Activity 1: Using our Map Viewer

We have a series of questions to guide through the rocks, landforms and sites of geological heritage in your area. You could create a piece of art to show the geology of your area, we would like to see your pictures, 3-D models, poems, songs, videos etc. 

Watch our video explaining how to use the map viewer on either twitter or facebook.

Activity:

Open up Geological Survey Ireland's map viewer and choose an area you would like to explore (don't forget that our map viewer is eircode compliant!). We advise you to turn off each layer after having completed each task.

1. On the Geology tab, choosing the 'Bedrock Geology 1 million' option, find out your rock type. If you click on a colour, a text box will appear telling you more information.

2. Using the internet or any text books you may have, tell us an interesting fact about that rock type.

3. Still on the Geology tab, this time choosing the 'Quaternary Sediments' option, what Quaternary sediments can be found in your area? These include gravels, bogs, peat and till. If you click on a colour, a text box will appear telling you more information.

4. Still using the Geology tab, but this time choosing the 'Quaternary Geomorphology' option, what glacial landforms are near your area? You need to zoom in to be able to see them. Glacial landforms include eskers, drumlins and streamlined rocks. If you click on a colour or a feature, a text box will appear telling you more information.

5. On the Geological Heritage tab, leaving both options checked, what County Geological Sites can be found in your area? If you click on the pink colour, you can find out the name of the site. You can also find out more information about the site by scrolling down and clicking on the 'link' option. 

When you have completed the activity and found a way that suits you to share what you have learned, please upload your creations to twitter (@GeolSurvIE) or facebook (Geological Survey Ireland) with the hashtag #HomeSchoolGeologists. We look forward to seeing what you've made! 

Use worksheets written by Geoschol (Geology for Schools in Ireland initiative)

These sheets are a series of online publications produced by Geoschol to introduce the geology of Ireland in each county in a very accessible way. By clicking here, you will be redirected to the Publications page, and you can find the county you are interested in exploring further. Please note, the page might take a few seconds to display results.

For more information about the Geoschol initiative, please visit www.geoschol.com