Place-Based Geology & Earth Science, Beckett, Summer 2026

Course Number:	EDU 5710 S28
Instructor:	Sean Beckett, M.S.
Location:	In-person at North Branch Nature Center July 8-10, from 9 am - 5 pm & online.
Dates and Times:	July 08 - September 08, 2026
Credits:	3 Graduate Credits
Tuition:	Tuition is set by and payable to North Branch Nature Center

Course Description

The rocks and sediment beneath our feet are part of a billion-year story that shapes much of what we see around us, from the contours of our mountains to the biodiversity of our forests to the locations and industries of our towns. Even the character of our communities are partly determined by what’s underfoot. Yet for as fundamental as geology is to our lives and landscape, it is among the most difficult sciences to learn and to teach. In this three-day dive into the bedrock and surficial geology of Vermont, we will marry science and exploration to discover and interpret the patterns and processes that characterize our landscape.

This 2-credit course explores the full rock cycle on display in the wilds of Central Vermont. We’ll start by visiting modern streams and deltas to examine how sediment erosion and deposition happens in real time. We’ll then visit hills and terraces formed by these same processes operating at larger scales during the ice ages. We’ll turn our attention from sediment to stone, and see how plate tectonics and time operate over millions of years to turn sediments into the mountains and landforms we find today. Finally, we’ll scour our built environment to see how Vermont’s geology is infused directly into our architecture and settlement history. Along the way, we’ll discuss strategies for communicating earth science with students in ways that are scaffolded, interdisciplinary, standards-aligned, and deeply rooted in place.

Audience: All educators with a Bachelor's Degree

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals:

Use standards-aligned lessons and activities in the field and classroom to study place-based earth science and geology.
Visit field sites across Central Vermont that showcase pieces, patterns, and processes in glacial and bedrock geology.
Teach fundamental concepts in surficial and bedrock geology, such as plate tectonics, sediment sorting, glaciation, erosion, and the rock cycle.
Combine guided observation with content-based instruction to cultivate a student-centered, exploratory approach to understanding and interpreting geology.
Discuss strategies for creating classroom extensions of field-based activities that incorporate written and digital tools, mapping, and data analysis.

Course Objectives:

Tell a coherent story of Vermont’s geologic history, from the formation of its bedrock to the effects of recent glaciation.
Understand how Vermont’s geologic story influences the state’s topography, hydrology, ecology, botany, and human settlement patterns.
Build relationships between educators and conservation professionals to enrich student engagement in place-based nature curriculum.
Explore alignment of course activities and earth science curriculum with Next Generation Science Standards, Proficiency-Based Learning, and Common Core requirements.

Course Schedule

Course will take place in-person, in the field and in the classroom, on the days listed in the scheduled course meeting time above. Course will begin at North Branch Nature Center and may visit several sites during the weekend to cover course content in the field. Nightly reflections for each of the in-person days will be due the following morning. The course will continue in an independent format with a final project due by September 8, 2026.

Required Readings/Resources

Costs for required readings/resources, if any, may not be included in the course tuition. Please contact NBNC for more information.

Riebeek, H., & Alley, R. (Eds.). (2024). Earth science in context: Systems, history, and humanity. Cambridge University Press.

Montgomery, D. R. (2023). The hidden geology of North America: Stories of the rocks from North Pole to New Orleans. University of California Press.

Brown, D. (2025). Hill farms: Surviving modern times in early twentieth‑century Vermont. University of Massachusetts Press.

Halliday, T. (2022). Otherlands: A journey through Earth’s extinct worlds. Random House.

Thompson, E. H., Sorenson, E. R., & Zaino, R. J. (2022). Wetlands, woodlands, & wildlands: A guide to the natural communities of Vermont (2nd ed.). Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

For additional course or registration information

Sean Beckett

(802) 229-6206

This course requires registration with North Branch Nature Center (NBNC) first. Please click on the Register Now! link below.