Rock and Mineral Identification Task: Identify 10 common rocks and minerals. This is an example set. I would like to put more emphasis on rocks than minerals, so that the students will have to reason through rock types based on mineral content and other descriptive identifiers.

1. Granite

2. Clay Shale

3. Orthoclase

4. Sandstone

5. Slate

6. Pyrite

7. Basalt

8. Limestone

9. Gneiss

10. Coal

Correlation Task: Draw lines of correlation between the stratigraphic columns.

Geological Sequence Task: Identify all geological events and features in their proper order (starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest).

Contouring Task: Draw contours from data points. In the proposed Science Olympiad event, I would like the data points to be subsurface penetrations in wells, and the drawn contours will be the top of a stratigraphic horizon. Contour depths will increase downward from a sea level datum.

Block Diagram Task: draw the cross-section on the front of the block based on the mapped geology on the upper surface of the block.