Field Sketching Exercises and Accessing Student Understanding While Field Sketching Exercises and Accessing Student Understanding While Instructing Proper Recording of Field NotesInstructing Proper Recording of Field Notes

Field Sketching Exercises:• Add a Pictorial Combination

of Observation and Interpretation to Field Notes

• Are an Assessment of the Student’s Understanding of– Contact relationships– Relative timing– Geologic context

• Aid Faculty in – Field checking of notes– Promoting student participation– Promoting questions and active

learningMarshak, 2009

Michael Stewart (stewart1@illinois.edu)

Credit due:Credit due:• Steve MarshakSteve Marshak• Univ. of Illinois Univ. of Illinois

Geology Students, Geology Students, especiallyespecially– Sam DwyerSam Dwyer

– Greg GaufGreg Gauf

– Matt DziarskiMatt Dziarski

– othersothers

Two important geofluids…

Outline:Outline:• Why we should have student Why we should have student

sketching outcrops sketching outcrops

• Nuts-n-boltsNuts-n-bolts– Prerequisite knowledgePrerequisite knowledge

– LogisticsLogistics

– AssessmentAssessment

– Basics of activity on the outcropBasics of activity on the outcrop

• Examples for discussionExamples for discussion– What is a field sketchWhat is a field sketch

• Important elementsImportant elements

• Importance of qualityImportance of quality

Note: a digital image pasted in the field book does not convey our observations or interpretations.

Why we should force students to sketch outcropsWhy we should force students to sketch outcrops

• The Negative Element in Most Field Trips: Stop, Look and then MoveThe Negative Element in Most Field Trips: Stop, Look and then Move– Common complaint from students: limited time to build contextual understanding of each stop Common complaint from students: limited time to build contextual understanding of each stop

within the ‘big picture’.within the ‘big picture’.

– Common complaint from faculty: lethargic students, trips take-on ‘show and tell’ feel with Common complaint from faculty: lethargic students, trips take-on ‘show and tell’ feel with little student activity.little student activity.

• Sketching forcesSketching forces us us to allow the students time to to allow the students time to– Investigate the outcrop and apply knowledgeInvestigate the outcrop and apply knowledge

– Build confidence Build confidence

– Synthesize a contextual understanding of the stops within the regional geologic settingSynthesize a contextual understanding of the stops within the regional geologic setting

• Sketching forces students to actively ask questions of each other, your, and the outcrop.Sketching forces students to actively ask questions of each other, your, and the outcrop.

• Sketches put a meaningful image in our field notes!Sketches put a meaningful image in our field notes!

Nuts-n-Bolts: prerequisite knowledgeNuts-n-Bolts: prerequisite knowledge• No prerequisite knowledge No prerequisite knowledge

requiredrequired

• Sketching is appropriate for all Sketching is appropriate for all levels from introductory levels from introductory students to graduate students to students to graduate students to professionals.professionals.

• The more we sketch the better The more we sketch the better are sketches become.are sketches become.

2nd-year student’s sketch of a Cyclothem

Note: scale and direction given, correct use of lithologic symbols, contacts are clearly marked, fish indicate river, a tree is in the river (?), missing a title - likely in her notes.

From her notes: “Rainy, Windy, Sleet, Some Snow, VERY Cold”. Paper was wet and hard to write on. Hands were numb and nearly immobile.

Sam Dwyer, 2007, her second ever field trip

Logistics of sketchingLogistics of sketching• We MUST schedule the TIME in the fieldWe MUST schedule the TIME in the field

• Beginning students must be given direction and a Beginning students must be given direction and a nudgenudge to start to start

• We MUST give clear instructions of scale, elements and We MUST give clear instructions of scale, elements and expectation expectation – Sketch the entire outcrop, or some Sketch the entire outcrop, or some

portion, what level/scale of detail is portion, what level/scale of detail is

expectedexpected

– Set a time limit (e.g. 30 minutes)Set a time limit (e.g. 30 minutes)

– Wrap-up at the end, and tie-in theWrap-up at the end, and tie-in the

outcrop to ‘regional’ settingoutcrop to ‘regional’ setting

• When sketching road-cuts, always When sketching road-cuts, always

begin with a word about safety! begin with a word about safety!

Students often forget where they are.Students often forget where they are.

Give good direction for a successful sketching activity:Give good direction for a successful sketching activity:

• Scale, compass direction, and location Scale, compass direction, and location must all be notedmust all be noted

• First draw in horizon/margins/outlineFirst draw in horizon/margins/outline• Correctly place obvious trees/cover and Correctly place obvious trees/cover and

and geologic features to scaleand geologic features to scale• Then begin sketching what you see…Then begin sketching what you see…

– This forces students to investigate the This forces students to investigate the outcrop and alter their sketchoutcrop and alter their sketch

– This will provide questions and This will provide questions and interactionsinteractions

• You will know the exercise is successful You will know the exercise is successful whenwhen– Students begin sketchingStudents begin sketching– Start talking among themselves in Start talking among themselves in

groupsgroups– Visit/revisit the outcrop, step back and Visit/revisit the outcrop, step back and

sketch more, repeatsketch more, repeat– Eventually, your students begin to work Eventually, your students begin to work

independently, and your field trip is less independently, and your field trip is less show and tell and more active learning.show and tell and more active learning.

A note about object size: you can sketch A note about object size: you can sketch mountains and hand-samplesmountains and hand-samples

Note: I did not ‘assign’ these sketches. This student obviously learned the utility of sketching.

Gregg Gauf, 2010

Assessment: Field Checks and Prof SketchesAssessment: Field Checks and Prof Sketches• Field Check the sketchesField Check the sketches

– Doing so during the exercise Doing so during the exercise forces students to participateforces students to participate

– You can also grade sketches in the You can also grade sketches in the office if you give good instruction office if you give good instruction of the elements you expectof the elements you expect

• As part of the wrap-up, you should As part of the wrap-up, you should produce a sketch too!produce a sketch too!

This is what you get when you fail to field check….

This is why I have so few sketches in my field book...

Matt Dziarski, 2009

Example: Importance Example: Importance of visiting the of visiting the outcrop outcrop

Little Harquahala Mts. AZ

• This sketch did not benefit from an opportunity to visit the outcrop

•Questions:

•where exactly is the fault?

•what is its attitude?

•Mapped as a thrust, looks like a normal fault from here.

Digital image

The benefit of visiting with the outcrop…The benefit of visiting with the outcrop…1st sketch

2nd sketchIn the Second Sketch compared to the In the Second Sketch compared to the First:First:

• Notice the confident fault (though Notice the confident fault (though no sense of motion)no sense of motion)

• Notice the addition of annotated Notice the addition of annotated detailsdetails

Sam Dwyer, 2008

The 1st sketch was drawn on arrival. The The 1st sketch was drawn on arrival. The student then discussed with classmates student then discussed with classmates and the professors. Then she made the and the professors. Then she made the 2nd sketch.2nd sketch.

Improvement with experience:Improvement with experience:

• Compared to the first Compared to the first drawing, the second…drawing, the second…– has more detailhas more detail

– Has scale, principle Has scale, principle directiondirection

– More accurately depicts the More accurately depicts the angular unconformityangular unconformity

Sam Dwyer, 2007

Sam Dwyer, 2010, a grad student at the time

Recapping Sketching Activity :Recapping Sketching Activity :

• Discuss safety issuesDiscuss safety issues– Roads, railways, snakes, spiders, Roads, railways, snakes, spiders,

local indigenous peoples.local indigenous peoples.

• Give clear instructions regardingGive clear instructions regarding– Subject of the sketch Subject of the sketch – Time allotmentTime allotment– Elements you want in the sketchElements you want in the sketch

• Contacts, lithologies, structuresContacts, lithologies, structures• Secondary featuresSecondary features

• Inform students that you will check Inform students that you will check sketches!sketches!

• Field ChecksField Checks– Begin checking just a few Begin checking just a few

minutes into exercise.minutes into exercise.

– Rapidly do as many students as Rapidly do as many students as possiblepossible

• Wrapping-upWrapping-up– You should sketch for your You should sketch for your

studentsstudents

– Use your sketch as visual aid Use your sketch as visual aid to wrap-up the stop and place to wrap-up the stop and place it in regional contextit in regional context

Example: My sketch of Painted Canyon, SW CA near San Andreas FZ

A simple fold and fault?Field notes give context:Reverse flower structure in a releasing bend

Well labeled, but a poor representation of the outcropWell labeled, but a poor representation of the outcrop