What hidden stories about Earth do rocks in Idaho carry with them? 

Over millions of years, the North American continent has changed, and so have the environments where rocks have formed. Just like a film, Idaho’s rocks record sea-level changes that took place 500 million years ago, as well as changes in the position of tectonic plates that led to the formation of this region’s mountains. 

From now-extinct fossils to relatively young volcanic rocks, Idaho’s geology is a real wonder! You can travel billions of years in geological time if you know which rock to hammer! 

Meet Carolina Ortiz-Guerrero, a geologist working in this region. She is a science communicator, and Ph.D. Student from the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Florida. Carolina will take you to four fantastic geological spots to teach you about rocks and plate tectonics in North America through our Google-Earth electronic field trip (EFT). 

About the Electronic Field Trip

Who? Middle School students (6-8th Grade).

What? A free, interactive, electronic field trip to connect students with a geologist from the University of Florida working in the geology of Idaho.

When? Adjust the EFT to your own class schedule in April 2022! Optional: Connect your class with Carolina for a Q&A session (Dates to be determined during April 2022 depending on participants’ availability).

How? The electronic field trip will take approximately ~45 minutes.

Why? To learn all about rocks, plate tectonics in North America, and how geologists work and find clues to investigate Earth’s history!