How do you teach geology in a flat place where there are no rocks? Take them to a place where they can see erosion and deposition that have a direct impact on their lives!
On a picture-perfect Saturday morning in February, AAPG continued its professional commitment to K-12 teachers with a reimagined Educators’ Program. The field course was once again made possible by a generous grant from the AAPG Foundation, with formal endorsement from the AAPG Division of Environmental Geoscientists. This effort recognizes the important role of teachers and provides them with resources to guide students in a relatable science exercise that impacts them.
It is a challenge to convey principles of stratigraphy and subsurface morphology in flat places. Flooding and the resulting impact on the landscape, however, are familiar to Gulf Coast residents. The Educators’ Program, presented as a field seminar, focused on understanding the flow archives of Hurricane Harvey in Buffalo Bayou, and the impact of flooding events on the geology and the people in the Houston area.
The half-day field trip was led by AAPG members Amanda Johnston of TotalEnergies, Jerry Kendall, retired from ExxonMobil, Tom Byrd, retired from BP, artist Kate Kendall and me, of Marsha Bourque and Associates, as well as assistance from Isha Baker, manager of advancement and workplace major gifts for Houston United Way.
The field seminar was developed by Jerry Kendall and his daughter, local artist Kate Kendall, who incorporate science and art into a meaningful experience for those who live along an ever-changing bayou. Twenty-two Houston area K-12 teachers participated in the three-mile walking field seminar along Buffalo Bayou near downtown Houston to see and touch the impact of storms on a coastal community. All participants earned continuing education credit as well as a professional development credit.
The Seminar
During the field seminar, a sand peel was collected from deposits from Hurricane Beryl on top of Hurricane Beta. Sand peel sculptures were discussed as art objects that convey a visceral feel of a major natural event.
The teachers looked at hydrologic data, stream deposition and erosion, and how a stream and a community respond to flooding events. They observed sedimentary behavior recorded in sand peel sculptures and related it directly to the hydrologic record. Parallels were discussed between the sedimentary record, hydrologic record and the human impact recorded in non-emergency 211 calls during Hurricane Harvey.
The seminar concluded with observations of flood management techniques such as channel straightening, vegetation, and detention features and discussions of their pros and cons.
Why It Matters
Understanding the geological impact of natural disasters is crucial for fostering a resilient community. The insights gained from exploring the flow archives of Hurricane Harvey in Buffalo Bayou will enable teachers to bring real-world examples into their classrooms. This knowledge not only enhances scientific literacy but also instills a sense of environmental responsibility in our students.
By conveying this firsthand knowledge of geological processes, teachers empower their students to consider the intricate relationships between Earth’s systems and the consequences of natural events. The field seminar goes beyond textbooks, providing educators with tangible experiences to share with their students, sparking curiosity and a deeper understanding of our environment. This field exercise can easily be replicated by the classroom teachers. It is ADA accessible, and the outcrops and viewpoints are located along paved walkways.
The teachers left with experience using the on-line field guide, a printed teacher guide (flowarchive.com/hurricaneharvey/bbfieldguide), salt samples from nearby Hockley Mine (thank you, Janet Combes!) and tools for communicating an understanding that we live on a dynamic, shifting coastline and need to learn how to coexist with it.
The participants’ evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. One teacher commented, “The most fun part of the hike was seeing Houston in a new perspective on a beautiful day … Adding science to what we observe.” The hands-on exercise of creating sand peels resonated with teachers who will repeat the process with their own students.