Harry Potter Geology

This class discusses the geologic history of the British Isles (England, Scotland, Ireland) as found in the popular "British Wizard" book series. A great introduction to geology, the rock cycle, plate tectonics, volcanoes, and glaciers.

▬▬▬▬▬▬ VIDEOS, ACTIVITIES, AND MORE ▬▬▬▬▬▬

• This course has four parts to it. Each “part” consists of a downloadable video presentation (between 16 and 29 minutes long) hosted on Google Drive, along with some resources and project ideas to expand the students’ understanding.

• In a regular school setting, these materials are ideal for reverse instruction or a flipped classroom unit. For instance, you can assign the video recording to watch at home for homework, and then use the extension activities for class projects. The recordings also work well for sub days and much-needed sanity days!

• If you are using these materials in a home school setting, you could choose to do one part per day or one part per week, doing the projects as time allows. Feel free to have your child email me at lauren.rae.ard@gmail.com, if they have any questions or want to share what they’ve done with the materials.

• This unit also includes a link to my notes and Prezi presentation I use throughout the course, in case you want to give some of the presentation, or expand on the material yourself. Please keep in mind that the video may not match up exactly with the notes and lecture materials, because I do alter and add to my notes as time goes on.

▬▬▬▬▬▬ COURSE OUTLINE ▬▬▬▬▬▬

Part 1 (16 minute recording plus extension activities)

• Overview of the geologic history of the British Isles
• Plate tectonics
• Early geologic history

Part 2 (26 minute recording plus extension activities)

• Convergent boundaries and volcanic activity
• Locations: Glen Nevis and Glen Coe
• Metamorphic and Igneous rocks
• Transform boundaries and the formation of Scottish lochs
• Locations: Loch Shiel and Loch Arkaig

Part 3 (21 minute recording plus extension activities)

• Deposition and sedimentary rocks
• Erosion and formation of sandstone
• Cave formation
• Locations: The Cliffs of Moher and buildings used for filming that are made of sandstone.

Part 4 (29 minute recording plus extension activities)

• Divergent boundaries
• Formation of limestone
• Locations: the Seven Sisters cliffs, buildings used for filming made from limestone.
• Glaciation and valley formation
• The formation of the English Channel

▬▬▬▬▬▬ LEARNING OBJECTIVES ▬▬▬▬▬▬

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Explain basic plate tectonics

• Identify several igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks

• Describe the rock cycle.

• Describe how different types of rocks are formed.

• Explain what happens at convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.

• Describe the basic geologic history of the British Isles.

• Name several wizard world film locations and their significance in geology.

• Describe how glaciation contributed to the valleys found near the wizard school, as well as the formation of the English Channel.