for Grades 4-6. Recreation. 054 746. Guides Learner) (051) · DOCUMENT RESUME ED 376 036 SE 054 736...

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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 376 036 SE 054 736 AUTHOR Cavin, Mike TITLE Rockin' On the Ridge. Medoc Mountain State Park: An Environmental Education Learning Experience Designed for Grades 4-6. INSTITUTION North Carolina State Dept. of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Raleigh. Div. of Parks and Recreation. PUB DATE Dec 93 NOTE 54p.; For related guides, see SE 054 737-744 and SE 054 746. AVAILABLE FROM North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, NC 27611-7687. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Instructional Materials (For Learner) (051) Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Environmental Education; *Equipment; *Geology; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Intermediate Grades; *Mineralogy; *Minerals; Parks; *Petrology; Science Activities; Science Education IDENTIFIERS Environmental Awareness; Hands On Experience; *Mountains; *North Carolina State Parks System ABSTRACT This activity guide, developed to provide environmental education through a series of hands-on activities geared to Medoc Mountain State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 4, 5, and 6 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of activities are included: pre-visit, on-site, and post-visit. The on-site activity is conducted at the park, while pre- and post-visit activities are designed for the classroom. Major concepts included are: composition of rock, chemical and mechanical forces on rocks and minerals, formation or ridges and mountains, properties of rocks and minerals, use of geology field equipment, and uses of rocks and minerals. Includes a vocabulary list, scheduling worksheet, parental permission form, North Carolina Parks and Recreation program evaluation, and information about Medoc Mountain State Park. (MKR) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************

Transcript of for Grades 4-6. Recreation. 054 746. Guides Learner) (051) · DOCUMENT RESUME ED 376 036 SE 054 736...

Page 1: for Grades 4-6. Recreation. 054 746. Guides Learner) (051) · DOCUMENT RESUME ED 376 036 SE 054 736 AUTHOR Cavin, Mike TITLE Rockin' On the Ridge. Medoc Mountain State Park: An. Environmental

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 376 036 SE 054 736

AUTHOR Cavin, MikeTITLE Rockin' On the Ridge. Medoc Mountain State Park: An

Environmental Education Learning Experience Designedfor Grades 4-6.

INSTITUTION North Carolina State Dept. of Environment, Health,and Natural Resources, Raleigh. Div. of Parks andRecreation.

PUB DATE Dec 93NOTE 54p.; For related guides, see SE 054 737-744 and SE

054 746.AVAILABLE FROM North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, P.O.

Box 27687, Raleigh, NC 27611-7687.PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Instructional Materials (For

Learner) (051) Guides Classroom Use TeachingGuides (For Teacher) (052)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Environmental Education; *Equipment; *Geology; Grade

4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Intermediate Grades;*Mineralogy; *Minerals; Parks; *Petrology; ScienceActivities; Science Education

IDENTIFIERS Environmental Awareness; Hands On Experience;*Mountains; *North Carolina State Parks System

ABSTRACTThis activity guide, developed to provide

environmental education through a series of hands-on activitiesgeared to Medoc Mountain State Park in North Carolina, is targetedfor grades 4, 5, and 6 and meets curriculum objectives of thestandard course of study established by the North Carolina Departmentof Public Instruction. Three types of activities are included:pre-visit, on-site, and post-visit. The on-site activity is conductedat the park, while pre- and post-visit activities are designed forthe classroom. Major concepts included are: composition of rock,chemical and mechanical forces on rocks and minerals, formation orridges and mountains, properties of rocks and minerals, use ofgeology field equipment, and uses of rocks and minerals. Includes avocabulary list, scheduling worksheet, parental permission form,North Carolina Parks and Recreation program evaluation, andinformation about Medoc Mountain State Park. (MKR)

***********************************************************************

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

***********************************************************************

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I am the mountainCome and know

Of how, ten million years ago,Great forces, moving plates of earth,

Brought, to an ancient land, rebirth;Of how the planet's faulted crustWas shifted, lifted, tilted, thrust

Toward the sky in waves of changeTo form a newborn mountain range.

Diane Siebert, Sierra

4

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Funding for this publication was generously provided by

C P&L

ii

5

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This Environmental Education Learning Experiencewas developed by

Mike CavinLead Interpretation and Education Ranger

Medoc Mountain State Park

N.C. Division of Parks and RecreationDepartment of Environment, Health and Natural Resources

A7AAED EI-1111=1

James B. Hunt Jr.Governor

Jonathan B. HowesSecretary

111

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Other Contributors . . .

Matthew E. Cousins, amateur naturalist;

Thomas R. Yelverton, artist illustrator;

Robert R. Walton, N.C. Wesleyan College;

Paul Sacks, U.S. Geological Survey;

Albert Carpenter, State Geologist;

Joanne Robinson's and Ellen Barnett's 5th Grade classes,Medlin Elementary School, Roanoke Rapids;

Trudy Waters' class, Williford Elementary School,Rocky Mount;

The N.C. Department of Public Instruction;

The N.C. Department of Environment, Health,and Natural Resources;

and the many individuals and agencies who assistedin the review of this publication.

5(X) copies of this public documentwere printed at a cost of$1,750 or $3.50 per copy

® Printed on recycled paper.12-93

iv 7

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I 1 I

1. IntroductionIntroduction to the North Carolina State Parks System 1.1

Introduction to Medoc Mountain State Park 1.2Introduction to the Activity Packet for Medoc Mountain State Park 1.5

Introduction to the Geology of Medoc Mountain State Park 1.6

2. Activity Summary 2.1

3. Pre-Visit ActivityHard Rock Crayola 3.1

4. On-Site ActivityGee! What is a Geologist? 4.1

5. Post-Visit ActivityEveryday Geology 5.1

6. Vocabulary 6.1

7. References 7.1

8. Forms 8.1

9. Notes 9.1

a

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Introduction to the North Carolina State Parks System

freserving and protectingNorth Carolina's natural

resources is actually a rela-tively new idea. the seeds ofthe conservation movementwere planted early in the 20thcentury when citizens werealerted to the devastation ofMount Mitchell. Loggingwas destroying a well-knownlandmark the highest peakeast of the Mississippi. Asthe magnificent forests ofthis mile-high peak fell tothe lumbermen's axe, alarmedcitizens began to voicetheir objections. Gover-nor Locke Craig joinedthem in their efforts tosave Mount Mitchell. To-gether they convinced thelegislature to pass a billestablishing Mount Mitchellas the first state park.

That was in 1915.The NorthCarolina State Parks Systemhas now been established formore than three quarters of acentury. What started out asone small plot of public landhas grown into 59 propertiesacross the state, includingparks, recreation areas, trails.

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

rivers, lakes and natural areas.This vast network of landboasts some of the most beau-tiful scenery in the world andoffers endless recreationopportunities. But our stateparks system offers much morethan scenery and recreation.Our lands and waters containunique and valuable archaeo-logical, geological and biologi-cal resources that are importantparts of our natural heritage.

9

As one of North Carolina'sprincipal conservation agen-cies, the Division of Parks andRecreation is responsible forthe more than 125,000 acresthat make up our state parkssystem. The Division man-ages these resources for thesafe enjoyment of the publicand protects and preservesthem as a part of the heritagewe will pass on to generationsto come.

An important componentof our stewardship of theselands is education. Throughour interpretation and environ-mental education services,the Division of Parks andRecreation strives to offerenlightening programs whichlead to an understanding aridappreciation of our naturalresources. The goal of ourenvironmental educationprogram is to generate anawareness in all individualswhich cultivates responsiblestewardship of the earth.

For more information contact:

N.C. Division of Parksand RecreationP.O. Box 27687

Raleigh, NC 27611-7687919/ 7334181

1.1 December 1993

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Introduction to Medoc Mountain State Park

Medoc Mountain State Parkis located in Halifax County,southwest of Roanoke Rapidsnear the town of Hollister. Thepark supports a variety of plantspecies rarely found in this partof North Carc'ina, like galaxand mountain laurel. Severalof North Carolina's wild or-chids can be seen hex, includ-ing the pink lady's slipper andthe cranefly orchid.

Along the creek bottoms,the well-known jewelweed canbe found. Another name forthis plant is touch-me-not sincethe ripe seed pods will throwseeds several feet in the air,when touched. This plant hasbeen used as a topical treat-me.it for poison ivy. Duringthe spring, these low-lyingmoist areas are decoratedwith the showy blooms of theAtamasco lily, or wild Easterlily, and the umbrella-shapedMay apple.

There are four distinct typesof forest in Medoc MountainState Park. The first, the pineforests, are what remain offormer pine plantations. Thesecond forest, the mixed forest,contains both pines and a mix-ture of hardwood trees, likeoak and hickory, together withan understory of small shrubs.Most of the trees in this foresttype ale still in the early stagesof growth. Eventually, theslower growing hardwood willdominate, naturally thinningout the pines. The third type,

the hardwood forest,is characterized by trees suchas river birch, swamp chestnutoak, sweet gum and ironwoodwhich are fairly water tolerant.Finally, the upland hardwoodforest is found in the morewell-dined areas of the park,such as on exposed slopes andridgetops. Some of the trees inthis type of forest are 40 to 75years old and measure 18inches in diameter. The chest-

nut oak of these areas is con-sidered unusual, since it is notnormally found east of Vance,Granville or Wake counties.

The large number of plantcommunities in the park con-tribute to a diverse wildlifepopulation. Mammals such asdeer, fox, raccoons, opossumsand groundhogs make theirhomes in the park. On rareoccasions, a black bear willpass through looking for a new

Medoc Mountain State Park Illustration by Thomas R.Yelverton

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 1.2 10 December 1993

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home. Other elusive animalsinclude the river otter and bea-ver. However, signs of theirpresence may be found alongLittle Fishing Creek and BearSwamp Creek.

Raptors, or meat-eatingbirds, found in the park includebarred, great horned andscreech owls, as well as red-tailed and red-shoulderedhawks. When the sun goesdown in the spring, the famouswhip-poor-will and chuck-will's-widow echo theirmonotonous calls through theforest. Warblers, sparrows andwoodpeckers. including thecrow-sized pileated, are someof the more prominent birdspecies found in the park.

Several species of snakesalso call Medoc MountainState Park home. These in-clude the black rat snake andthe comsnake. The only poi-sonous snake in the park isthe copperhead, but it is rarelyencountered by park visitors.

Medoc Mountain State Parkis dedicated to the protectionand preservation of NorthCarolina's natural and culturalresources. One of the waysto guarantee the well-beingof these resources is throughenvironmental education. Thepark staff offers a wide varietyof environmental educationprograms including hikes,slide shows, talks and hands-on activities. They will makeevery effort to accomodatepersons with disabilities.

Programs are geared for dif-ferent grade levels and include

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC

topics such as geology, animaladaptations, soil conservationand predator /pre :' relationships.Groups are also welcome tovisit the park for self-guidedexpeditions. Facilities includerestrooms, picnic areas, trailsand family and group camping.

Groups are encouraged tovisit the park during all seasonsof the year for hikes, explora-tion and environmental educa-tion programs and activities.

Scheduling a Trip:1. To make a reservation, con-tact the park at least two weeksin advance.

2. Please complete the sched-uling worksheet provided atthe hack of the activity packet.

Before the Trip:1. Visit the park without theparticipants. This will giveyou a chance to become famil-iar with the facilities and parkstaff, as well as provide youwith an opportunity to identifypotential problems.

2. Discuss behavior expecta-tions with the adult leadersand students. Discuss the parkrules and emphasize safety.

3. Inform the group aboutpoison ivy, ticks and chiggers.You may want to useinsect repellant fromearly spring to late fall.

4. Inform your group todress appropriately forthe season. Summerweather can be hot andhumid.

5. Everyone should wear aname tag. Please color-codetags (for groups) and establisha buddy system for the stu-dents.

6. Group leaders are respon-sible for obtaining a parentalconsent form for each partici-pant. Be sure that healthconsiderations and medicalneeds are noted. A parentalpermission form is availableon page 8.2.

7. If you will be late or need tocancel your trip, please notifythe park as soon as possible.

8. Research activity permitsmay be required for activitieswhich require samples to hetaken from the park.

9. Complete the pre-visitactivity "Hard Rock Crayola"if your class is doing the Envi-ronmental Education LearningExperience.

While at the Park:1. Be as quiet as possible toget the most out of the experi-ence and to increase yourchance of seeing wildlife.

2. On hikes, walk behind theleader at all times. Stay ontrails; running is not permitted.

December 1993

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3. All plants and animalswithin the park are protected.Picking plants and harming orremoving animals is prohibitedin all state parks. This allowsfuture visitors the same oppor-tunity to enjoy our naturalresources.

4. Picnic in designated picnicareas only. Help keep the parkclean and natural; do not litter.

5. Swimming is not permittedin the park.

6. In case of accident or emer-gency, contact the park staffimmediately.

Following the Trip:1. Complete the post-visitactivity in the EnvironmentalEducation Learning Experiencepacket.

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC

2. Build upon the fieldexperience and encourageparticipants to seek answersto questions and problemsencountered at the park.

3. Relate the experience toclassroom activities andcurriculum through reports,projects, demonstrations,displays and presentations.

4. Give tests, or evaluations,if appropriate, to determine ifthe students have gained thedesired information from theexperience.

5. File a written evaluation ofthe experience with the parkstaff. Evaluation forms areavailable on page 8.3.

6. Reinforce to the students theidea that the future of our natu-ral resources is in their hands.

Park Information:Medoc Mountain State ParkP.O. Box 400Hollister, NC 27844Tel: 919-445-2280

Hours of Operation:Nov-Feb 8:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.Mar. Oct 8:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.Apr. May.Sept 8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.Jun-Aug 8:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.

1.4 12 December 1993

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,Intriiduction to t e Activity Packet forMedoc Mountain State Park

NOTE: On-site activitiesmay require hiking whichcould expose the students tohot, humid conditions and ticks.Accessibility to some of theseareas may be difficult forpersons with special needs.

The Environmental Educa-tion Learning Experience."Rockin' on the Ridv,e.- wasdeveloped to provide environ-mental education through aseries of hands-on activitiesgeared to Medoc MountainState Park. This activitypacket, targeted for grades4. 5 and 6, meets curriculumobjectives of the standardcourse of study established bythe North Carolina Departmentof Public Instruction. Threetypes of activities are included:

1) Pre-visit activity

2) On-site activity

3) Post-visit activity

The on-site activity will beconducted at the park. whilepre-visit and post-visit activi-ties are designed for the class-room. These activities maybe performed independentlyor in a series to build upon thestudents' newly gained knowl-edge and experiences.

This Environmental Educa-tion Learning Experience."Rockin' On The Ridge." willexpose students to the follow-ing major concepts:

Composition of rockChemical and mechani-cal forces on rocks andmineralsTypes of rocks and min-eralsFormation of ridges andmountainsProperties of rocks andmineralsUse of geology fieldequipmentUses of rocks and miner-als

it

The first time a vocabularyword is used in each of theseactivities it is indicated in boldtype. These words and theirdefinitions may be found inthe vocabulary list at the backof the activity packet. A listof the reference materials usedin developing the activitiesfollows the vocabulary list.

This document was de-signed to be reproduced, inpart or entirety, for use inNorth Carolina classrooms.If you wish to photocopy oradapt it for other uses, pleasecredit the N.C. Division ofParks and Recreation.

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 1.513

Deceinber 1993

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Introduction to the Geology ofMedoc Mountain State Park

Medoc Mountain State Parkis a wonderful place to learnabout geology, the study ofthe earth. Geologists learnabout the history of the earthby studying rocks and miner-als. At Medoc Mountain, youcan observe over 300 millionyears of earth history.

About 300 million yearsago, strange occurrences weretaking place in this country. Itwas a time when giant dragon-flies, some with wings two feetacross, were flying throughforests of tree-ferns and gianthorsetails. This time in geo-logical history is known as

, kozoic Erh. Also, dur-i,..L ,N-a, a high ridge beganto iz,,i in an area which is

Known as eastern NorthCarolina.

Deep beneath the earth'ssurface, hot liquid rock, calledmagma, began to rise to theearth's surface. This magmapushed its way towards thesurface, where it cooled andsolidified, forming an igneousrock. Igneous simply meansa rock which has formed whenmagma cools. Over millionsof years, this area of igneousrock proved more resistant toerosion than any of the otherrocks around it. The 325 foothigh ridge of today is a resultof volcanic activity 300 millionyears ago, combined with 300million years of erosion andweathering.

This area of Medoc Moun-tain is a great place to studythe earth's history because itis located on a fall line. A fallline is a narrow boundary be-tween two areas with differentgeological histories. This fallline marks the edges of thePiedmont and the CoastalPlain.

The Piedmont rocks wereformed when volcanic andsedimentary materials weredeposited between 800 millionand 500 million years ago.Over these millions of years,the materials were buried andchanged by heat and pressureto form metamorphic rocks,such as gneiss and schist.Magma forced its way intosome of these metamorphicrocks and cooled extremelyslowly to form the igneousrock, granite. The rock for-mations you see today in thePiedmont are the result of mil-lions of years of weatheringand erosion.

Many of the sedimentseroded from the Piedmontwere carried into the CoastalPlain in streams and rivers.Some may even have beenblown in by fierce winds. TheCoastal Plain is made of layerupon layer of sedimentarydeposits such as sand, clay,marl and limestone. In add,tion to being laid down byancient rivers, these sedimentsalso came from the shallowseas that formed as the ocean

1 4Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 1.6

moved back and forth acrossthe continental margin. Suchchanges in sea level werecaused by the gradual sinkingof the land and the differingamounts of water being frozenin the Earth's polar ice caps.Like the formation of rocks,sea level change generallytakes thousands, or even mil-lions of years. The CoastalPlain sediments form a wedge-like mass that overlies crystal-line rocks, like those of thePiedmont. The wedge is verythin at the fall line, but is nearly10,000 feet, or two miles, thickat Cape Hatteras. These rocksare fairly young, when com-pared to the age of the rocks inthe Piedmont. The average agerange of a Coastal Plain rock is"only" 10,000 to 100,000,000years old.

Some of the kinds of rocksyou can find at Medoc Moun-tain include granite and quartz.The granite mass underlyingMedoc Mountain is about 300million years old. Feldspar.quartz and mica combined toform the granite. Quartz, themost common mineral, is madefrom silicon and oxygen, and

December 1993

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is abundant in the park. Quartzveins are found in the graniteand surrounding metamorphicrocks. These veins wereformed when molten rockmoved into fractures and zonesof weakness in surroundingrocks. As it cooled, the siliconsettled out and formed quartz.Quartz veins are not found inthe sedimentary rocks of thecoastal plain, so we knowthat the veins formed beforethe sedimentary rocks, butlater than the Piedmont rocks.Quartz is very resistant toboth chemical and mechanicalweathering. The plentifulquartz lying on the ground,called float, indicates thatquartz veins are just beneaththe surface.

Molybdenum, a metallicelement, is valued as an alloybecause of its properties ofhigh strength and low weight.It is found in the mineralmolybdenite. Molybdenitewas found at this site in 1936.Molybdenite is a steel-blue orsilver colored flaky mineralfound in some quartz veinsand in portions of granite.Pyrite, or fool's gold, is oftenfound with molybdenite.

The United States Bureauof Mines conducted a samplingand core drilling investigationof the area during and afterWorld War II as part of a pro-gram to discover and evaluatestrategic materials. Explora-tion by the U.S. governmentand private mining companiescontinued until about 1.970.Molybdenum would be strate-gically important., especially

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

during a war, because it isused in airplane manufactur-ing. Although this is one ofthe largest molybdenite depos-its in the southeastern UnitedStates, it has never been neces-sary to mine it, as it is smallcompared to the deposits inthe western United States.

TrailsThe best way to learn about

the geology of Medoc Moun-tain is to actually observe thedifferent rock formations.Each of the trails in the park

will lead you to an interestinggeological discovery.

Summit TrailThis three-mile loop trail

originates at the Park Officeand includes Little FishingCreek and the "peak" ofMedoc Mountain.

Quartz float can be seenalong the trail as it winds downthe slope to the creek. As theslope becomes steeper, blocksof dark colored. fine-grainedrock are scattered along thesurface of the trail and in the

Illustration by Thomas R.Yelverton adapted from photograph inA GeologicGuide To North Carolina's State Parks, Albert P. Carpenter, editor.

151.7 December 1 093

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adjacent woods. This rock isa type of igneous rock calleddiabase. The blocks can betraced in a straight line andindicate that the rock is asheet-like, vertical feature afew feet wide known as adike. Diabase dikes intrudedrocks in the Piedmont approxi-mately 200 million years agowhen North America andAfrica drifted apart to formthe Atlantic Ocean.

Geologists measure themagnetic intensity of rocks inorder to study and map rocksthat cannot be seen on theEarth's surface. Magneticmaps are also useful in min-eral exploration and interpret-ing the structure of rocks.Because diabase contains arelatively large amount of themagnetic mineral magnetite. itis usually seen as a magnetic"high" on magnetic maps.

Farther along on LittleFishing Creek, a large outcropof granite rises adjacent tothe trail. The granite is cutby numerous quartz veins.Molybdenite and pyrite arevisible in a few of the veins.Look for areas where thequartz has a yellowish stainon its surface. The stain is anoxide or weathering by-prod-uct of the molybdenite. Thereddish coating on much ofthe outcrop is similarly formedby the weathering of hematiteand other minerals, like pyrite,which contain iron. Near thebase of Medoc Mountain,red-stained quartz float isabundant. Some of the quartzhas a honeycomb texture. The

open spaces result from theweathering of pyrite that oncefilled the spaces. The size ofthe quartz boulders along thissegment of the trail and alongthe road leading south from thepeak indicate some of the veinsmay be as large as several feetthick.

Dam Site Loop TrailThe Dam Site Loop is a

one-mile-long trail that followsLittle Fishing Creek a shortdistance upstream from thesharp bend. Along this trail,Little Fishing Creek bendssharply where the creek en-counters the granite that forms

Medoc Mountain. The granite,reinforced by the many quartzveins, deflected the streamfrom its easterly course to onethat moves south along thewestern edge of the granite.Where the tributary entersLittle Fishing Creek, a moundof gravel, called a gravel bar,has built up near the northbank of Little Fishing Creek.Gravel bars form in streamsand rivers where the waterslows down and the water flowis too weak to carry the sandand gravel. This commonlyoccurs on the inside of bendsor where, a tributary enters alarger stream.

Illustration by Thomas R.Yelverton adapted from photograph in A GeologicGuide To North Carolina's State Parks Albert P. Carpenter. editor.

16Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 1.8 December 1993

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Bluff TrailThe Bluff Trail is a three-

mile-long trail originating atthe picnic shelter on the eastside of Little Fishing Creek.Where the trail climbs the bluffat Little Fishing Creek, thereare good exposures of meta-morphic rock. In places alongthe top of the bluff, soft, flakymaterial lies on the surface.The flaky material is float froma mudstone that is mixed withthe metamorphic rock. Bothtypes of rock are exposed atthe south end of the bluffwhere the trail descends backto river level. The outcrophere is also cut by a few quartzveins. Along the hilltops.

rounded pebbles and cobblesof quartz lie on the surface.The cobbles and pebbles arefrom a gravel deposit that capsthe hill crossed by the trail.The pebbles and cobbles alongthe trail have been movedgradually down the slope by aprocess known as slope wash.During this process, gravityslowly moves the cobblesdownhill as erosion washesaway fine grained materialaround the cobbles.

Stream TrailThe Stream Trail (one mile

long) originates at the picnicarea. Rock exposures are diffi-cult to find along the StreamTrail. When the bedrock was

cut away by the erosive actionof Little Fishing Creek, silt.sand and clay were depositedin its place. One bedrock ex-posure is in a river at the firstpart of the trail. The outcropis metamorphic rock whichhas broken or fractured alongplanes called joints. Note theparallel nature of the joints.There are two main directionsof jointing. One direction isto the northeast and the otherdirection is the northwest. Bystudying measurements of thejoint directions, geologists areable to understand the forcesthat caused the rock to fracture.This helps them interpret thegeologic history of the area.

PARKENTRANCE

Dam Site Loop Trail

F

............

Aleatkiff45744t#/%prk

section of trail map

LEGENDBoundary Line

El Canoeing

A Family Campingss_Group Camping

Handicapped AccessibleHiking Trail

al Halifax Memorial Hospital 919-535-8011

"EMERGENCY 911"

Medoc Fire Tower rProperty of N C Forest Service)

a No SwimmingOpen Space

12 Park Gate

:11 Park Office

Parking

Picnic

151 Public Telephone

® Ranger ResidenceRestrooms

RoadGravelRoadPavedWashhouse

Medoc Mountain State Paric NC 1 . 9 17 December 1993

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Activity Summary

The following outline provides a brief summary of each activity, the major concepts intro-duced and the objectives met by completion of the activity.

I. Pre-Visit Activity

'1 Hard Rock Crayola (page 3.1.1)Students will learn the differences between the three major rock types: igneous, metamorphic

and sedimentary. with the use of crayons.

Major concepts:Rock cycleMechanical weatheringSedimentary rock formationMetamorphic rock formationIgneous rock formation

Objectives:List the three main rock types.Describe how these three rock types are formed.Explain the rock cycle.Describe four processes by which one rock type changes into another.Name a metamorphic and an igneous rock found in the park.

T

18.Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 2. 1 December 1993

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II. On-Site Activity

#1 Gee! What is a Geologist? (page 4.1.1)In this activity, the students will learn about the work of a geologist by visiting three stations.

One station will focus on the tools used by a geologist in the field. The second station will focuson the 300 million year history of Medoc Mountain. The third station will demonstrate somegeological forces that are currently acting on Medoc Mountain.

Major Concepts:Geology field equipmentTypes of rocks and mineralsFormation of ridges and mountainsMechanical and chemical forces on rocks and mineralsRock compositionProperties of rocks and minerals

Objectives:Identify three tools used by a field geologist.Be able to identify three rocks or minerals found in Little Fishing Creek.Learn how mountains and ridges are formed.List three minerals that compose Medoc Mountain.List two forms of chemical weathering and two forms of mechanical weathering.Describe three properties of rocks and minerals such as shape, color and texture.

III. Post-Visit Activity

#1 Everyday Geology (page 5.1.1)EVery day of our lives we use rocks, minerals and elements in some form or fashion, whether

we realize it or not. Students will learn some of the "everyday- products we use, thanks to thescience of geology.

Major concepts:Uses of rocks. minerals and elementsClassification of rocks.. minerals and elements

Objectives:Name eight examples of products that come from rocks, minerals and elements.Using references, classify five samples as rock. mineral or element.

19

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC December 1993

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Pre-Visit Activity '1 Hard Rock Crayola

Curriculum Objectives:Grade 4

Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionSocial Studies: gather, orga-nize and analyze informa-tion, draw conclusions, par-ticipate effectively in groups

Grade 5Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionGuidance: competency andskill for interacting withothersHealthful Living: recre-ational and school safetyScience: earth science,environmentSocial Science: organize andanalyze information, drawconclusions, participateeffectively in groups

Grade 6Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabulary,viewing and study skillsusing environmental sourcesGuidance: competency andskill for interacting withothersHealthful Living: recre-ational and home safetyScience: earth scienceSocial Studies: organize andanalyze information, drawconclusions, locate andgather needed information

Location:Classroom/science lab

Group Size:30 students or less, dividedinto six groups

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

Estimated Time:Two to four hours

Credits:This activity has been adaptedfrom "Color Me Metamor-phic" by Donald L. Birdd.The Science Teacher,April 1990, pp. 21-26.

Materials:Provided by the educator:Per group: hot plate, oven mit-

tens, petri dish or finger bowl,aluminum foil (45cm x 45cm).three aluminum foil pie trays,wax paper, a metal or woodentrivet, newspapers

Per student: Rock Cycle andHard Rock Crayola work-sheets, safety goggles, pencilsharpener or carrot peeler,candles or four to six crayonsof the same color (red, green,blue or yellow), envelope

Per class: one or more vises withtwo boards (12.5cm x 20cm),rock samples.

Special Considerations:Take proper safety precau-tions. The hot plate and hotcrayon wax can cause burns.The vise can pinch/crushfingers.

Major Concepts:Rock cycleMechanical weatheringSedimentary rock forma-tionMetamorphic rock forma-tionIgneous rock formation

20

3.1.1

Objectives:List the three main rocktypes.Describe how these threerock types are formed.Explain the rock cycle.Describe four processesby which one rock typechanges into another.Name a metamorphic andan igneous rock found inthe park.

Educator's Information

Many students have adifficult time under-

standing the abstract conceptof the rock cycle, the processby which sedimentary, meta-morphic and igneous rocksare transformed into and fromone another. The studentscan see rock examples in theclassroom; the difficulty liesin their inability to visualizejust how these rock sampleswere formed. The followingactivity will give the studentsthe opportunity to "see" therock cycle through a seriesof simulations of mechanicalweathering, erosion, and for-mation of sedimentary, meta-morphic and igneous rock.The activity can be done asone continuous process or can

be broken down intofive separate parts.

December 1993

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Student's Information

There are three basic rockclassifications:

1) Sedimentary rock - rockthat is composed of particles ofsand, clay or other rocks thatwere deposited in layers onland or on the bottom of lakes,rivers or oceans. Over time.the extreme pressure from theweight of the layers abovepressed the materials into rock.Examples are limestone, sand-stone and mudstone.

2) Igneous rock - rockwhich has solidified from amolten state. Igneous rocksform deep within the earth inmagma chambers embeddedin solid rock. They may beintrusive or extrusive innature. Magma which coolsand stays within the earth isintrusive. Magma which isspewed out by volcanoes,lava, is extrusive. Graniteis an intrusive igneous rockfound at Medoc Mountain.

3) Metamorphic rocksedimentary or igneous rockthat was changed deep insidethe earth by extreme heat andpressure over a long period oftime into a harder rock withdifferent qualities. Examplesof metamorphic rock in thepark are gneiss, schist andmylonite.

Metamorphosis means atransformation, a markedchange in appearance or condi-tion. An example with whichyou will be familiar is that of acaterpillar changing, or meta-morphosing, into a butterfly.

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 3.1.2 December 1993

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23

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Instructions:Set the stage by asking

students to describe localrocks and/or rock formations,or ones they have seen duringwalks along a lake or river'sedge, near or on a mountain orduring drives along highwaysthat were built through roadcuts. On the chalkboard, writedown all the names and char-acteristics the students canremember about the rocks.Be sure to have several localrock samples distributedaround the room.

Ask the students questionssuch as, "Have you ever won-dered just how these rocksformed?" "Are new rocksforming at this moment?"Be sure to go over the RockCycle diagram. Discuss thethree kinds of rocks with thestudents.

Part A:Weathering

Cover all desk tops withnewspaper. Give each studenta sheet of wax paper, a pocketpencil sharpener or carrotpeeler and a candle or four tosix crayons of the same color.The candles/crayons representrock material and the carrotpeelers/pencil sharpeners rep-resent weathering agents. Stu-dents should carefully shaveeach of the candles/crayons,keeping all of the fragmentsin a small pile. As they are"weathering" their candles/crayons onto the wax paper,call their attention to the sizeand shape of the fragments.

"Are they all the same sizeand shape?" (No.)

"Why or why not?" (Theyare not the same size and shapedue to varied weathering forcesupon them, i.e., how the sharp-ener or crayon are held, etc.)

"What are some of nature'sweathering forces?" (Rain.flowing and freezing water,glaciers, and wind.)

When the "weathering" iscomplete, the students shouldwrap their "sediments" in theirwax paper and place each colorin a separate envelope, unlessyou plan to do Part B of thisactivity right away.

Part B:Erosion and Sedimentation

Once rock fragments havebeen created, they are usuallymoved by some force of nature.Here, the students act as theerosive force. Ask the studentswhat this force of movementis called, and what some ofits causes are. (Erosion. It iscaused by gravity, movingwater, glaciers and wind.)

Place all the weathered"rock" fragments in four sepa-rate piles, one color to a pile.

Divide the class into four (oreight) groups, and give eachgroup a sheet of aluminumfoil (45cm x 45cm). Next,a student from each groupshould carefully transfer some"weathered sediments," Of onecolor, to the center of the foil.Spread the fragments into a1 cm thick layer. Repeat withthe remaining colors, layeringthe colors one on top ofanother.

Students should record theirobservations of their layered"weathered sediments" on the"Hard Rock Crayola" work-sheet. Fold the foil over thelayered "sediments", allowingfor a I cm space all around thefragments and then carefullyfold the edges to seal the pack-ages. If you are breaking theactivity into sections, have thestudents label their foil pack-ages by their group numbersand stop here.

Part C:Sediments/SedimentaryRock Simulation

Unless you have more thanone vise, this step will takesome time and will requiresome patience. Each group

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 3.1.4 24 December 1993

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will place their folded foilpackage between two boards.The "sandwich" should thenbe placed in the vise. Applylight pressure with the vise to

compress the "sediments."Once the "rock sandwiches"have been mildly compressed,remove them from the vise.Students should then carefullyopen their packages and ob-serve the new product. Calltheir attention to the centralregion which is more tightlycompressed. The studentsshould lift this portion fromthe non-compressed, or moreloosely packed "sediments"and carefully break it into twoparts. Have the students lookat the broken edges, then drawand describe the layers on the.worksheet.

How do they compare withthe original loose "sediments"layers? (They're similar, butmuch thinner.)

What happened to thespaces between the "sedi-ments"? (Pressure from thevise forced the "sediments"closer together, eliminating thespaces.

Each group should transfera few of their loose "sedi-ments" and the smaller pieceof "sedimentary rock" into apie pan. Place the rest of thefragments in an envelope, (for

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

part E). The pieces in the piepan will be used for compari-sons with the other "rocks" thestudents will produce duringthis activity. Return the largerpiece of "sedimentary rock"to the aluminum foil packageand wrap it up again. If youare breaking the activity intosections, stop here.

Part D:Metamorphic RockSimulation

Place the foil package withthe "sedimentary rock" in itbetween the two boards andput it into the vise again. Tellthe students to apply as muchpressure to the vise as theycan. This part of the activitydemonstrates the need for greatpressure to cause a rock tometamorphose. In reality, asthe pressure deep within theearth increases, temperaturesincrease as well. A tempera-ture change is probably occur-ring in this activity but is diffi-cult to measure. (The heatassociated with the formationof metamorphic rock is not apart of this activity.) Remindthe students that metamorphicrock may become contorted inappearance. It may actuallyflow like a plastic material inresponse to the pressure fromthe rock load above and move-ment of the earth's crust.

Have the students releasethe compression on the vise,

3.1.5 25

remove the foil package andopen it carefully to examinethe newly formed "metamor-phic rock." They should care-fully break this "rock" into twoparts and examine it, notingwhat happened to the thicknessand fragment shape. The stu-dents should write down theirobservations on their work-sheet. (The different colored"rock fragments" or crayonswill be squeezed together.)

Place the smaller piece ofnewly -made "metamorphicrock" with the "weatheredsediments" and the "sedimen-tary rock" previously saved.If you are breaking the activityinto sections, stop here.

Part E:Igneous Rock Formation

SAFETY,NCI*isTiiiz deii of the ens ty: that 014 stnden* 00.

';,;,garetyeniikkinSI4Oe'isy.diking:* alp# >pand melted wax.

Each group should line theirlast tray with aluminum foil.

For the "igneous rock"simulation, the groups shouldplace the "sediment" fragmentsthey set aside in envelopes andthe larger piece of "metamor-phic rock" into their aluminumtray. Be Especially CarefulHere! This part of the activityrequires a hot plate as a heatsource. Students ShouldAvoid Dropping Wax Frag-ments on the Hot Plate Sur-face or Themselves. Thestudents or teachers doing thisportion of the activity should

December 1993

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wear protective oven mittensto avoid being burned. Covereach hot plate surface with alayer of foil before you turn iton. This will diffuse the heatfrom the coils of the hot plateso the crayons will not burstinto flames. Each groupshould place their tray of"weathered sediments" and"metamorphic rock" on thehot plate and turn the hot plate

temperature to medium. Meltthe wax, being careful that themelting process does not occurso rapidly that the molten waxsplatters or bums. When mostof the "rock" and "sediments"are molten, turn the hot plateoff and carefully remove thetray. using the oven mittens.

There is enough heat energyin the molten wax to melt theremaining solid mass. Can-t Do not let the wax heatto the splattering point!

While the wax is still in themolten state, a student fromeach group, or the teacher,should Carefully place thepan on the trivet.

Students should make obser-vations of their tray, then drawand write these down on theirworksheet. Comparisonsshould be made between these"igneous rocks" and the "rocks"and "sediments" made in theprevious sections of this activ-ity.

Set aside all "igneous rock"trays until the next day's class;the materials must sit over-night. This will allow the waxto cool. The next day, have thestudents carefully remove the"igneous rock" from the tray.Be sure to look at the lowersurface of the "rock."

26

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 3.1.6

As a class, be sure to dis-cuss the effects of "lava" flow-ing directly onto the land ina temperate zone, such as Mt.St. Helens in Washington, asopposed to magma coolingunder the earth's surface.

Remind the students ofthe igneous rocks common tothis area and the park, such asgranite. Also mention that allconditions for rock formationscannot be simulated. In fact,geologists have never "seen"intrusive rocks form. How-ever, they are able to look atall of the available evidence,simulate some of the condi-tions in the laboratory, andarrive at results similar tothose found in nature.

Reiterate the concept of therock cycle by reminding themof the "rocks" (crayons orcandles) that were weathereddown into "sediments," com-pressed into "sedimentary"and then "metamorphic rocks"and then melted into "igneousrocks."

December 1993

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Worksheet for Pre-Visit Activity #1 : Hard Rock Crayola

1. Describe and draw the "weathered sediments" you made. Note the sizes and shapes of the

"sediments."

2. Make a colored drawing of the "rock fragments" after light pressure has compacted these"sediments" into "sedimentary rock." Describe the broken edge and the layers that areformed.

3. Make a colored drawing of the "sedimentary rock" after heavy pressure has compacted itinto "metamorphic rock". Describe the broken edge and the layers that are formed. Howhave they changed with the addition of heavy pressure?

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 3.1.7 27 December 1993

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4. Draw the melted wax formation created in Part E.

5. Write a comparison between the "weathered rock fragments," "sedimentary rocks,""metamorphic rocks" and "igneous rocks" formed in this activity. Compare and contrastthem as to color, crystal size, texture, form and formation.

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 3.1.828

December 1993

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Anser Sheet for Pre-Visit Activity #1 Hard Rock Crayo la

1. Describe and draw the "weathered sediments" you made. Note the sizes and shapes of the"sediments."

2. Make a colored drawing of the "rock fragments" after light pressure has compacted these"sediments" into "sedimentary rock." Describe the broken edge and the layers that areformed.

yellow

red

green

blue

3. Make a colored drawing of the "sedimentary rock" after heavy pressure has compacted itinto "metamorphic rock". Describe the broken edge and the layers that are formed. Howhave they changed with the addition of heavy pressure?

yellowredgreenblue

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 3.1.9 29 December 1993

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4. Draw the melted wax formation crelted in Part E.

.,..

....x--'-'

,, \...,....------"Ir.--1,- _.7.: ' ....:-..=.-...

--,:-.

5. Write a comparison between the "weathered rock fragments, "sedimentary rocks,""metamorphic rocks" and "igneous rocks" formed in this activity. Compare and contrastthem as to color, crystal size,. texture, form and formation.

The "weathered rock fragments will vary in size and shape depending on the implement

used: pencil sharpener potato peeler etc The "sedimentary rocks" will be bound together

very loosely and individual "rock ra gums- can be oriented (up /down or right/left) in any

direction. In "metamorphic rocks" the space between fragments is very small and the orienta-

tion of "fragments" is now flattened (right/left). The thickness is much thinner. but each layer

of rock (color) can stillbe seen. The "igneou.s rock" is grayish-black (melting and mixing of

different "rock fragments- ) with a variety of forms depending on how the separate groups are

cooled. (The different methods of cooline are not intended to simulate real rock formations,

they do, however, give the students the understanding that different cooling conditions will

create different rocks.)

nn

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 3.1.10 December 1993

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On-Site Activity T#1. G e! What is a Geologist?

Curriculum Objectives:Grade 4

Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionGuidance: evaluate theimportance of familiar jobs.competency for interactingwith othersHealthful Living: school andrecreational safetyScience: weather and climateSocial Studies: gather,organize and analyze infor-mation: draw conclusions:participate effectively ingroups

Grade 5Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionGuidance: evaluate theimportance of familiar jobs;competency for interactingwith othersHealthful Living: recre-ational safetyScience: earth science;environmentSocial Studics: gather,organize and analyze infor-mation; draw conclusions;participate effectively ingroups

Grade 6Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionGuidance: evaluate the im-portance of familiar jobs;competency for interactingwith othersHealthful Living: recre-ational safety; how peopleeffect the environmentScience: how science helpsusSocial Studies: gather,organize and analyze

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

information; draw conclu-sions; participate effectivelyin groups

Location: Classroom

Group Size:30 students, class size

Estimated Time:20 to 30 minutes

Appropriate Season: Any

Materials:Provided by the park:

Model of Medoc Mountain.water, mineral samples,hydrochloric acid, limestonesamples, glass vial, eyeprotection, 3 rock hammers,pyrite samples, streak plates,clipboards

Per Student: pair of goggles,magnet, safety helmet, goldpan

Provided by the educator:Per Student: "Making of a

Monadnock" worksheet, "Por-trait of a Geologist" worksheet

Special Considerations:Students must wear eyeprotection at Station B whenacid is being used.Wear sturdy shoes.Review with students the factsheet information prior todoing this at 'ivity.Wear goggles while usingrock hamn, at Station C.

Major Concepts:Geology field equipmentTypes of rocks and mineralsFormation of ridges andmountainsMechanical and chemicalforces on rocks and mineralsRock compositionProperties of rocks and min-erals

Objectives:Identify three tools used bya field geologist.Be able to identify threerocks or minerals found inLittle Fishing Creek.Learn how mountains andridges are formed.List three minerals thatcompose Medoc MountainList two forms of chemicalweathering and two formsof mechanical weathering.Describe three properties ofrocks and minerals such asshape. color and texture.

4. 1. I 31 December 1993

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Educator's Information:

During this activity, thestudents will be divided intothree groups to experiencewhat it is like to be a fieldgeologist. The differentgroups will rotate throughthree stations, each focusingon a particular aspect of beinga geologist.

One station will emphasizegeology's search for the past.At this station, the studentswill recreate 300 million yearsof weathering and erosionto learn how the present land-scape of Medoc MountainState Park was formed.

At the second station, thestudents will learn that weath-ering and erosion are stillactive forces. They will per-form an experiment demon-

strating chemical weatheringthe breakdown of rock bychemi 1 action, such as acidrain or achens. They will alsoobserve evidence of mechani-cal weathering, such as freez-ing and thawing or the intru-sions of plant roots.

Finally, the third stationgives the students an opportu-nity to become field geolo-gists. After panning for rocksand minerals in Little FishingCreek, the students will studythe samples they collect.

Instructions:

Divide the class into threegroups, with at least one adultin each group. These groupswill rotate between the threestations every 35 minutes.Park staff will show you thelocation of each station.

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 4.1.232

December 1993

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Geologists are scientistswho study the origin, historyand structure of the earth.Rocks serve as a record of thathistory. By knowing how thedifferent kinds of rocks areformed, a geologist can oftentell what the conditions werelike on earth when that particu-lar rock was formed. Geolo-gists have identified about2000 kinds of rocks, each withits own characteristics. Rocksare classified into three maingroups: igneous, sedimentary

and metamorphic. There areexamples of each of thesegroups at Medoc MountainState Park.

Rocks are combinationsof one or more minerals. Thethree geological terms, rock,mineral and element, are oftenlumped together. However,each is a different thing.

An element is a substancethat cannot be broken downany further. Everything Dn theearth is made up of some corn-

bination of the 103 knownelements. Elements occur assolid, liquid or gas. A mineralis a composite, or combina-tion, of one or more elements.It is usually a solid with a crys-talline form. The proportionof elements in a particular kindof mineral is constant. Finally,a rock is a combination ofone or more minerals. Unlikeminerals, the proportion andtypes of minerals in a particu-lar kind of rock can varydepending on its location

Medoc Mountain Granite

I-

SiliconOxygen -

MolybdenumSulfur

IronSulfur

SiliconAluminumOther metals

CalciumMagnesiumAluminumIron

OxygenIron

IronAluminumSiliconMagnesiumHydrogenOxygen

Quartz

Molybdenite

Pyrite

Feldspar

Hornblende

Hematite

Biotite

Granite

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 4.1.3 3 3 December 1993

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and other factors. One of themost common rocks at MedocMountain is granite. Thechart illustrates the relationshipbetween elements, mineralsand rocks.

To identify rocks, geologistslook at the specific characteris-tics of the rock sample. Thesemay include color, layeringand the color that the rockleaves when it is rubbed on aspecial porcelain tile, called astreak plate.

Fossils are special kinds ofrocks. Millions of years ago, ifa plant or animal died in justthe right conditions, much ofits body was replaced byrock. Fossils are studiedto learn how life evolved onthis planet.

Geologists havedetermined thatthe earth isabout 4.6 billionyears oldthatis 4600 millionyears! By study-ing about the history of theearth and the evolution of lifeduring the last 4.6 billion .

years, geologists have learnedmany things that help us liveour lives today. They are ableto predict where valuable min-eral resources such as gas, oil,gold, aluminum, silver anduranium are located. Geolo-gists have also developed newways to explore and extractthese resources. Other geolo-gists study earthquakes. Theyhelp predict where earthquakesare likely to occur. This helpsthe people in those areas build

their buildings and highwaysin ways which minimize dam-age when an earthquake hits.Studying the structures of theearth, like mountains andcanyons, and how they wereformed is also the job of ageologist.

All the forces that createdthe mountains and valleys arestill happening to the earthtoday. Most of the forceswork so slowly that a personwould never notice themduring a lifetime. However,some of those forces are quitespectacular, like the eruptionof a volcano.

Tectonism refers to all ofthe movements of the earth'scrust. These are responsiblefor earthquakes and the forma-tion of mountains, among otherthings. The pressure causedby the different parts of thecrust pressing against eachother is one factor in makingmetamorphic rocks.

Finally, volcanism refers tomovement of molter. rock

materials within the earthor on its surface. As

There are three major forcesthat shaped and arc shapingthe earth: weathering anderosion, tectonism and volcan-ism. Each of these forcesplays a role in the rock cycle.

The surface of the earth isconstantly affected by weather-ing and erosion, the wearingaway and removal of soil androck fragments by wind, water,and ice. The materials wornaway by these processes even-tually form soil and sedimen-tary rocks.

34Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 4. I .4

the magma and lava cools,igneous rocks arc formed.

We know each of theseforces has effected MedocMountain since igneous, sedi-mentary and metamorphicrocks are all found here.

Besides studying the pastand helping the present. geolo-gists can predict what willhappen to an area in the future.In the distant future (millionsof years), Medoc Mountainwill he flat because of theforces of weathering anderosion.

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To learn everything theyneed to know, geologists haveto study many other branchesof science. Astronomy, thestudy of the stars and planets,helps geologists understandhow the earth was firstformed. Chemistry, the studyof matter, helps geologistsunderstand the interactions ofdifferent kinds of material onand in the earth. For example,when iron interacts with oxy-gen, rust is formed. A geolo-gist must also study biology,the study of life, to understandfossils and the history of lifeon earth.

When a geologist becomesvery specialized, he or she usessome complex equipment toconduct experiments. How-ever, most of the tools used infield geology are simple to useand easily obtained. Some ofthis equipment includes a hardhat, gloves, rock hammer anda magnifying glass. Can youguess what this equipmentwould be used for? Geologistsneed to protect themselvesas they are collecting rocksamples. They also needequipment to extract the rocksand minerals. After the rockshave been obtained, they need

other equipment to study theirsamples. It is very importantfor a geologist to take carefulnotes where each of the rockswas collected.

During your visit to MedocMountain State Park, youwill become a field geologist.You will learn to use certaintools to explore what types ofrocks are in the park. You willalso study the past 300 millionyears of history of MedocMountain. In addition toseeing what forces affectedthe area in the past, you willwitness some. of the forcesaffecting the area today.

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Station A:Making of aMonadnockEducator's Information:

Medoc Mountain is a 300million year old ridge whichreaches a height of about325 feet above sea level andstands approximately 170 feetabove the surrounding terrain.Medoc Mountain is actuallya monadnock, which is thegeological term for a forma-tion of resistant rock risingabove the surrounding land.

The ridge was formed whenmagma, a hot, molten material,rose from deep below theearth's surface, then cooledand solidified near the surface.As the years went by, weather-ing and erosion stripped theridge top of all the highlyerodible rock substances, leav-ing behind the more resistantunderlying rock. Over time,plant life started colonizingthe rock ridge, and throughnatural succession, today'smixed hardwood-pine forestdeveloped.

Medoc Mou-'ain State Park. NC

Instructions:1. Have the students stand ina circle around the sandbox.In the middle of the box, thestudents will see a model ofMedoc Mounts' as it lookedprior to any erosion takingplace.

2. Explain to the students thatthis stage will represent howMedoc Mountain looked mil-lions of years ago.

3. Have the students draw apicture of the mountain in thefirst block of the worksheet.

4. Have a student sprinklewater on the model with awatering can. This water willrepresent rain.

5. As the mountain begins tochange, have the student stopthe water when he or she be-gins to see rock protrudingthrough the sand. Then havethe students draw a picture ofthe new formation in the sec-ond block on the worksheet.

6. Have the student pour morewater on the mountain untilmost of the sand has eroded

36

away. Have the students drawa picture of the mountain in thethird block of the worksheet.This will represent MedocMountain as it appears today.

7. Discuss the following ques-tions:

What did the rain do tothe mountain? (It eroded thesofter material away.)

Why didn't the rock thatwas left exposed erode away?(The rock is more resistantto erosion than the softermaterial.)

If it rained on the mountainfor millions of years more,will this resistant rock stay thesame? (No, eventually eventhese harder, more resistantrocks will erode away. It justtakes a lot longer.)

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Making of a Monadnock Worksheet

Draw the changes observed duing the activity.

Beginning Represents how Medoc Mountain looked millions of years ago before erosiontook place.

Stop 1 Represents millions of years later as erosion shaped the land.

Stop 2 Represents present time.

In a short paragraph, explain how and why Medoc Mountain looks the way it does.

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Making of a Monadnock Answersheet

Draw the changes observed duing the activity.

Beginning Represents how Medoc Mountain looked millions of years ago before erosiontook place.

Stop 1 Represents millions of years later as erosion shaped the land.

Stop 2 Represents present time.

In a short paragraph. explain how and why Medoc Mountain looks the way it does.

Over time, 1/u' softer materials were weathered and eroded away, exposing a ridge of igneous rock which

was resistant to the weathering process.

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC

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Station B:OutcropObservationsEducator's Information:

The group participating in"Outcrop Observations" willhe taken to a large rock out-crop located on the SummitTrail. This outcrop, locatednear the base of Medoc Moun-tain. overlooks Little FishingCreek. (It will take about 10minutes to walk from the park-ing area on top of the summit,to this study area.)

Upon the students' arrivalat the rock outcrop. they willstudy mechanical and chemi-cal weathering processes as itrelates to geology and affectsMedoc Mountain State Park.

Instructions:1. Discuss the processes ofmechanical and chemicalweathering with the students.Be sure to discuss the follow-ing points:

Mechanical weathering:This is the breaking down,or disintegration of a rock bymechanical processes. Severalexamples of mechanicalweathering include:a) Glaciers eroding rockswhile moving across rock for-mations.h) Freezing and thawing ofwater in rock crevices, calledice wedging.

c) When plants take root inrock crevices, the roots willgrow larger, thus forcing thecrevices apart.d) Wind blown sand willslowly break rock down.e) Rocks tumbling down astream.

Chemical weathering:This is the disintegration of arock by chemical action. Ex-amples of chemical weatheringwould include:a) "Human-caused" eventssuch as acid precipitation.Automobiles and some facto-ries discharge sulfur dioxideand nitrogen oxides whichreact with water vapor in theatmosphere creating forms ofsulfuric acid and nitric acid.These acidic forms of precipi-tation can slowly disintegraterock materials.b) Lichens secrete a mild acidwhich disintegrates rock.Lichens are unique, non-flow-ering plants which are actuallycomposed of both a fungus andan algae. Lichens are foundalmost everywhere on earthfrom deserts to the Arctic, andeven in water. Lichens growvery slowly, usually between1 mm and 1 cm per year. Sci-entists use the size of a lichento estimate how old it is. Thereare lichens in the Arctic thatare estimated to be about 4,500years old.

2. Have the students stand atthe base of the rock outcrop.Inform them that they arelooking at a large granite rockthat has been exposed due toerosion. Ask the followingquestions:

What types of erosion couldhave exposed this granite face?(Wind and rain are the primaryforces.)

How did this granite forma-tion get here? (Magma rosetoward the earth's surface andcooled. Once this magmacooled. it solidified.)

Is this granite rocka) Igneous, h) Metamorphic orc) Sedimentary? (It is igneous.Remember, igneous rock isformed when magma coolsand solidifies.)

3. Have the students studythe rock outcrop and look forplaces where mechanicalweathering has taken place.Give them about five minutesto do this. Have the studentsregroup at the base of the rockand ask them the followingquestions:

What types of mechanicalweathering have taken place?(A. Ice wedgingCracks in therocks are getting larger due tothe freezing and thawing ofwater; B. Plants taking root incracks are forcing the crackswider apart; C. People climb-

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ing on the rock are slowlybreaking down the rock.)

Is mechanical weatheringoccurring now? (Yes. Thestudents just weathered therock mechanically when theyclimbed on it. Also, the plantsare almost continuously grow-ing, thus the roots are slowlybreaking apart the rock.)

4. Remind the students thatweathering also takes place inchemical form. When certainelements combine in certainways they form acids andsome of these acids will disin-tegrate rock material.

5. Discuss the following ques-tion:

Where would acids comefrom to chemically weatherrocks? (From automobile andindustrial emissions, lichens.)

6. Point out to the studentssome examples of lichenswhich are attached to the rockoutcropping. Explain thatthese lichens are gradually se-creting mild acids on the rockand this slowly disintegratesthe rock. (A staff member willassist the teachers in finding.and identifying lichens.)

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

7. A simulation of chemicalweathering will be demon-strated at this point:

A ranger or teacher willtake a piece of limestone, anddrop it into a vial of dilute sul-furic acid. Limestone is a softrod that reacts quickly to astrong acid such as sulfuricacid. This combination willbe used so the students canwitness chemical weathering.The acids lichens produce areso mild, disintegrating hardrock such as quartzite orgranite so slowly, the studentswould not be able to witness"natural" chemical weatheringtake place.

8. Discuss the following ques-tions:

What changes are takingplace with the limestone?(The students will notice therock, when dropped in theacid, start bubbling. Here, theacid is disintegrating the lime-

40

stone. Explain that this is simi-lar to what the acids secretedby the lichens are doing to therock outcrop.)

Why can we not see thishappening while we watch thelichens? (The acids lichensproduce are much milder thanthe acid we are using in thesimulation. We are speedingup the process by using amuch stronger acid.)

Explain that pollutants weare currently putting into theatmosphere through vehicleexhaust and factories are thecause of acid precipitation.This acid precipitation alsodisintegrates rock. There arefamous stone statues andmonuments around the worldwhich are being deformed dueto acid precipitation, or chemi-cal weathering.

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Station C:Tools of the TradeEducator's Information:

The students will be usingcertain tools of the trade thatgeologists use in their fieldstudies. From the banks ofLittle Fishing Creek, the stu-dents will collect rocks andminerals and make a variety ofobservations on their findings.The following equipment willbe used by the "Junior Geolo-gists:"

Safety helmet: These aresturdy metal or plastic hats de-signed to protect a geologistfrom falling rocks.

Safety goggles: These areused to protect the eyes fromflying rock particles while thegeologist breaks rocks open.

Magnifying glass: This isused to observe rocks and min-erals up close. It provides abetter look at the luster andtexture of the sample.

Rock hammer: This tool hasa pick on one end of the headand a hammer on the otherend. It is designed to split orbreak rocks open. Breakingrock open sometimes exposesminerals such as pyrite andmolybdenite.

Gold pan: This is a shallowmetal or plastic pan, usuallyabout 12 to 16 inches in diam-eter. The inside edges of thepan usually have ridges, called"cheater riffles," which are de-signed to keep the heavier goldparticles in the pan. (Since thestudents will not be looking for

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC

gold, the cheater riffles will notbe pertinent to this activity.) Ageologist will dig out a scoopof rock and sand from the bot-tom of a creek or river with thepan, swirl out the "trash" suchas leaves and other debris andstudy the remaining substancesleft in the pan. A ranger willdemonstrate the proper use ofthe gold pan.

Magnet: Sometimes geolo-gists will use a magnet to testif any of the rocks or mineralshave magnetic properties.There is a chance the studentswill find a material that lookslike black sand while they panthe creek. If they use theirmagnet, and this substance isattracted to it, they will havefound titanium.

Streak plate: This is a pieceof unglazed porcelain. Whenyou rub a rock on the streakplate, it will leave a streak ofcolor. Some rocks leave a verycharacteristic streak color. Thisis one of the tests used to iden-tify certain rocks.

While the students arebreaking open creek rocks withtheir rock hammers, some ofthem will probably discovera gold colored mineral embed-ded in a piece of quartz.

GOLD!

GOLD!

GOLD! the studentmay shout! Or is it? Chancesare that this substance is pyrite,or fools gold. Pyrite consistsof two elements, sulfur [S] andIron [Fe]. Pyrite leaves a graystreak on a streak plate, butgold leaves a gold streak.

Instructions:

This activity will take placeon Little Fishing Creek, nearthe rock outcrop. You willuse tools to study rocks andminerals in the creek, whichare the same tools that a fieldgeologist uses. A park staffperson, dressed up like a ge-ologist, will explain the differ-ent tools and equipment usedin this profession (gold pan,safety goggles, safety helmet,rock hammer, streak plate andmagnet).

1. Proceed to the study siteon Little Fishing Creek. Byusing gold pans, students willpan Little Fishing Creek fordifferent rocks and minerals.During the activity, ask thestudents to comment on thefollowing observations:

Why are the edges of somerocks smooth? (The longerthe rocks stay in the creek, thesmoother they will get. Themovement of the water andsmaller sand and rock particleseventually erode the roughedges off the rocks, makingthem smooth.)

Are you finding any "soft"rocks? (If you can scratch arock with your fingernail, thatrock would be classified as"soft." You probably will notfind too many soft rocks in thecreek.)

Why is that? (Naturally, thesofter the rock, the faster it willerode away.)

Is anything in the pan at-tracted to the magnet? (Thestudents may find a substance

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in the bottom of the gold panthat looks like black sand. Thisis a form of ilmenite, a combi-nation of titanium and ironoxide. Titanium is used as analloy in aircraft metals becauseit is very light and very strong.)

2. Have the students bringsome rock samples from thecreek. Be sure everyone hasput on safety goggles, then letstudents take turns breakingopen some of the rocks withthe rock hammer while therest of the students observe.

3. Have the students examinethe broken fragments anddiscuss their observations.(Quartz, pyrite and molyb-

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

denite will be the most obvi-ous minerals they might find.Explain that these mineralscombined like this to form therock they just broke open.)

4. If anyone was fortunateenough to find a sample thatlooks like gold, test to seewhether the sample is goldor pyrite (fool's gold). Onemethod would be to strike thesample with a rock hammer,pyrite will shatter, whereasgold will flatten out. How-ever, by using a streak platethe sample will be preserved.Remember, gold will makea gold streak and pyrite willmake a gray streak. Pyrite isused to make sulfuric acid.

42

S. Now that the students haveexperienced part of the workof being a field geologist, havethem complete the "Portrait ofa Geologist" worksheet. Afterthey have completed the work-sheet, discuss the answers withthem.

6. Encourage the studentsto keep a geology notebook.When observing or collectingrocks, it is very important tokeep careful notes on the areawhere the sample was located.Remind the students that theymay not keep any rocks foundin a state park. Any rocksthat are collected should bereturned to the place wherethey were found.

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Kirtrait of a Geologist Worksheet

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Portrait of a Geologist Answersheet

In the space provided describe how a geologistwould use each piece of equipment.

Safety Goggles

Used to protect the eves 1i-on living

rock particles while the geologist

breaks rocks Open.

Safety Helmet

These sturdy metal or plastic

hats are designed to protect a

geologist fromfalling rocks.

Magnifying Glass

This is used to observe rocks

and minerals up close. It

provides a better look at the

"luster", and "texture" of the

sample.

Magnet

Sometimes olo ,ists

use (I to test if any of

the rocks or minerals have

magnetic. properties.

Gold Pan

A geologist dig out a scoop of

rock and sand from the bottom of a

creek or river with the pan, swirl out

the "trash" and studs the remaining

substances left in the pan.

Geologist's hammer

This tool has a pick on one end

of the head and a hammer on

the other end. It is designed to

split or break open rocks.

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC 4.1.14 4 December 1993

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Post-Visit Activity #1 Eve'ryday Geology

Curriculum Objectives:Grade 4

Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionLibrary/Media Skills: workindependently and creativelyin preparing assignmentsGuidance: importance of fa-miliar jobsSocial Studies: gather, orga-nize and analyze information,draw conclusions

Grade 5Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionLibrary/Media Skills: workindependently and creativelyin preparing assignmentsGuidance: importance of fa-miliar jobsScience: earth science; envi-ronmentSocial Studies: gather, orga-nize and analyze information,draw conclusions

Grade 6Communication Skills: lis-tening, reading, vocabularyand viewing comprehensionLibrary/Media Skills: workindependently and creativelyin preparing assignmentsGuidance: importance offamiliar jobsScience: how science helpsusSocial Studies: gather, orga-nize and analyze informa-tion; draw conclusions

Special Considerations:Students must have completedpre-visit and on-site activities.

Location: Classroom

Group Size:30 or smaller, class size.

Estimated Time: 45-60 minutes

Appropriate Season: Any

Materials:Provided by the educator:

Access to reference books(Example: Encyclopedia),

Major Concepts:Uses of rocks, minerals andelementsClassification of rocks,minerals and elements

Objectives:Name eight examples ofproducts that come fromrocks, minerals and ele-ments.Using references, classifyfive samples as rock, min-eral or element.

Educator's Information:

This activity will show the1 students that a variety

of "everyday" products arederived from rocks, mineralsand elements.

Extension:Have each of the studentsselect a rock or mineral, re-search it and give a report tothe class.

slate

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC45

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Student's Information

Many items we see anduse everyday are com-

posed of rocks, minerals andelements. Some of theserocks, minerals and elementsare mined right here in NorthCarolina. For example, duringthe 1940s, there was someexploratory digging for mo-lybdenum on the land that isnow Medoc Mountain StatePark. Presently, there are avariety of companies doing

some exploratory drillingfor titanium around MedocMountain. This titanium isused to make items such asairplane parts and hip jointsbecause it is very strong anddoes not rust. Mining in NorthCarolina provides jobs andprovides us with useful prod-ucts.

Unfortunately, we mustaffect the environment in orderto get the resources we need.

It takes time, sometimes years,even decades and longer, forthe earth to recover from somehuman activities. This makesit even more important to pre-serve areas of park land thatwill not be severely affectedby damaging human activities.Can you perform miningoperations and protect thenatural resources such as for-ests and wildlife at the sametime? Think about it!

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Instructions:Using reference books, decide whether each item in the left-hand column is a rock,mineral or element.Match the rock, mineral or element with the correct item or items under the "Product"column. This may require some research through reference books.Can you think of other examples of how rocks, minerals or elements are used?

Rock, Mineral or ElementTitanium

Quartz

Pyrite

Aluminum

Molybdenum

Gold

Slate

Limestone

Graphite

Talc

Diamond

ProductPencil

Tooth Fillings

Window

Cosmetics

Airplane

Chalk

Wedding Ring

Sulfuric Acid

Chalk Board

Hip Joint

Soda Can

Definitions:

Element A substance that cannot be brokendown by mechanical or chemical means intosimpler substances. Though rare in nature,some elements can occur in their pure formand technically can also be called minerals oreven rocks. Gold and diamond are examples.

Mineral A naturally occurring substancecomposed of specific elements in knownproportions.

Rock - A naturally formed mass of mineralmaterial.

Medoc Mountain State Par. k. NC5.1.3 4 7 December 1993

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Instructions:Using reference books, decide whether each item in the left-hand column is a rock,mineral or element.Match the rock, mineral or element with the correct item or items under the "Product"column. This may require some research through reference books.Can you think of other examples of how rocks, minerals or elements are used?

Rock, Mineral or ElementE Titanium

R,M Quartz

M Pyrite

Product

E Aluminum

E Molybdenum

E Gold

R Slate

R Limestone

M,E Graphite

M Talc

MX Diamond

Pencil

Tooth Fillings

Window

Cosmetics

Airplane

Chalk

Wedding Ring

Sulfuric Acid

Chalk Board

Hip Joint

Soda Can

Definitions:

Element - A substance that cannot be brokendown by mechanical or chemical means intosimpler substances. Though rare in nature,some elements can occur in their pure formand technically can also be called minerals oreven rocks. Gold and diamond are examples.

Mineral A naturally occurring substancecomposed of specific elements in knownproportions.

Rock A naturally formed mass of mineralmaterial.

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VCAB ULARYBiotite - A black or dark colored mineral of themica group.

Composite A material made up of two ormore distinct complementary substancescombining to produce functional or structuralproperties not present in any individual com-ponent. A mineral is a composite of two ormore elements.

Diabase (dye-a-base) A dark-gray to black.fine-textured igneous rock composed mainlyof feldspar and pyroxene (pie-rok-seen).

Diamond - The hardest natural substanceknown, consists of pure carbon atoms. It canbe classified as an element, mineral or rock.

Dike An intrusive, more or less vertical, thinsheet of igneous rock.

Disintegration (mechanical weathering) Thephysical breakup of rock at, or near, the surfaceof the earth without altering the chemicalcomposition of the rock.

Element - One of the 103 basic substances ofthe universe that cannot be broken into a moresimple substance by either chemical or physi-cal means. Molybdenum is an element; how-ever, like nearly all elements, it is never foundin its pure state in nature. Gold and diamondsare examples of elerents with pure forms.

Erosion The transportation of bits of weath-ered rock by wind, water and glacial action.Water is the most active agent of erosion inour area.

Essential mineral A mineral that must bepresent in order to label an igneous rock; forexample, granite must contain feldspar andquartz.

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 64 9

Feldspar A group of abundant, rock-formingminerals occurringprimarily in igneousand metamorphicrocks and consistingprimarily of silicon,and aluminum.Plagioclase (play-gee-a-klayse),an essential mineral of Medoc granite, is atype of feldspar.

Geology The scientific study of the origin.history and structure of the earth.

Gneiss (nice) A banded or foliated metamor-phic rock, usually of the same composition asgranite. in which the minerals are arranged inlayers.

Granite An intrusive igneous rock thatcontains quartz, feldspar and one or moresilicates, such as biotite or homblende.

Hematite - A mineral composed of iron andoxygen. A principal source of iron. Hematiteis the substance which gives clay its red color.

Ice wedging A type of weathering where thefreezing and thawing of water can break rocksinto smaller pieces.

Igneous rock Rock formed by the cooling ofhot molten rock. Medoc granite is an igneousrock.

Ilmenite (ill-meh-nite) A mineral containingtitanium and iron oxide. At Medoc Mountain,it is found in the sands of Little Fishing Creek.

Intrusive igneous rock The type of igneousrock that forms when magma cools inside theearth. Usually contains course-grained min-eral crystals. The granite making up MedocMountain is intrusive igneous rock.

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Limestone - A sedimentary rock consisting ofcalcium carbonates.

Magma A hot liquid rock below the earth'ssurface. When magma reaches the surface, itis called lava.

Metamorphic rock Rocks that have beenaltered chemically and/or physically by greatheat and pressure.

Mineral A naturally occurring substancecomposed of one or more elements in knownproportions. Though rare in nature, someelements such as gold and diamond, can occurin pure form and technically can also be calledrocks and minerals. Quartz, containing theelements silicon and oxygen, is a commonmineral found in the park.

Molybdenite The principal ore for molybde-num. Some of the igneous rocks at MedocMountain contain molybdenite.

Molybdenum A hard, silvery-white, metallicelement often mixed with iron to produce asteel that is hard, strong and erosion resistant.The alloy is used in aircraft and missile parts.

Monadnock A hill of highly resistant rockleft as a residue of erosion that stands abovethe surrounding area. Medoc Mountain is amonadnock.

Natural succession The change in animaland plant life by which one population orcommunity is replaced by others.

Outcrop The part of a geologic formationthat sticks up above the earth's surface.

Pyrite Fool's Gold. A brassy-yellow mineralconsisting of iron and sulfur.

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

Quartz - A common mineral consisting ofsilicon and oxygen. Disinte-gration of quartz producesthe sediment, sand. It isamong the hardest andmost resistant of allminerals.

Resistant rock Rock that weathers anderodes more slowly than other rocks in thesame area.

Rock Substances made up of one or moreminerals.

Rock cycle - The process whereby one rocktype changes into another.

Schist (shist) Any of various medium-to-coarse-grained metamorphic rocks composedof laminated, often flaky, parallel layers ofchiefly micaceous minerals.

Sedimentary rock Rock made by thecompaction and cementing of sediments.Examples are limestone, shale and mudstone.

Titanium A strong, highly corrosion-resistant, metallic element. Occurs widely inigneous rock. and is used as an alloy in aircraftmetals. See Ilmenite.

Weathering Any of the chemical or me-chanical processes by which rocks exposed tothe weather decay to soil. In the broadestsense, any of the destructive forces that weardown rocks, causing them to fragment. crackor crumble. Examples include heat, chemi-cals, wind and water. Weathering differs fromerosion in that erosion loosens and carriesaway debris created by weathering.

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References

Carpenter. P. Albert, editor. 1989. A Geologi-cal Guide to North Carolina State Parks.Raleigh, NC: NC Geological Survey Section,Division of Land Resources. PO Box 27687,Raleigh, NC 27611.

Larson, Edwin E. and Peter W. Bickeland.1982. Putnam 's Geology, Fourth Edition.New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Inc.

Mottana, Annibale, Rodo Ifo Crespi andGiuseppe Liborio. 1978. Guide to Rocks andMinerals, The Simon and Schuster FieldGuide Series. New York, NY: Simon andSchuster, Inc.

Park files. Stevenson, H. Alice and Charles J.Fausold. 1976. "Medoc Mountain Environ-mental Impact Study." Medoc Mountain StatePark, PO Box 400, Hollister, NC 27844-0400.

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

Pough, Frederick H. 1988. A Field Guide toRocks and Minerals, The Peterson Field GuideSeries. Cambridge, MA: Riverside Press.

Rhodes, Frank H. T. 1972. Geology, AGolden Guide. Racine, WI: Western Publish-ing Company.

Sorrell, Charles A. 1973. A Guide to FieldIdentification of Rocks and Minerals. NewYork, NY: Golden Press.

Stuckey, Jasper L. and Warren G. Steel. 1953.Geology and Mineral Resource's of NorthCarolina, Educational Series #3. For informa-tion, contact Division of Mineral Resources.North Carolina Department of Environment.Health and Natural Resources, PO Box 27687,Raleigh, NC 27611.

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SCHEDULING WORKSHEET

For office use only:Date request received Request received by

1) Name of group (school)

2)Contact personname phone (work) (home)

address3) Day/date/time of requested program

4) Program desired and program length

5) Meeting place

6)Time of arrival at park Time of departure from park

7) Number of students Age range (grade)(Note: A maximum of 30 participants is recommended.)

8) Number of chaperones(Note: One adult for every 10 students is recommended.)

9) Areas of special emphasis

10) Special considerations of group (e.g. allergies, health concerns, physical limitations)

11) Have you or your group participated in park programs before? If yes. please indicate previousprograms attended:

12) Are parental permission forms required? If yes, please use the Parental Permissionform on page 8.2.

, have read the entire Environmental EducationLearning Experience and understand and agree to all the conditions within it.

Return to: Medoc Mountain State ParkP.O. Box 400Hollister, NC 27844-0400

Medoc Mountain State Park, NC

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PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM

Dear Parent:

Your child will soon be involved in an exciting learning adventure an environmental educationexperience at . Studies have shown that such "hands-on"learning programs improve children's attitudes and performance in a broad range of schoolsubjects.

In order to make your child's visit to "nature's classroom" as safe as possible we ask that youprovide the following information and sign at the bottom. Please note that insects, poison ivy andother potential risks are a natural part of any outdoor setting. We advise that children bringappropriate clothing (long pants, rain gear, sturdy shoes) for their planned activities.

Child's name

Does your child:

Have an allergy to bee stings or insect bites?

If so, please have them bring their medication and stress that they, or the group leader, beable to administer it.

Have other allergies?

Have any other health problems we should be aware of?

In case of an emergency, I give permission for my child to be treated by the attendingphysician. I understand that I would be notified as soon as possible.

Parent's signature date

Parent's name Home phone(please print) Work phone

Family Physician's name phone

Alternate Emergency Contact

Name phone

Medoc Mountain State Park. NC

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NORTH CAROLINA PARKS & RECREATIONPROGRAM EVALUATION

Please take a few moments to evaluate the program(s) you received. This will help us improve

our service to you in the future.

I. Program title(s) Date

Program leader(s)

2. What part of the program(s) did you find the most interesting and useful?

3. What part( s) did you find the least interesting and useful?

4. What can we do to improve the program(s)?

5. General comments

LEADERS OF SCHOOL GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZED YOUTH GROUPS

PLEASE ANSWER THESE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

6. Group (school) name

7. Did the program(s) meet the stated objectives or curriculum needs?

If not, why?

Please return the completed form to park staff. Thank you.

Medoc Mountain State ParkP.O. Box 400

Hollister. NC 27844-0400

54Medoc Mountain State Park, NC 8.3 December 1993