Participants will be required to bring the following:
* journal and writing utensils
* money for meals and personal items
* clothing appropriate for rugged conditions of fossil digging and stream activities (Prairies and chalk
bluffs can be rather prickly, so be sure to bring some long pants in addition to shorts)
* sturdy walking shoes and 'creek shoes' or sandals.
* sun protection: hat, shades, sunscreen etc.
* water bottle or commercial bottled water
* camera and binoculars ( optional, but recommended )
* willingness to participate, learn, and cooperate
Evaluation:
* journal and writing utensils
* money for meals and personal items
* clothing appropriate for rugged conditions of fossil digging and stream activities (Prairies and chalk
bluffs can be rather prickly, so be sure to bring some long pants in addition to shorts)
* sturdy walking shoes and 'creek shoes' or sandals.
* sun protection: hat, shades, sunscreen etc.
* water bottle or commercial bottled water
* camera and binoculars ( optional, but recommended )
* willingness to participate, learn, and cooperate
Evaluation:
- Field Journal (60%): Participants will be required to keep a field journal that will be kept on a daily basis. There will be a section for entering daily meteorological data for temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, dew point, wind direction and speed, cloud cover, and cloud type. This data will be collected in the early morning and in the evening each day. There will be a section to record moon observations, such as position and appearance at different times of day or night. These observations will be used to determine the phases of the moon during the trip. In addition to these daily observations, the majority of the journal will concern the activities of the day. These observations should include where we went, what we did, what we learned. The journals should include field sketches and diagrams as well as text. The journals should note changes between different locations, and relate these differences to geoscience factors. Each day should end with a paragraph of personal thoughts and reflections. The journals will be collected after Day 4 and after Day 7. They will be returned before leaving the trip.
- Participation (20%): At some time during the trip, each participant will be responsible for each of the meteorological readings. They will use thermometers, portable barometers, portable anemometers, sling psychrometers, and cloud charts. At some time during the trip, each student will be responsible for checking the internet for the weather forecast. There will also be a subjective evaluation of the general involvement and attitude of the student as the trip progresses. There will be ample time to be involved in discussions of what we are seeing on the trip. Active engagement in learning will be expected of participants.
- Paper and Implimentation (20%): A paper of 5-10 pages discussing Kansas from a geoscience perspective will be due 2 weeks after the last day of the trip. It should include actual observations made on the trip. It should also include ideas of how one might implement concepts from the trip into a classroom. This could include a lesson plan or a discussion of ideas. The paper should be e-mailed to the professor within 2 weeks of the end of the trip.
