Rivers, Rocks, Dinosaurs, and Deep Geological Time With the Middles

Did you know that we live in an important place for geologists? The Connecticut River Valley is known for its basalt flows, mountain ranges, dinosaur footprints, and fertile soils. A few years back, Courtney and I took a workshop through the Wade Institute of Science about the geology of the region. I had recently moved to the area and was curious to learn more about the landscape. We visited various sites, including Dinosaur footprints, Springfield Science Museum, Mt. Skinner State Park, The Hitchcock Center, and The Beneski Museum. We investigated trace fossils in the sediment and explored how rivers can shape a landscape in geological time. The tiny, gentle mountains of the area began to take on new shape and meaning.

We study geology in the Middles, so in late April, the class visited the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College to look at deep geological time. The Middles observed fossil skeletons, ranging from ancient fish to towering dinosaurs and Ice Age megafauna. We got to see a collection of real dinosaur footprints, which Middles a sense of the prehistoric creatures that once roamed our planet. Middles were especially intrigued by the beautiful array of mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites that had traveled from outer space to Earth. 

Back in the classroom, the Middles learned about the rock cycle and how to categorize rocks into three main types: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. It was exciting to see these rock formations in their natural settings during a geology hike with the Hitchcock Center at Skinner State Park. Along the way, we stopped to observe sedimentary rock cliffs and outcrops, and we enjoyed the 360-degree views of the Valley from the top of Mt. Holyoke. We're grateful for opportunities like this to explore the landscape and imagine the geological processes that have shaped it over time.