outthe solution? What was theoutcome?


Student's Information "Do You Mine?"

Rocky Cliffs State Parkconsists of 600 acres in

the heart of the SentinelMountains. The SentinelMountains are an ancientmountain range with beauti-ful rock formations and wa-terfalls. Located in QuartzCounty, the park is only atwo to three hour drive fromseveral large metropolitanareas. It is one of the mostpopular places in the statefor hiking, picnicking andrelaxing. Several rare andendangered species reside inthe park and are part of anongoing research study by alocal university.

To ensure that the entireridge line of the SentinelMountains is preserved, theState Parks Departmentwould like to add another600 acres of land adjacent tothe existing Rocky CliffsState Park. Park visitationand demands for recre-ational services have in-creased greatly over the pastten years. To meet thesedemands, the State ParksDepartment would like toput a family campground atthe base of the ridge line onthis proposed addition to thepark. The Department alsohas plans to connect the ex-isting trail system with thiscampground, to add a moun-tain bike trail, and providefor horseback riding.

A local mining companyowns this 600-acre parceland would like to mine thequartzite for use as buildingstone. This company hasapplied for a permit fromthe State Mining Board toproceed with their miningoperation. The mining com-pany estimates it will takethem 40-50 years to removeall the stone. They havefound a potential market fortheir stone. A real estate de-velopment company haspurchased a large area ofland near Rocky Cliffs StatePark with the intention ofbuilding expensive luxuryhomes. Famous for design-ing houses that blend intothe countryside, this devel-opment company would like

to use local stone in the con-struction of their luxuryhomes.

The State Mining Boardhas set up a hearing to listento all sides of the issue.They will decide whetherthe mining company shouldbe allowed to mine so closeto a state park. If they allowthe mining activity, they willoutline, in a permit, whattypes of mining activitiesare allowed or not allowed.If they decide against themining activity, they mayhelp determine a fair pricefor the land – if the StateLegislature should agree topurchase the 600 acres andincrease the size of RockyCliffs State Park.


Student's Information Park Map

Map Provided by Martin Marietta Aggregates, Raleigh, NC


Student's Information Quarry Map

Map provided by Martin Marietta Aggregates, Raleigh, NC


Possible Argumentsfor Supporting theMining Project

Local Mining CompanyIf you are allowed to

mine the quartzite in QuartzCounty, you could hire moreemployees and thus lowerunemployment in thecounty. Also, the moremoney your companymakes, the more taxes theypay. This would surely helpthe local economy. You willtake every reasonable mea-sure to protect the environ-ment, as required by law.However, there would besome effects. You will haveto blast the rock, cut it intosmaller blocks, and transportit with heavy equipment.You plan to leave a 100-footbuffer area around the min-ing pit and provide a sightand sound barrier as well.

You have read the park’smaster plan. You know thatthe state would like to add atleast another 600 acres todouble the size of the park.You wonder...how muchmore land in Quartz Countyis the state going to take outof the tax base and make offlimits to your mining com-pany? You would be willingto sell your land to the statevery cheaply after you re-move the building stone inabout 40 years. At that time,you will do your best to re-store the area so that it canbe used as a campground,community ball field, orother recreation area.

Real Estate DevelopmentCompany

You are eager to workwith the local mining com-pany and local stone masonsin the construction of a newhousing development inQuartz County. Using localmaterials in home construc-tion will increase your prof-its and lower housing costs –because the cost of trans-porting materials to thebuilding site will be re-duced. Furthermore, youthink it is possible to mini-mize the impacts of miningand development. In youropinion, the loss of a fewspecies of plants or animalsis a small price to pay forprogress. Since you use themost advanced energy con-servation techniques in thedesign of your houses, yourdevelopment will help theenvironment in the long run.Finally, the taxes on the saleof your homes will bringenough money into thecounty to build a new libraryand modern schools, whichare very much needed in thisrural area.

Chamber of CommerceYou support this project,

with some reservations.Your mission is to bringbusiness and industry toQuartz County to create newjobs and provide the countywith extra tax money. Thisproject sounds as if it couldcreate new jobs and helpyour rural economy to grow.You are concerned that some

of the jobs would be tempo-rary – just during miningand construction. However,if more schools and a librarywere built with the taxmoney, then there would bemore jobs for teachers, li-brarians and others. All thenew development wouldmean more money in prop-erty taxes. You are a littleworried about the project’seffect on the state park.Some of the income in thecounty comes from touristsvisiting the park. A miningoperation near a state parkmight discourage tourists.Some local businessesmight suffer.

Local Association ofStone Masons

You support this projectbecause it will mean morework for you. You arehappy to hear that stone isbecoming popular in theconstruction of new homes.The quality of the localstone is excellent and youwould prefer to work withit. However, you are will-ing to work with any kind ofstone. You worry that if thelocal mining project is notallowed, it may be too ex-pensive for the real estatecompany to transport stonefrom other parts of theUnited States. The real es-tate company may decideagainst using stone in theconstruction of the newhomes. This would be a se-rious economic loss to thelocal stone masons.


Possible Argumentsfor Opposing theMining Project

State Parks DepartmentYour mission is to protect

and preserve the natural en-vironment, and provide rec-reational opportunities to thepublic. Park visitors oftenrequest camping facilities.The proposed addition toRocky Cliffs State Parkwould be an excellent placefor a family campground.This area is home to severalrare and endangered plantspecies. A mining operationwould destroy plant commu-nities and valuable wildlifehabitat. Trees would be re-moved, the ground would bebulldozed, and the resultingerosion and sedimentationmight damage water qualityin the pond, if not properlycontrolled. You are alsoconcerned about visitorsafety in and around a min-ing operation. Ensuring thatpark visitors do not wanderoff the park and into the pro-posed mining area wouldadd to the park rangers' du-ties. Also, what happenswhen the mining operationends? Old rock quarries fillup with water and can bedangerous places. In youropinion, after mining, thisarea would not be a safeplace for a campground.

A Hiking or WildernessClub

You are a large group ofcitizens including anglers,

rock climbers, hikers, birdwatchers and campers. Youwould like to see more landofficially become part of thestate park. You are also infavor of the proposed camp-ground as it would provide acentral location for camp-ing. This would protect thewilderness by reducing theimpact of many smallercampsites or picnic areasspread over the whole park.The park is one of the fewundeveloped places in thearea where people can go to“get away from it all” andenjoy a truly wilderness ex-perience. A mining opera-tion would destroy thebreathtaking scenic views aswell as the beautiful andrare plant communities. Ifnot properly controlled, theerosion and sedimentationresulting from the miningoperation could damage wa-ter quality and kill fish.Also, the noise from thetrucks and the blasting is of-fensive to those people whocome to the area for peaceand quiet. Preserving theenvironment is more impor-tant than increasing tax rev-enues.

Local Residents You are a group of QuartzCounty residents who livenear the proposed miningoperation. You believe thisoperation will lower yourproperty values. You do notwant to hear blasting or tohave heavy truck traffic inyour neighborhood. When

the mining operation isover, you are concerned thatthe abandoned quarry willbecome a dangerous place.You want to know whatkind of land reclamation themining company plans to doafter mining is over. Youare also unhappy about hav-ing lots of new neighbors.You moved to QuartzCounty to get away fromcrowds and traffic. Youhope that if the miningproject is not allowed, thereal estate company willdrop its plans to build newhomes in the area. You’dmuch rather see the land be-come part of a state park.

Local EcotourismBusinesses

You own one of the smallbusinesses that cater to tour-ists who come to the statepark to go fishing, hiking,camping, rock climbing,mountain biking, and horse-back riding. Area busi-nesses include restaurants,gas stations, and sportinggoods stores that sell or rentoutdoor recreational equip-ment to the tourists. Youare opposed to the miningoperation as you feel itwould negatively impactyour business by scaringaway the tourists. You be-lieve that the proposed fam-ily campground would in-crease your business by pro-viding more recreational op-portunities. You are in fa-vor of anything that wouldincrease park visitation.


V O C A B U L A R YAnticline - a type of fold in which rockunits slope downward in opposite directionsfrom a central axis, like the roof of a house.The oldest rocks are in the core of the fold.

Anticlinorium - an area where rocks unitsare arched upwards.

Abrasion - the process of wearing down, orrubbing away.

Chemical weathering - see Weathering.

Cleavage - the tendancy of a mineral tobreak along well-defined planes of weak-ness.

Cross-bedding - the arrangement of layerswithin a rock, such that the minor layers lieat an angle to the main layers of sediment.This is usually a sign of changing wind orwater currents acting on the original sedi-ments forming the rock.

Crustal plate - see Tectonic plate.

Deposition - term used when a mineral orsandy material settles out of water.

Eon - the largest unit of geologic time.Earth's history is divided into two eons.

Epoch - a unit of geologic time that is adivision of a period.

Era - a unit of geologic time made up ofone or more periods.

Erosion - the process whereby water, windand ice loosen and carry away rock debris.This process continually wears down allrocks, creating sediments which eventuallyform new sedimentary rocks.

Extrusive - see Igneous.

Fault - a break in the earth's crust alongwhich movement has occurred.

Fold - a bend in a rock layer caused bycompression.

Foliation - the roughly parallel layers ofminerals found in some metamorphic rocks.

Fossil - the remains of prehistoric life, orsome other direct evidence of once-livingorganisms.

Fracture - a break, joint or crack in a rockalong which NO movement has occurred.Also, the tendency of a mineral to break inan irregular way; e.g., quartz.

Geologic process - the breaking down andbuilding up of rocks, such as weathering,erosion, sedimentation and volcanism; theongoing process of shaping the earth.

Geologic time - the scale used to describethe earth’s history. Geologic eras andperiods are used instead of years becausethe span of time is so long.

Geology - the study of the earth and itshistory.

Gneiss - a coarse-grained, foliated meta-morphic rock. This rock contains feldpsarand is usually banded.

Iapetus Sea - a shallow sea that existed offthe east coast of the North American conti-nent from 600 - 800 million years ago.

6.2Hanging Rock State Park, NC Arpil 2000

Ice wedging - a mechanical weatheringprocess, when water seeps into cracks in arock, then freezes and expands, wideningthe crack and eventually splitting the rock.

Igneous rock - a rock that was oncemelted or partially melted. Intrusiveigneous rocks result from magma solidify-ing below the earth's surface. Extrusiveigneous rocks form from volcanic materialejected onto the earth's surface.

Intrusive - see Igneous.

Itacolumite - a special type of weatheredquartzite in which the mica grains are freeto slide over one another, allowing the rockto bend without breaking. Also called"flexible sandstone."

Joint - a crack or break in a rock alongwhich no movement has occurred; an areaof weakness for weathering and erosion.

Lava - molten rock that issues from avolcano or a fissure on the earth's surface;the rock formed by the cooling and solidi-fying of this substance.

Lithification - the process of compressingand cementing sediment grains to formsedimentary rock.

Magma - molten rock beneath the earth'ssurface. When it reaches the surface, it iscalled lava.

Mechanical weathering - see Weathering.

Metagraywacke - (sometimes calledbiotite-muscovite gneiss) - a metamor-phosed sandstone that has variableamounts of clay and feldspar minerals in it.It is weakly foliated.

Metamorphic rock - a rock that hasundergone a solid-state change in texture,

mineralogy or composition, usually as aresult of heat and pressure in the earth'scrust. Quartzite is a metamorphic rock thatforms the cliffs, ledges and walls through-out the park.

Mineral - a naturally-occurring, inorganicsubstance with its own particular chemicalmake-up and characteristic crystal shape.Quartz is a common mineral in the park.

Pangaea - a supercontinent that formedabout 400 million years ago when all theland masses on earth moved together.About 200 million years ago, this super-continent began to stretch and break up asthe crustal plates pulled apart again.

Period - a unit of geologic time that is adivision of an era.

Quartz - a common rock-forming mineralwith a hardness of 7; a form of silica, SiO

2.

Quartzite - a metamorphic rock formedwhen heat and pressure recrystallize thesedimentary rock, sandstone. Quartzite isamong the hardest and most resistant of allrocks, thus it is often left after softer rockshave eroded away.

Recrystallize - term used to describe thechange in texture or mineral compositionthat occurs during metamorphism. Inquartzite, the recrystallization of quartzwithin the parent rock (sandstone) resultsin an interlocking texture. In other meta-morphic rocks, recrystallization may resultin a new mineral, as when the clay miner-als in shale are transformed to mica duringlow-grade metamorphism, or to feldsparduring high-grade metamorphism.

Rock - a substance made up of one ormany minerals. Geologists classify rocksas igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic.


Rock cycle - the process where rock isrepeatedly made and destroyed; the se-quence through which rocks may passwhen subjected to geological processes.

Sand - usually composed of quartz grainsmixed with other bits of rock and mineral.“Sand” is actually a term used to describe aparticle ranging in size from 1/16 to 2mm.

Sandstone - sedimentary rock, composedprimarily of quartz sand grains, thatformed when these grains were compactedand cemented together under intensepressure over millions of years.

Sauratown Mountains - the mountainrange located in Stokes and Surry countiesand includes Pilot Mountain, Cook's Wall,Moore's Knob and Hanging Rock. Thequartzite rock that forms the ridge line isbelieved to have originated from sandysediments deposited in an ancient ocean.

Schist - a well-foliated metamorphic rockthat generally contains conspicuous mica.

Sediment - term used to describe loosegravel, sand and silt that is suspended inwater and can eventually settle to thebottom.

Sedimentary rock - rock made by thecompaction and/or cementing of sedimentsin layers. Sandstone is an example of asedimentary rock.

Tectonic plates - (also called crustalplates) - the large semi-rigid plates thatmove relative to each other, and togethercompose the earth's crust.

Texture - the size and arrangement ofmineral grains in a rock; i.e., fine-grained,medium-grained, and coarse-grained.

Weathering - any of the destructive pro-cesses that wear rocks down at the earth'ssurface. Mechanical weathering is thedisintegration of a rock by physical pro-cesses (wind, ice, gravity), while chemicalweathering involves the breakdown of rockby changing its chemical composition(often by exposure to air and water).

7.1 April 2000Hanging Rock State Park, NC

References

Beyer, Fred. 1991. North Carolina -The Years Before Man. A GeologicalHistory. Durham, NC: Carolina AcademicPress.

Carpenter, Albert P., III, editor. 1989. AGeologic Guide to North Carolina's StateParks, Bulletin 91. Raleigh, NC: NorthCarolina Geological Survey. Contact thepublications office at (919) 715-9718.

Cooper, Elizabeth. 1960. Science in YourOwn Backyard. New York, NY: Harcourt,Brace and Company.

Hanging Rock State Park. Park geologyfiles. Contact Hanging Rock State Park,PO Box 278, Danbury, NC 27016.

Hatcher, Robert, Jr., editor. 1988. Struc-ture of the Sauratown Mountains NorthCarolina. Raleigh, NC: North CarolinaGeological Survey. Contact the publica-tions office at (919) 715-9718.

Headstorm, Richard. 1976. AdventuresWith a Hand Lens. New York, NY: DoverPublications Inc.

Horton, Wright Jr. and Victor A. Zullo,editors. 1991. The Geology of the Caroli-nas. Knoxville, TN: The University ofTennessee Press.

Lambert, David and The Diagram Group.1985. The Field Guide to Prehistoric Life.New York, NY: Facts on File, Inc.

Museum Institute for Teaching Science.1988. “Geology,” Science is Elementary,Vol. 3:1, Oct/Nov. Boston, MA: BostonMuseum of Science.

N.C. Division of Land Resources, Geologi-cal Survey. For publications, call (919)715-9718. For assistance from the Survey'seducation specialist, call (919) 733-2423.Web – http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/

N.C. Division of Land Resources, LandQuality Section. For information on min-ing, the N.C. Mining Commission, and thestate mining act, call (919) 733-4574. Web:http://www.dlr.enr.state.nc.us/mining.html

Pough, Fredrick. 1955. A Field Guide toRocks and Minerals, Peterson Field GuideSeries. Cambridge, MA: Riverside Press.Rhodes, Frank. 1962. Fossils - A Guide toPrehistoric Life. Racine, WI: WesternPublishing Company.

Shaffer, Paul R. and Herbert S. Zim. 1957.Rocks and Minerals - A Guide to Minerals,Gems, and Rocks. New York, NY: GoldenPress.

Sund, Tillery, and Trowbridge. 1973.Elementary Science Discovery Lessons -The Earth Sciences. Boston, MA: Allynand Bacon, Inc.

Thompson, Ida. 1982. The AudubonSociety Field Guide to North AmericanFossils. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Watson, Mary E., Joyce Blueford andSusan Bumgarner. 1994. Mineral andRock Kit Guide. Raleigh, NC: N.C. Geo-logical Survey and Math/Science Nucleus.(Call N.C. Geological Survey's main officeat (919) 733-2423 for more information.)

Wyckoff, Jerome. 1976. The Story ofGeology - Our Changing Earth Throughthe Ages. New York, NY: Golden Press.

8.1Hanging Rock State Park, NC April 2000

SCHEDULING WORKSHEET

Date request received_______________ Request received by____________________________

l) Name of group (school) _______________________________________________________

2)Contact person __________________________ _________________________________name phone (work) (home)

____________________________________________________________________________address

3)Day/date/time of requested program _____________________________________________

4)Program desired and program length _____________________________________________

5)Meeting place _______________________________________________________________

6)Time of arrival at park _______________ Time of departure from park ______________

7)Number of students _________________ Age range (grade) ______________________

8)Number of chaperones _______________

9)Areas of special emphasis _____________________________________________________

10)Special considerations of group (e.g. allergies, health concerns, physical limitations) ____________________________________________________________________________________

11) Have you or your group participated in park programs before? If yes, please indicate previousprograms attended: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12)Are parental permission forms required? _________ If yes do you have these forms? ______If not, mail contact person a Parental Permission form.

I, ________________________________, have read the entire Environmental Educa-tion Learning Experience and understand and agree to all the conditions within it.

Return to: Hanging Rock State ParkP. O. Box 278Danbury, North Carolina 27016


PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM

Dear Parent:

Your child will soon be involved in an exciting learning adventure - an environmentaleducation experience at Hanging Rock State Park. Studies have shown that such Òhands-onÓlearning programs improve childrenÕs attitudes and performance in a broad range of schoolsubjects.

In order to make your childÕs visit to ÒnatureÕs classroomÓ as safe as possible we ask that youprovide the following information and sign at the bottom. Please note that insects, poison ivyand other potential risks are a natural part of any outdoor setting. We advise that childrenbring appropriate clothing (long pants, rain gear, sturdy shoes) for their planned activities.

ChildÕs name ___________________________________________

Does your child:

¥ Have an allergy to bee stings or insect bites?___________________________________If so, please have them bring their medication and stress that they, or the groupleader,be able to administer it.

¥ Have other allergies? _____________________________________________________

¥ Have any other health problems we should be aware of? _________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

¥ In case of an emergency, I give permission for my child to be treated by the attendingphysician. I understand that I will be notified as soon as possible.

___________________________________________________ _______________ParentÕs signature date

ParentÕs name ______________________________________ Home phone _____________ (please print) Work phone _____________

Family PhysicianÕs name ________________________________ phone ________________

Alternate Emergency Contact

Name________________________________________________ phone________________


NORTH CAROLINA PARKS & RECREATIONPROGRAM EVALUATION

Please take a few moments to evaluate the program(s) you received. This will help us improveour service to you in the future.

1. Program title(s) ______________________________________________ Date____________

Program leader(s)_____________________________________________________________

2. What part of the program(s) did you find the MOST interesting and useful? _______________

________________________________________________________________________________

3. What part(s) did you find the LEAST interesting and useful?___________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

4. What can we do to improve the program(s)?________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

5. General comments ____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

LEADERS OF SCHOOL GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZED YOUTH GROUPS

PLEASE ANSWER THESE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

6. Group (school) name ______________________________________________________

7. Did the program(s) meet the stated objectives or curriculum needs?_________________

If not, why? _____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Please return the completed form to park staff. Thank you.

Hanging Rock State ParkP. O. Box 278

Danbury, North Carolina 27016


Notes

Quartzite


Notes

Muscovite


Notes

Quartz


Notes

Mica Schist

Hanging Rock State Park An Environmental Education ... Rock EELE.pdf · Hanging Rock State Park, NC 1.3 April 2000 during the early days of the second World War, the CCC was abolished

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