1. Seafloor Sediments Investigation (Ch 2 p. 27)
Goal: To explores marine sediments using cores, photos, and smear slide data.
Objectives: After this exercise, you (your students) should be able to:
Describe the physical characteristics of sediment cores.
Identify major sediment components and their origin.
Make smear slides, and use composition and texture data from smear slide samples to determine the lithologic names of the marine sediments.
Make a map showing the distribution of the primary sediment lithologies of the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans.
Explain the distribution of marine sediments on their map.
Predict what the sediment lithologies are at other locations on the sea floor (e.g., in the Indian Ocean).

2. Pedagogy Student Inquiry Real Data Constructivist approach
do-talk-do-talk-do….
To Do: form teams

3. p. 27
Part 2.1. Predict (individually and then in your team): 1. What kinds of materials might you expect to find on the seafloor? 2. Is there any geographic pattern to the distribution of these materials?
You will investigate these questions using empirical data and teamwork. And then hypothesize why the sediments are distributed the way they are.
Goal for you to learn both WHAT we know about seafloor sediments and HOW we know it.
Think-pair-share…Address these questions via our exercise (Ch2)….SO shift in course to me lecturing way less and them constructing their own knowledge with my guidence…experiential learning…so they build skills important towards transition from novice to expert

4. Initial Inquiry into Seafloor Sediments: Core Observationp
Initial Inquiry into Seafloor Sediments: Core Observation
Part 2.2 Q1: Find your team’s assigned cores in:
Core Photos (p.60-79; or access high resolution photos at:
Table 2.1 (p )
On the base map (p ).
Make a list of observations and questions.
[Follow with whole group discussion.]
I won’t assign the cores, rather we will use 3 poster-size examples.
The following 3 cores would be good choices to show the variety of sediment types and lithologic features: A-2H [we have 8H in poster size], C-2H, [we have section 6H in poster size], and B-2H.
Won’t describe the cores for workshop (Q )

5. Assigning Unique Identification Codes to Scientific Samples
for any type of data collection need to keep samples organized – need a unique ID.
Scientific ocean drilling site locations, from:

6. Example of sample nomenclature and core photo.
The standard labeling for ocean drilling samples.
From ODP Leg [i.e., Expedition] 199 Initial Reports Volume, Explanatory Notes:

7. TO DO in your group:
Q2 (p.30): Design a way to organize and record your visual observations that could be used by all of the students in the class for all of the cores. [Follow with whole group discussion.]
Q3 (p. 31): Using the agreed upon approach, describe your core. [Follow with group presentations of cores.]
Q4 (p. 34): Explain why a systematic, complete, and consistent method of recording observations is important.
Gets at developing expert skills – deciding on what is important to focus on and what isn’t. Complext pattern recognition and developing ways of organizing
Developing skills in organization of data and evaluation of data: complex pattern recognition – sorting out what is important and what are part of what it means to become an expert. I am helping them transition from novice to expert
Option to then give them access to the scientists’ core description and write a reflection on how their desc and the shipboard scientists desc compare. Strengths and weakness of their own work. How would they modify their work…and what was distinctly different in the data available to them vs shipboard scientists
For 1 section – desc color, sharp boundaries, gradational, compo, texture (from smear slide data), any anomolies, patterns, color – using muncell color charts, sed structures, degree of coring desturbance and degree of bioturbation….use of symbols for these…
This means you need to come up with categories (e.g., color) for your observations and also a means of recording them (i.e., all observations written, all observations sketched, some combination of the two?).

8. Sediment Composition (think back to your predictions)
Composition (minerals & microfossils) and texture are the primary data used to “name” the sediment:
TO DO:
Part 2.3 Q1 (p. 37): Match smear slide data for your core’s samples listed Table 2.2 (p ) to mineral and fossil images in Fig 2.3.
For workshop – they can simply pick a core of interest to them.
Extension Lab: Make a sample request from IODP ( and make your own smear slides. Try to identify the components, using the following resources:
Images in Fig 2.3, p
Rothwell, Minerals and Mineraloids in the Marine Sediments.

9. Sediment Classification….Name that Sediment!
TO DO: Q2, (p. 37) For your assigned core(s), determine the dominant sediment types in the samples.
HOW?
Use the smear slide data (Table 2.2, p ).
Look at the core photos p , or access high res digital core photos at
Use the Decision Tree p
Record your sediment names in Table 2.2 AND (Part 2.4, Q1, p. 52) plot on your map AND on “class” map using colors on p. 52.
So just likes minerals, rocks, and fossils have names, so does sediment.
Do 1 example,
What if more than 1 dominent sediment type? Plot as pie chart
Do example together

10. Important information about using the Decision Tree (p.38-41):
The decision tree aims to capture the most distinctive (i.e., end-member, dominant) sediment types:
Calcareous ooze: biogenic sediments composed of calcareous nannofossils and/or foraminifers.
Siliceous ooze: biogenic sediments composed of diatoms, radiolarians, sponge spicules, and/or silicoflagellates.
Red clays: very fine terrigenous sediment that often contains siliceous microfossils, fish teeth, Mn-Fe micronodules, and/or volcanic glass.
Terrigenous sediment: siliclastics; sediment from the weathering of continents or volcanic islands.
Glaciomarine sediment: sediment containing terrigenous sand, pebbles, or cobbles transported to the sea by icebergs.
Note, while the above 5 sediment types are the most distinctive sediment types, mixed sediment types are common. In addition, the sediment type can also change within a core. For example the sediment could alternate between two or more sediment types or gradually change from one to another.
In any of the sediment types, but especially in biogenic oozes and deep sea red clays, layers of volcanic ash may be distinguishable.
Note naming goes beyond… can have a nannofossil mud etc…see suggested extensions at end of ppt.

11. TO DO: Q2 & Q3 (p. 52-54). Analyze class map
TO DO: Q2 & Q3 (p ). Analyze class map. Develop hypotheses for what controls the distribution of each of the primary sediment types in the modern ocean.

12. How does this distribution compare to your initial predictions?

13. Distribution of Marine Sediments– there is a rhyme and reason!
YOU derived this sediment type map from core data!
Q4 (p.54): How does your map compare to this one?
Distribution of the primary sediment types on the seafloor (from Davies and Gorsline, 1976; Rothwell, 1989)

14. Idea for extension: Interpret the rest of map (draw boundaries between different primary sediment types)

15. Follow-Up Exercise with Lecture on Marine Sediments
Terrigenous Sediment
Glaciomarine Sediment
derived from the weathering & erosion of rocks on land: sand & mud
accumulates along continental margins
masks other sediment types because of high sedimentation rates
Terrigenous – but a special type that indicate glacial conditions on land.
Can accumulate far from land via iceberg rafting.
Best recognized by dropstones in cores.

16. Biogenic Rich Sediment = Ooze
What are the requirements
for biogenic ooze to
accumulate ?
1. Productivity in the surface waters
2. Preservation (i.e., not dissolved) as
settle through the water column
3. High relative abundance (i.e., avoid dilution by other sediment types)

17. Key points for Lecture on Marine Sediments
Calcareous Ooze
Siliceous Ooze
composed of carbonate shells of plankton (CaCO3)
accumulates on bathymetric highs (above CCD) & beyond the continental margins
composed of the siliceous shells of plankton (SiO2)
accumulates under areas of high productivity

18. Follow-Up Exercise with Lecture on Marine Sediments
Deep Sea Red Clay
wind-blown dust & current transported clays
accumulates on the abyssal plains (deep broad sea floor)
mixed with minerals that precipitate on the sea floor and some siliceous microfossils
very slow sedimentation rates

19. Exploring Further:
Q5b (p. 55): Is calcareous ooze in the N Atlantic found at the same depth, shallower depths, or deeper depths than in the N. Pacific? Why?
Q6 (p. 55): The map you constructed represents the modern distribution of sediment types in the Pacific Ocean. Do you think this map would also represent sediment type distribution in the geologic past and in the geologic future? What factors might vary (in the past and in the future) that could change the distribution of sediment types?

20. Exploring The Instructor Guide
See handout for most of the instructor guide; For full guide go to DROPBOX.

21. Exploring Scientific Data Collected from Marine Expeditions
To Do: See Scientific Ocean Drilling Initial Results Volume(s) (online: or get a hard copy). Explore Initial Results Vol overall.
Idea for extension: Write (type, single spaced) a 1-page summary of the types of scientific data collected from cores, how it is reported and organized, and your comments and questions on it.
After they have completed their core description.
The goal with this is to show them what they want to work towards.. The expert approach.

22. Ideas for Extension: Refine Your Core Description
and Sediment Classification
Refine based on Explanatory Notes section of an Initial Results (IR) volume:
methodologies and symbols used in descriptions
lithostratigraphy: naming the sediments (and then defining lithostratigraphic units)
Find the core description online (IR volumes) for your core. Compare your core description to the published description. Write a reflection on: the strengths and weakness of your description, how you would modify your approach in the future.