Coring is not boring!
Making Deep Sea Cores in the classroom
Ocean Institute - Sandy Hook
Dave Grant, Sandy Hook, NJ 07732
Ocean Adventures summer campers experiment with various materials to create imitation cores in the classroom.

 
   

 
 To analyze individual layers, we use various kitchen materials like vinegar, baking soda and antacids.
   

Some of our "sediment" layers include Tums, Rolaids, Alka-Seltzer, metal coins, magnets and homemade "perma-sand."

These are analogous to various types of biogenic and terrigenous materials.

 
   

 

 


Biogenic (Tums)
Terrigenous (Sand)
Terrigenous (Sand)
Biogenic (Tums)
Terrigenous (Sand)
Biogenic (Blue Tums)- Nannoplankton
Biogenic (Tums)
Biogenic (Tums)
Biogenic (Green) Siliceous (Diatoms)
Biogenic - Hydrate-rich (Alka-Seltzer)
Igneous (Penny) Metal deposit
Biogenic (Tums)
Biogenic (Tums)
Biogenic (Tums)
 
   

 

How sediments accumulate in the ocean.

A mixture of beach sediments is shaken in water, then allowed to settle.

Larger particles (sand) settle fastest and the fine particles (silt) may take an hour or more.
   

 

 

 After our fossiling trip to the local Upper Cretaceous site,
we examine macro-invertebrates like shells and shark teeth.

 
Students reenact the demise
of the Dinosaurs at
the K-T Boundary

 
(Note to teacher:
Set up more microscopes next time.)
   

 
Foraminifera under the microscope.

 Visit:
School of Rock
Texas Geology

Take the Ocean Drilling Quiz