Geography Field Study
At our first location which was Creg Beach, Lahinch, Co.Clare we observed a diversion of the River Moy. With a compass, the direction of the diversion was determined and recorded. I then took a photo of the diversion and drew a sketch map of it. Further across the beach each student picked a stone at random from the beach surface, wiped it clean and placed it on a flat surface. A drop of hydrochloric acid was placed on each rock and each rock that reacted was counted and recorded as limestone and we observed the rocks that did not react with the HCL.
As a class, we examined a piece of beach bedrock. Firstly, I touched the bedrock to determine whether it was a smooth or rough texture and then looked for layers or any other obvious features. I then examined the colour of the rock. Again we used hydrochloric acid on the bedrock and noted whether there was a reaction or not. We used a Rock Identification and Geological map to identify the rock type.
A transect line was then placed down the beach; I used a measuring tape to find the middle of it. A throwing quadrat was placed at the bottom of the beach and 20 pebbles were picked from it at random by students. These pebbles were measured using vernier calipers and their sizes were recorded. The 20 pebbles roundness was examined and classified using a Powers Roundness Chart. All of this data was recorded. This process was also repeated on the middle and upper parts of the beach along the transect line.
We then examined the beach for examples of a cusp. After identifying the cusps we placed ranging poles at the point of 4 cusps that were side by side and used a trundle wheel to measure the distance between them. We recorded the distances and whether the distance was uniform between each one. Using a viewfinder we sketched the cusps and took pictures to improve our sketches later on.
Upon scanning the beach for an example of a berm and finding one we measured the width of the berm using a trundle wheel, we recorded
As a class, we examined a piece of beach bedrock. Firstly, I touched the bedrock to determine whether it was a smooth or rough texture and then looked for layers or any other obvious features. I then examined the colour of the rock. Again we used hydrochloric acid on the bedrock and noted whether there was a reaction or not. We used a Rock Identification and Geological map to identify the rock type.
A transect line was then placed down the beach; I used a measuring tape to find the middle of it. A throwing quadrat was placed at the bottom of the beach and 20 pebbles were picked from it at random by students. These pebbles were measured using vernier calipers and their sizes were recorded. The 20 pebbles roundness was examined and classified using a Powers Roundness Chart. All of this data was recorded. This process was also repeated on the middle and upper parts of the beach along the transect line.
We then examined the beach for examples of a cusp. After identifying the cusps we placed ranging poles at the point of 4 cusps that were side by side and used a trundle wheel to measure the distance between them. We recorded the distances and whether the distance was uniform between each one. Using a viewfinder we sketched the cusps and took pictures to improve our sketches later on.
Upon scanning the beach for an example of a berm and finding one we measured the width of the berm using a trundle wheel, we recorded