Making a local geological field trip an interesting and educational event for children?

Question

I have no expertise in geology or earth science, but I would like to do a "field trip" with my home-schooled young children (under age 10) where I could teach them about geology from a hands-on perspective.What could I do on this field trip that would make this event memorable and special for the children, that would not be possible just at home at the dining table?If you are unfamiliar with small children, here are some outside things they like to do that I think may be compatible with this kind of event:* digging (and hopefully finding pretty rocks, crystals, fossils, etc)* hiking, walking, and running* exploring "the wild"* caves* creaturesI had a few ideas, but I don't know if any of them are practical or possible, or where I could gain the skills to make these really happen?* Use our knowledge of geology to predict what kind of rocks we'd find if we dug in one place. Go there and dig, and see if we are right.* Somehow actually find something that is uncommon: iron, shark teeth, crystals* Find an area with 2-3 distinct kinds of rock, so it is very easy for the kids to distinguish this sedimentary rock over here from that igneous rock over there.* Bring back something that would be more interesting when viewed under a microscope_{I would hope that any answers could be generally applied anywhere, but if it is helpful I live on the Wasatch Front in Utah, USA}

Answer 1

I just did a search on Google for Wasatch Range geology and came up with those listed below.. I'm sure there are many more sites. Bone up on basic physical geology.

I assume that you have taught your children the main rock-forming minerals and how to recognize them, and the 3 main classes of rocks and how they are formed. If not do so immediately! Visit a natural history museum and let them see the specimens of the common minerals and rocks. See if the local university has collections that the public can view.

1. Get a geologic map of the area that you want to go to. Teach the children what it shows - basic map, north arrow, scale, colored age distribution/coding of the rocks, etc.
2. Based on the map, pick a readily accessible area that the children can cross without any problems and that can illustrate the various types of rocks. You might only get sedimentary ones in different colors and varying bed thicknesses - limestone, shale, sandstone, silt, etc. Explain how each layer reflects a change in the depositional environment (water depth, water chemistry, etc.) from the previous one. Closely examine the freshly broken surface of a sample of each rock type using a hand lens/magnifying glass to try to identify the component minerals. Also try to spot any fossils that may be in the rocks or that have eroded from them and are laying on the ground.
3. Are the rock layers flat? If not, explain how they have been folded or tilted (if that occurred). Can you see any fractures or faults? Explain how they formed and how water can move along them.
4. What are the colors of the rocks? Are they all the same or are they different. Explain what minerals provide those colors.
5. Collect a small (less than palm-sized) piece from the different rock layers to take home. Take a picture of the outcrops so that the location of the samples can be identified for future use.

There are many other things that you can do.

The Geology of the Wasatch Mountains. The geology of the Wasatch Mountains gives the Salt Lake Valley its character. ... One section, from City Creek Canyon in the north to Bells Canyon in the south, has 10 distinct geologic zones. Each canyon has a different look, with rocks of varying ages and colors.

Park City and the Southern Wasatch - The Geology of the Wasatch ...

https://www.fodors.com/...wasatch/.../the-geology-of-the-wasatch-mountains-21867628...

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Web results

How was Utah's topography formed? - Utah Geological Survey

https://geology.utah.gov/map-pub/survey.../how-was-utahs-topography-formed/

However, some cursory geologic history and broad generalizations serve as a good ... Uplift of the modern Wasatch Range only began within the past 12 to 17 ...

Wasatch Range - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasatch_Range

Jump to Geography and geology - The Wasatch Range is a mountain range that stretches approximately 160 miles (260 km) from the Utah-Idaho border, ...

‎Overview · ‎Ecology · ‎Recreation