Image credit: Scott Brande

Geology Practical Online Study Guides

If you're looking for online resources for mineral and rock identification, look no further. In various stages of development. Distribute these links to students and colleagues.

Background to Geology Online Study Guides

What/Why?

I designed these online study guides like a toolbox with resources that may be re-purposed for different objectives.

• media-rich resources for online, observational, lab activities in the identification of minerals, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks
• includes a collection (visual bank) of known (identified) samples undergoing traditional tests (e.g., HCl, Mohs, streak)
• includes a collection unknown (unidentified) samples undergoing traditional tests (e.g., HCl, Mohs, streak)
• includes links to external resources (e.g., extensive image banks)

Web Features

• public, web-accessible, no charge for use
• device-agnostic, from cellphones , laptops, to desktops
• browser-agnostic (almost), but Chrome might generate the fewest issues

Lab Topic Links

Four online study guides are live online. In various stages of development. Access guides and distribute these links to students and colleagues.

• minerals - https://omg.georockme.com/
• igneous rocks - https://igg.georockme.com/
• sedimentary rocks - https://seg.georockme.com/
• metamorphic rocks - https://meg.georockme.com/

Use Cases

• as a supplement to textbook or other online resources with images and video snips
• as a training aid through instructional videos and images for learning to make relevant observations
• as an out-of-class resource for practice and review prior to a quiz or report

Quick Start

• Website navigation guides below
• This is the first iteration of Igneous Rock Identification - A Practical Online Study Guide, and I can guarantee the presence of typos / errors, omissions and even bad web design.
• If you are an instructor and you want answer keys, or you have ideas for additional features to be developed in this website so that it can be more useful for your students, please contact me (see footer).
• If you are looking for an online guide for minerals, check out http://omg.georockme.com Thanks to Kevin Hurler for suggesting the OMG subdomain for the minerals website!
• If you are looking for an online guide for sedimentary rock, check out http://seg.georockme.com
• If you are looking for an online guide for metamorphic rock, check out http://meg.georockme.com

Scott Brande, 7 October 2019

To Students: Your Lab Experience, In-Class or Online

In-class lab with physical samples

Your instructor may have provided you access to this website to supplement your in-class study of minerals and their identification. You may find this site useful in different ways:

• as a training aid through instructional videos and images for learning to make relevant observations
• as a supplement to your textbook or other online resources with images and video snips
• as an out-of-class resource for practice and review prior to a quiz or report

Online self study or review

Your instructor may have provided you access to this website for different purposes, including, but not limited to the following.

• as an online resource for learning how to make relevant observations and name common igneous rock samples
• as an online resource of digital media for common igneous rocks
• as an online resource for practice and reinforcement of the procedures for mineral identification

To Students: Instructions

This study set consists of a smaller set of igneous rocks drawn from a limited bank of common igneous rocks. Additional rocks may be added in the future to both the study set and the bank.

• Review training videos and text to learn how to observe online images and video for characteristic properties of common igneous rocks.
• Access unidentified igneous rock samples in the Unknowns section.
• Make notes and record observations. Print and use this Data Form, or one issued by your instructor.
• Compare your recorded observations with an identification chart in your textbook or other resource, OR consult the limited bank of identified igneous rocks.
• Identify the unknown igneous rock samples by name by comparing your recorded observations with an identification chart and this limited bank. An unknown sample is identified when its properties most closely match those of a rock identified and described in the limited bank or your external resource.
• CAUTION. Some links to online resources outside of this website will display content in a new browser tab. Some links will be accompanied by advertisements. The value of the displayed content outweighs the distraction that may be caused by ads - so IGNORE ADS!

To Students: Learning Objectives

Primary learning objectives for the student study of mineral properties and identification include, but are not limited to, the following.

For example, you will learn to

• recognize features of common igneous rocks relevant for identification of the rock by name
• navigate a simplified classification table of the common igneous rocks
• observe an igneous rock sample and describe observational facts - for example, "the sample exhibits a matrix of visibly sized crystals, so the texture of this sample is 'phaneritic'
• make inferences based on observations - for example, "because the sample exhibits a matrix of visibly sized crystals, the texture of this sample is 'phaneritic' "
• identify a rock sample by name, based on a unique collection of properties - for example, "Because the sample exhibits a matrix of visibly sized crystals, and it is composed largely of lighter-toned minerals, its texture is phaneritic, its composition is felsic, so its name must be 'granite' ".

What This Resource Is Not

• Not an exhaustive guide to all igneous rock types, common and rare.
• Not a collection of assets fully developed for use in igneous rock identification independent of a textbook or other teaching resources.
• Not an authoritative archive of expert information.
• Not a finished work.

Errors/Suggestions: Contact Scott Brande (see footer).