One Week Field Trip Summary Sheet

Name:  Kimberly Kirstein

 Airport from which trip will begin and finish:  Hartsfield Airport

                                                                            Atlanta, Georgia

 General Destination:  Metro Atlanta and North Georgia

 Time of Year:  Ideally, this trip would be in the spring or fall since Atlanta tends to have such miserable summers.  Since this is geared toward TIG students, most of whom are teachers, an early summer trip would probably be necessary.  Students should be aware that Atlanta can have temperatures over 90⁰F and very high relative humidity.  There are also frequently days with severely poor air quality including smog, ground level ozone, and temperature inversions.  A day’s plans can also be disrupted due to severe thunderstorms that often occur in the late afternoon.

Day by day summary and highlights (concepts covered):

DAY 1:  Peachtree Center MARTA Station, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and Fernbank Science Center Planetarium:  At the Peachtree Center MARTA Station we will look at a prominet rock formation; at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History we will study ancient oceans and the geologic history of Georgia; and at the Fernbank Science Center we will study earthquakes, weather collection, and the summer Georgia sky.

DAY 2:  Panola Mountain State Park and Stone Mountain Park:  At Panola Mountain we will study streams and watersheds and the formation and geology of Panola Moutain; and at Stone Mountain we will examine geologic formations within Stone Mountain, erosion, and the effects of quarrying.

DAY 3:  Carters Dam Fault and Fossil Collecting atop Lookout Mountain: At Carter's Dam Fault we will view a fault and the variation in rock type and discuss earthquakes; and at Lookout Mountain we will collect fossils and examine geological formations.

DAY 4:  Cloudland Canyon State Park:  At Cloudland Canyon we will study sedimentary rocks and layering and erosion, waterfalls, and topographic mapping.

DAY 5:  Rock City and Ruby Falls:  At Rock City we will evaluate rock formations and how they formed and differentiate between those that are nature-made and those that are man-made;  and at Ruby Falls we will experience a cave and discuss cave formations and karst topography.

DAY 6:  Black Rock Mountain State Park:  At Black Rock Mountain State Park we will determine how this mountain was formed and its composition and focus on the effect of elevation on temperature and topography on air flow.  

DAY 7:  Tallulah Gorge State Park:  At Tallulah Gorge we will study the geologic formation of Tallulah Gorge and its rock composition and hydroelectric power.  

Means of Evaluation (what will be the basis for the grades that are earned?):

70% of the student's grade will come from daily assignments (10% per day).  These assignments will include graphs and charts that are made, mapping activities, and questions to be answered during or after an activity similar to the Fernbank Field Trip Worksheet and the Stone Mountain Field Trip Worksheet.

15% of the student's grade will come from the instructor's assessment of their participation.