Mama's Geology Field School

Not surprisingly, given the choice between book learning and a field trip the boys opted to spend the day at Murphy's Point Provincial Park. The Sylvan Trail there has excellent education placards that showcase the geology and ecology of the Frontenac Axis, the southernmost extension of the Canadian Shield. 

We reviewed the movement of tectonic plates, how the collision between the continent of Laurentia and the surrounding shallow seas formed mountains, and the role of erosion in changing the mountains of the past into the landscape we see today.  

We reviewed the differences between metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rock and linked this to the very cool igneous "thumbs" (the boys thought they looked more like submarines) protruding throughout the park. We all loved learning the process through which feldspar, mica and apatite formed and enjoyed seeing the feldspar so easily visible in the "magma subs" (as Liam and Seamus dubbed them).

Liam:  "Mama!  I am touching MAGMA."

Feldspar crystals

While I can guarantee that my kids learned at least a few useful things today (I mean, who wouldn't love Mama's Geology Field School?), I would be remiss if I did not mention that, by far, their favourite part of the day was building "dams" on the hike-in beach with crumbing rocks and driftwood.  They played in the sand for over an hour and still put up a fuss when it was time to leave (especially Alistair, he loved digging, building rock towers and climbing).

We had a really great day in an absolutely deserted provincial park.  I am grateful for the opportunity to do these kinds of things with my boys.