TEACHING OF GEOLOGY IN SCHOOLS 287 



The suggested syllabus has been made on the assumption that the pupils 

 pursuing this course will have little previous knowledge of Geology ; pre- 

 sumably the great majority will have done no more than it is proposed to 

 include in the General Science syllabus. The course outlined is much 

 wider in scope and should be more academic in approach than that proposed 

 for the First School Certificate. It is suggested that the pupils should not 

 only have some training in the recognition of rocks, minerals and fossils, 

 and some knowledge of the varied applications of Geology, but that they 

 should also learn something of the relation of Geology to other sciences, and 

 of the more modern views of earth history. The course is designed rather 

 for those completing their formal education in science than for those 

 proposing to carry the study of Geology to a further stage. 



The earth as a planet ; its major surface features. Weathering in different 

 climates ; soil formation ; denudation ; marine erosion. 



Sedimentary rocks ; modern sediments ; conditions of deposit as 

 indicated by character of sediments. Marine, estuarine, deltaic, 

 lacustrine and desert deposits among British strata. 



The composition and characters of the common minerals (a more ex- 

 tended list than for First Certificate) ; some study of elementary 

 crystallography including the use of Miller's notation. 



Igneous rocks : general structure and classification, to include granite, 

 syenite, diorite, gabbro, serpentine, quartz porphyry, porphyry, 

 dolerite, rhyolite, obsidian, andesite, basalt. 



Structural geology : stratification, lamination, dip, strike, outcrop, 

 joints, cleavage. Relation of outcrop to the form of land. Types 

 of folding. Faults, their effects on outcrops. Unconformity ; 

 overlap. Outliers and inliers. 



Igneous activity : modes of occurrence of igneous rocks. Volcanoes ; 

 geographical distribution ; types of eruption ; forms of lava and 

 ash deposits. 



Earth movement. Elevation and depression of shore lines ; mountain 

 folding. Rifting and block movements. Earthquake phenomena ; 

 seismographic records. Structure of the inner earth ; mean density 

 of the earth ; temperature of the interior. 



Metamorphism ; pneumatolysis. 



Land forms : their development and relation to rock structure and 

 climate ; mountains, plateaux, plains, drainage systems. Escarp- 

 ments ; relation of valley systems to structure. Forms of coasts. 



Fossils : their use in correlating sedimentary rocks. A general study 

 of the evolution of fishes, reptiles and mammals. The characters 

 of Foraminifera, Sponges, GraptoHtes, Corals, Crinoids, Echinoids, 

 Brachiopods, Lamellibranchia, Cephalopoda, and Trilobites. The 

 selection of fossils to be determined by the systems available for 

 study near the school. 



Principles of Historical Geology. Broad outlines of the structure of 

 Great Britain. General characters of the different systems and the 

 physical conditions under which they were deposited. The scenic 

 features associated with various formations. 



Relation of Geology to human life. Coal : its history and occurrence. 

 Petroleum. Ores of the chief metals and their occurrence ; com- 

 mon building materials ; limes and cements. Water supply. 



The practical work should be arranged to illustrate the above topics. 

 It should include the examination of common minerals and rocks in hand 



