Environmental Studies 5-14 Guidelines
How a visit to Knockan Crag relates to Environmental Studies 5-14 Guidelines
Study: Knockan Crag Visit
Main focus: Environmental Studies
Others: ICT Language
Components: Science Social Subjects
Levels: D to F
Main aim of study: To study the origins of the physical environment of the Northwest Highlands
Attainment outcomes: Materials from Earth People and place
Key strands:
- Materials from Earth
- The physical environment
- Using maps
Key questions for exploration:
- How old are the rocks of Northwest Scotland?
- How are rocks formed?
- How are landscape features such as mountains and valleys formed?
- What information can rocks and fossils provide about past environments?
- What have scientists learned from studying the rocks at Knockan Crag?
- Why is Knockan Crag such an important site for the international scientific community?
- How would this part of Scotland change if we could travel backwards through geological time?
Learning outcomes:
(relating to knowledge and understanding)
Through this study the pupils will:
- understand in simple terms the processes that lead to the formation of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
- understand that sequences of sedimentary rocks contain a record of changing physical environments
- know that, in normal sequences of sedimentary rocks, rocks get younger going upwards through the sequence
- know that the distribution of continents and oceans has changed dramatically through geological time
- know that continents can collide and produce major mountain chains, volcanoes and earthquakes
- know that the rocks of northern Scotland provide clear evidence of a continental collision around 400 million years ago
- understand that present-day landscape features have been formed by the geological processes of erosion and deposition acting over long periods of time
Knowledge & understanding assessment:
Pupils should be able to:
- describe selected rocks in terms that may help to explain their origin
- interpret in simple terms the sequence of events that created a sequence of sedimentary rocks as illustrated in a simple labelled vertical section diagram
- describe in very general terms how the metamorphic rocks of northern Scotland were formed as a result of two continents colliding over 400 million years ago
- explain how older rock has come to rest on top of younger rock at Knockan Crag
- describe in general terms the processes that have produced the spectacular landscapes of Northwest Scotland
Skills assessment:
Pupils should be able to:
- demonstrate that they can select sources and successfully extract and process relevant information
- present information about the physical environment using appropriate maps and diagrams
- make detailed observations and record them in a logical and appropriate format
- apply information provided about straightforward scales to make useful measurements on maps and diagrams
- use search engines intelligently to locate appropriate web-sites
- capture images and text from web-sites for copying and pasting into presentational materials
Developing informed attitudes:
Pupils should be encouraged to:
- discuss the way in which the scientifically important site at Knockan Crag is being presented to the general public
- discuss how people long ago had different understandings of the origins of our physical environment