Topographic map of NOVA's Annandale campus
In my new work with the Campus Landscaping & Beautification Committee, I've been asked to come up with a few locations for a pet project of mine. I want to create a series of "fake" geologic outcrops on campus so we can have a "fake" geology field trip without leaving campus. The idea here is to create outcrops (using real rocks) in contrived positions, so that students get experience with figuring out things like rock identification, relative dating, transgressive/regressive sequences, faulting, etc.
I got this idea from Matty (2006), which I stumbled across while xeroxing science education articles for an MSSE class this past spring. The basic point is to have clear, useful teaching examples that students can access outdoors (emphasizing those kinesthetic and naturalist intelligences), without having to deal with the costs (legal, insurance, gas, carbon footprint) of a "real" field trip.
As a first step towards coming up with recommendations about where our initial "fake" outcrops will be placed, I asked our campus architect for a map of the campus. I told him I would prefer one with topography on it. Sure enough, he gave me one with topography... and a 1-foot contour interval! I don't think I've ever seen a topographic map with that level of detail. Anyhow, it's a beautiful thing, and I wanted to share it with you. I've labelled the buildings with their two-letter call numbers. (I teach in the CT building, for instance, but my office is in CF.*) Check it out:
* I hate these two-letter names. They are so utilitarian... Why must we call the CG Building "the CG Building," rather than Godwin Hall? That would be much more elegant and academic-sounding.
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Reference:
Matty, David J. (2006). "Campus landscaping by constructing mock geologic outcrops." Journal of Geoscience Education, v.54, n.4, p. 445-451.
I got this idea from Matty (2006), which I stumbled across while xeroxing science education articles for an MSSE class this past spring. The basic point is to have clear, useful teaching examples that students can access outdoors (emphasizing those kinesthetic and naturalist intelligences), without having to deal with the costs (legal, insurance, gas, carbon footprint) of a "real" field trip.
As a first step towards coming up with recommendations about where our initial "fake" outcrops will be placed, I asked our campus architect for a map of the campus. I told him I would prefer one with topography on it. Sure enough, he gave me one with topography... and a 1-foot contour interval! I don't think I've ever seen a topographic map with that level of detail. Anyhow, it's a beautiful thing, and I wanted to share it with you. I've labelled the buildings with their two-letter call numbers. (I teach in the CT building, for instance, but my office is in CF.*) Check it out:
* I hate these two-letter names. They are so utilitarian... Why must we call the CG Building "the CG Building," rather than Godwin Hall? That would be much more elegant and academic-sounding.
----------------------------------
Reference:
Matty, David J. (2006). "Campus landscaping by constructing mock geologic outcrops." Journal of Geoscience Education, v.54, n.4, p. 445-451.
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