Fire and Ice: Discovering Acadia's Geologic Past
When you hike around Acadia National Park, you will see beautiful and diverse landscapes. How would you describe these landscapes? How were they created? Using Acadia as their classroom, students will explore several geologic processes and how they shape the land - the cycle of deposition versus transport, the formation of three main rock types, the dynamics of plate tectonics and the movement of glaciers. These same processes take place all over the world.
With a new found knowledge and appreciation of Acadia's geology, students will discuss ways they can help take care of the geologic resources in the park. Protection includes: keeping rocks in the park and not taking them home; hiking on hard surfaces when possible to prevent damage to soil and vegetation; and not building rock cairns and sculptures.
- Earth Science, Geology, Glaciers, Landscapes, Science and Technology, Tectonics, Volcanoes
- National/State Standards:
- 2007 Maine Learning Results
Science and Technology – A1 Systems, A2 Models, A3 Constancy and Change, A4 Scale, B1 Scientific Inquiry, D2 / D3 Earth, Matter and Energy, E5 Evolution
Social Studies – D1 Geography
- plate tectonics, glaciation, erosion, sedimentary, metamorphic, igneous, geology
- Field Trips