Earth Science Outdoors Teachers' Guide: CfE Levels 3/4 with additional suggestions for Level 2 and Intermediate/Higher Crawton, South of Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Highlights • dramatic coastal erosion features • spectacular lava flows and conglomerates • excellent evidence of ancient environments and geological processes ESO Teachers' Guide: Crawton Aberdeenshire 23 October 2009 1 CONTENTS Introduction...........................................................................................................................................! 2 Using this guide...................................................................................................................................! 2 Is Crawton for you?..............................................................................................................................! 3 Suggestions for a shorter excursion.....................................................................................................! 4 Safety and conservation.......................................................................................................................! 4 Access, parking and local facilities......................................................................................................! 5 The geological background..................................................................................................................! 6 Sources of further information & support.............................................................................................! 8 Suggested pre- and post-visit activities...............................................................................................! 8 The field localities................................................................................................................................! 9 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................! 9 Location 1: Trollochy................................................................................................................... ! 10 Location Two: First lava flow...................................................................................................... ! 12 Location Three: Pebble beach....................................................................................................! 14 Location Four: Rocky point.........................................................................................................! 15 Location Five: East side of Crawton Bay................................................................................... ! 16 Location Six: Crawton Bay......................................................................................................... ! 16 Suggestions for pupil activities..........................................................................................................! 17 Level Two.....................................................................................................................................! 17 Levels Three & Four.....................................................................................................................! 20 Intermediate and Higher Level.....................................................................................................! 23 Glossary............................................................................................................................................ ! 30 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................! 33 Introduction Visiting the coast at Crawton for the first time is a powerful experience. The grand scale of the cliffs, the noise of the sea-birds (in Spring), the rhythmic surging of the sea, and the dramatic geology on display, all combine to make this a location that makes a memorable impact on your senses. Once you start examining the rocks, however, the intriguing story that emerges adds a whole new dimension to the experience. This guide to Crawton can be used to support visits by pupils at most levels. It is written for teachers who may have varying levels of interest in and experience of interpreting landscape and rock features. Detailed descriptions of six locations are provided. These can be used to guide comprehensive studies at all levels. However, if you simply want a shorter introduction to the area, you should first turn to the section headed Suggestions for a shorter excursion and then dip into the other parts of the guide that relate to the three selected locations listed. Allow at least two hours for a visit to Crawton, and nearer four for detailed studies of all the locations described. Using this guide This guide is written as a resource to aid teachers in leading a field trip. It cannot be a complete package – you'll need to do a site visit, carry out a risk assessment and choose localities and activities that are suitable for your group and the theme that you want to explore. You might want to prepare material for pupils. The text and figures in this guide are available as separate files from www.sesef.org.uk, where you will also find a gpx file (coming soon!) that can be downloaded to a handheld GPS unit to help you find the suggested localities. We welcome feedback, ideas and examples of how you have used the guide. Contact us through the SESEF website www.sesef.org.uk. ESO Teachers' Guide: Crawton Aberdeenshire 23 October 2009 2 Is Crawton for you? The table below sets out information you may need when considering taking your pupils to Crawton: Main aim: To work out what has happened to shape the coast at Crawton and form the rocks that can be seen while exploring its bays and headlands. This field trip and subsequent related classroom activities can provide excellent contexts for your pupils to develop a range of information handling, communication and collaborative skills. More specifically, it can help them to develop their curiosity and understanding of the environment and their place in the physical world. The physical environment at Crawton is well suited for helping pupils to address issues of assessing and managing risk with a view to protecting themselves and others. Level 2 Level 3/4 Intermediate & Higher Key CfE outcomes: Key CfE outcomes: The submission of a fieldwork report is a requirement of final SOC 2-07a Explain how major SOC 3-07a Investigate assessment at both Higher and landscape features were formed processes which form and Intermediate 2 Levels. shape landscapes MNU 2-20b Carry out surveys Investigating the geology of this and communicate results in SCN 3-17a Describe the area will also support the appropriate ways formation and characteristics of following broad areas of study: basic types of rocks minerals & rocks; structural geology & plate tectonics; isostacy; stratigraphy; Earth history Earth Science topics that can Earth Science topics that can Geological features and topics be explored here include: be explored here include: that can be studied here • bays and headlands • how the processes of erosion include: various rock outcrops of • changing coastlines and deposition create many • different coastal features conglomerate, sandstone and • different kinds of rock and andesite lava how they are formed • why outcrops of bedrock can only be seen in certain places • faults and joints • how studying rocks and • how different kinds of • lava flow features, including fossils can give us information columnar jointing, amygdales about past environments sedimentary and igneous rocks are formed and phenocrysts • how the many past • dip and strike environments represented in • how studying rock layers can Scotland’s rocks can be give us valuable information • local stratigraphic explained by plate about past environments relationships and their representation movements • how the many past environments represented in • identification of rock types Scotland’s rocks can be represented by beach explained in terms of plate pebbles tectonics • coastal landforms Suggested described locations Suggested described locations to visit (see Figure Three): to visit (see Figure Three): 1 - looking at and describing landscape features; learning to 1 - but viewed from road above distinguish bedrock outcrops from drift and loose rock materials Trollochy - looking at and 2 - lava flow and conglomerate relationships and detailed features describing landscape 3 - bays and headlands; using beach pebbles to study and describe features different rock types 2 - but only nearer rock outcrops 4 - lava flow and conglomerate relationships and detailed features - lava flow and conglomerate 5 - different type of lava details 6 - comparing currently active processes of erosion and deposition 6 - active pebble beach with lots with those that gave rise to the rocks that form the bedrock at of interesting pebbles; also Crawton; also chance to study coastal plants and birds plants and seabirds ESO Teachers' Guide: Crawton Aberdeenshire 23 October 2009 3 Suggestions for a shorter excursion This is a suggestion for an excursion to Crawton which allows younger pupils to learn about the story told by the local rocks and landscapes without getting too involved in technical details or having to visit locations that may not be easy for them to access. Of the six locations described in detail above, it is suggested that: • Location One is replaced with viewing Trollochy from the road; although this viewpoint has very little