Geology PAG 11: Investigation

Suggested Activity 2: Investigating sediments

Instructions for teachers & techniciansThis practical activity is composed of two parts; a teacher/technician section and the learner activity which can be found on page 5. This practical activity supports OCR AS/A Level Geology.

When distributing the activity section to the students either as a printed copy or as a Word file you will need to remove the teacher instructions section.

This is a suggested practical activity that can be used as part of teaching the OCR AS and A Level Geology specifications helping to fulfil the requirements of the Practical Endorsement.

These are not required activities, nor are they coursework tasks.

You may modify these activities to suit your students and centre. Alternative activities are available from, for example, ESTA, Earth Learning Idea, CLEAPSS and publishing companies. Support for mapping activities to the requirements of the Practical Endorsement is available from OCR – see www.ocr.org.uk/positiveaboutpractical or email us at PASS@ocr.org.uk.

Students can collaborate during the activities but each student must individually demonstrate competence in each of the practical skills being assessed (see Practical Skills below).

It is possible for a student to achieve some but not all of the practical skills involved in an activity (and this can be recorded as individual skills in the OCR PAG Tracker).

Further details are available in the specifications (Practical Skills Topics).

OCR recommendations:

Before carrying out any fieldwork based on this guidance, it is the responsibility of teachers to ensure that they have undertaken a risk assessment in accordance with their employer’s requirements, making use of up-to-date information and taking account of their own particular circumstances. Any local rules or restrictions issued by the employer must always be followed.

CLEAPSS resources are useful for carrying out risk-assessments: (http://science.cleapss.org.uk).

Centres should trial experiments in advance of giving them to students. Centres may choose to make adaptations to this practical activity, but should be aware that this may affect the Apparatus and Techniques covered by the learner.

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DISCLAIMER

This resource was designed using the most up to date information from the specification at the time it was published. Specifications are updated over time, which means there may be contradictions between the resource and the specification, therefore please use the information on the latest specification at all times. If you do notice a discrepancy please contact us on the following email address: resources.feedback@ocr.org.uk

IntroductionEach student or group of students will be carrying out an activity which they have selected and designed themselves. They will use their fieldwork observations to investigate a modern sedimentary environment or unconsolidated sedimentary sequence, or sedimentary rocks. In each case it is the students who determine what they will be investigating (enquiry question), variables to measure, design the sampling programme and data table, and who interpret and present their results. Students are expected to be familiar with modules 2.1.3 and 4.1.2.

Aims to demonstrate independent application of investigative skills to plan and implement a practical activity to make quantitative and qualitative observations to relate observations to research or theory

Intended fieldwork and independent learning time 2 to 3 hours

Practical Skills – competence assessed by the teacher1.2.1 (a) apply investigative approaches and methods to practical work1.2.1 (b) safely and correctly use a range of practical equipment and materials1.2.1 (d) make and record observations/measurements 1.2.1 (e) keep appropriate records of experimental activities1.2.1 (f) present information and data in a scientific way1.2.1 (j) use a wide range of experimental and practical instruments, equipment and techniques appropriate to the knowledge and understanding included in the specification1.2.2 (d) construction of graphic logs using appropriate scale and symbol sets for unfamiliar geological sequences and exposures1.2.2 (g) production of annotated scientific drawings of fossils, or small scale features, from hand samples using a light microscope, or hand lens observation1.2.2 (j) use of appropriate apparatus to record a range of quantitative measurements1.2.2 (l) use of methods to increase accuracy of measurements, such as timing over multiple observations, or use of a fiducial scale (in photograph/field sketch)1.2.2 (m) use of ICT to: compile and analyse geological data sets, to enable visualisation using geographic information system (GIS), collect, process and model geological data

CPAC(2) applies investigative approaches and methods when using instruments and equipment(3) safely uses a range of practical equipment and materials(4) makes and records observations.

Links to Specifications – for example, but not limited to1.3.1 (a) the measurement and description of the diagnostic properties of rocks in the field1.3.1 (b) the collection of valid data in the field relating to the igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary processes that formed the rocks2.1.3 (b) the effect of the process of erosion on the characteristics and composition of modern sediments

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4.1.1 (c) what facies associations are, why facies are the basic unit of sedimentary geology and how uniformitarianism is applied to the study of facies by analogy with modern sedimentary sequences and processes4.1.2 (a)(i) how the characteristics of the facies in a sedimentary environment are related to the methods of sediment transport4.1.2 (a)(ii) the diagnostic sedimentary structures produced by the sediment transport processes4.1.2 (a)(iiii) the recognition, application and sketching of the diagnostic properties of sedimentary structures to interpret way-up and sedimentary environments, in the field and on photographs.

Equipment – typical equipment that students may require field notebook or equivalent 5 metre measuring tape, metre rule or equivalent compass clinometer hand lens data card with grain size and roundness (e.g. Geo Supplies or Leicester University) trowel and sample bags.

Health and Safety Health and safety should always be considered by a centre before undertaking any

practical work. A full risk assessment of any activity should be undertaken including checking the CLEAPSS website (http://www.cleapss.org.uk). Guidance on the principles of remote supervision of students can be found here https://www.dofe.org.

The Geological Society has some useful resources for planning fieldwork including the Code for Geological Fieldwork. In Scotland geological fieldwork is covered by The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Scottish fossil code.

The use of hammers is not a requirement of the Practical Endorsement and is not encouraged; most popular geological sites have some level of geoconservation status and hammers may only be used with a permit.

NotesThis is an individual task rather than a group activity: It can be helpful to highlight opportunities for investigations with students prior to and

during whole group fieldwork. As general guidance data collection should take a hour, data analysis two hours and oral

feedback of results to the whole group five minutes. On a residential fieldtrip data collection time could be built into a field stop and the analysis and presentation completed during the evening’s follow up session.

Teachers are expected to discuss proposed investigations with each student to ensure that the investigation is safe and achievable within the limited time available.

although the degree of supervision in the field will depend on your centre’s safety policy appropriate remote supervision should be encouraged and students are expected to be working independently.

Linking to an EPQ As the practical endorsement does not contribute to the overall grade at A level it would

be permissible for a learner to be credited with the competences for researching and referencing by completing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ);

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Details and the specification for the OCR Extended Project Qualification H857 can found here www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/projects-extended-project-h857/

RecordsAs evidence for the Practical Endorsement, students: should not need to re-draft their work, but rather keep all of their notes as a continuing

record of their practical work, dating their work clearly, details of research, planning, method and the variables which they took into account. field notebook or field work qualitative/quantitative data recorded in an appropriate format calculations and an analysis and evaluation of their results.

Extension questions help students develop their understanding of the underlying geological theory and are a preparation for the written examinations. They also help students to develop the practical science skills assessed indirectly in the written examinations and they should be encouraged to record their data appropriately, for example showing full workings in calculations, and stating final answers to the appropriate number of significant figures.

Document updatesv1.0 February 2018 Original version.v1.1 February 2019 Minor edits for clarity and additional teacher guidance.

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OCR Resources: the small printThis formative assessment resource has been produced as part of our free A Level teaching and learning support package. All the A Level teaching and learning resources, including delivery guides, topic exploration packs, lesson elements and more are available on the qualification webpages.

If you are looking for examination practice materials, you can find Sample Assessment Materials (SAMs) on the qualification webpages: here

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Geology PAG 11: Investigation

Suggested Activity 2: Investigating sediments

Learner activityIntroductionIn this activity you will be carrying out an activity which you have selected and designed yourself. You will be using fieldwork to investigate a modern sedimentary environment or unconsolidated sedimentary sequence, or sedimentary rocks. You will need to formulate your own enquiry question and method. The data collection phase should take one hour and analysis of your data up to two hours.

You will be presenting your research to the class as a short oral report.

Aims To demonstrate independent application of investigative skillsTo plan and implement a practical activityTo make quantitative and qualitative observationsTo relate observations to research or theory.

Intended fieldwork and independent learning time 2 to 3 hours

ProcedureBefore starting your practical work, read the information below.

1. From your experience of the fieldwork area propose an enquiry question to investigate a local sedimentary environment, unconsolidated sediments, or sedimentary rock.

2. Detail your plan including risk assessment, equipment and sampling programme.3. Obtain and record results.4. Analyse your data, presenting them in a suitable graphic form and evaluate your findings.5. Report back your findings to the class in a short five minute presentation.

RecordsAs evidence for the Practical Endorsement, you need records of:

planning, method and the variables which you took into account. field notebook or field work data recorded in an appropriate format calculations (where appropriate) and an analysis and evaluation of your results

All work should be clearly dated.

This document may have been modified – if in doubt check the master version on OCR Interchange.

Version 1.1 – February 2019 5 © OCR 2019