Create a VFE
Creating your own VFE
- Things to bring into the field
- Things to do at each site
- Putting it together
Things to bring into the field:
Things to bring into the field:
- Backpack (preferably old, the main purpose is to have something to carry rock samples)
- In backpack:
- First-aid kit
- Water
- Ziploc bags (perfect for shales and anything else that is crumbly)
- Grocery bags (collecting other rocks)
- Pencils (mechanical are best because they don't need to be sharpened and won't run in the rain)
- Sharpies (to label rock samples)
- Digital camera (make sure batteries are charged and/or you have extras)
- GPS unit (make sure batteries are charged and/or you have extras)
- Meter stick or other measuring device (for scale), mechanical pencils can also be used on small objects
- A field notebook or clipboard and paper
- A topographic map of the area, if possible
- Rock hammer and safety glasses (fresh surface of a rock can be quite different from the weathered surface, or you may need to break rock to get a hand sample for your classes, before using a rock hammer, be sure that its okay to do so)
Things to do at each site:
Things to do at each site:
- Get coordinates from your GPS (Write down the coordinates on paper even if your GPS stores them, and don't trust the elevation it gives you)
- Take pictures:
- Put something for scale in each picture
- An overview
- Examples of weathering and erosion
- Any changes in rock type or color
- Bedding
- Close-ups of typical rock
- Anything cool, interesting or something you have questions about
- Take as many pictures as you can, it may save you a trip back!
- Put something for scale in each picture
- Take notes:
- Make your own observations (think, if you brought students here, what would you want them to write about?) Download a template in MS Word.
- Most geologists use a field notebook, but unless you are working in the rain (I don't recommend) its just as good to use a clipboard and paper.
- Make your own observations (think, if you brought students here, what would you want them to write about?) Download a template in MS Word.
- Get samples:
- Typical rocks (enough samples to show what the place looks like in terms of rock)
- Any rock with something special like fossils
- Atypical rocks (what's this doing here?)
- Anything you have questions about
- Label rocks/bags (I use the following system:)
- L1-06-01
- L1 stands for Location 1 (you can give places descriptive names or numbers, what ever works for you)
- 06 stands for 2006
- 01 stands for the first sample at this location
- Putting it all together:
- L1-06-01