GEOLOGY students have taken a closer look at the rocks, minerals and fossils across the region.
The Solihull Sixth Form College students visited the UNESCO Black Country Global Geopark and the Lapworth Museum at the University of Birmingham.
During their visit to Wren’s Nest in Dudley, the students undertook a field investigation to research the geological history of the area from the time 428million years ago when the area was covered by shallow tropical seas to the present day.
They took field measurements of the rocks, collected fossils and examined evidence of the area’s mining history.
At the Lapworth Museum, students had a guided tour of the museum and its stores and archives.
They were given access to some specimens, including the Dudley Bug fossil, a flexible sandstone and some valuable mineral specimens including gold and platinum.
They also saw the original work of Professor Charles Lapworth, whom the museum is named after.
After a tour of the University of Birmingham campus, the students spent the afternoon learning how to use microscopes to examine rocks in finer detail.
Curriculum leader for humanities, Karen Graves, said: “It was great to get out of the classroom and do some fieldwork, so that the students could bring their Geology studies into the real world.
“Both Wren’s Nest and Lapworth Museum provided excellent experiences for the students to develop their understanding of the course.”
