Rock Mapping

Walk around on a giant rock-covered map of the British Isles. Use real field techniques, and learn to identify our main rock types, to make your own geological map of the British Isles in this fascinating geological science / geography workshop. Then choose to draw cross-sections; interpret past environments from rocks; log 4 billion years of history; or investigate resources from rocks. You'll be amazed to discover how much of our human geography and history is determined by what's under the ground. Try this unique workshop as one of your curriculum enrichment activities

Practice your mapping skills by making your own map. Walk around on a giant outline map of the British Isles in your school hall or playground, and identify the rocks that are laid out in their real life positions. Then locate yourself on the map and record the position of the rock you have found. Soon you will have built up your own map of the rocks that are under our feet in each part of the British Isles, in the same way that geologists do in the field (but without the rain). Don't worry, there is a Key, and training in rock identification.

We can then discuss the distribution of different rocks, and what this means in terms of the physical and human geography of the British Isles. A variety of optional extra activities can be added to your mapping activity. These include: location of resources and industries; the rock cycle; the geological history of the British Isles (environmental and tectonic changes); drawing geological cross sections.

This workshop provides an alternative way of studying maps by putting pupils, literally,"on the map". There are opportunities for teamwork and problem solving, and getting hands-on with many different rock types. Workshops can be tailored to your needs. For example, gridlines and co-ordinates can be added, or specific skills or knowledge tested. All the rocks used are real rocks collected from around the British Isles. The workshop can be delivered to several classes in one day, or can be extended with the additional activities to provide a more in-depth experience to smaller numbers of pupils