In the summer of 2007 and 2008, I participated in a
science grant studying
climate change with the Geology Dept. @ Cal
State University, Bakersfield. By taking cores from Tulare Lake and studying the
sediment layers, we were trying to decipher
the paleoclimate of the southern San Joaquin Valley. For simplicity's sake, deep
lakes indicated cooler, wetter weather;
shallow lakes indicated dryer weather.
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| 1. The study of sediment layers in cores is the foundation of a geologist's work. Here I have simulated 2 cores for this exercise.
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2. Children first analyze the differences of various types of sediment, from very fine to very coarse grains of sand. | 3. Children note the
differences in fine to coarse grains of sand.
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| 4. Touching and feeling the differences in grain types is just as important as observing. |
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5. Students measure the core layers: one inch is approximately 25,000 years. If the layer is very fine to fine grains, we can assume the lake may have been deep; coarse grains could represent sandy "beaches", and thus, lower lake levels. |
| CSUB Summer Research Program | Core Log Form | |
| Mrs. Kessler's Core Analysis Lesson |
Copr. 2007-2009 by L. Kessler
Noble Elementary School
Bakersfield City School District