G’day!
Welcome to GEOetc. My name is Gary Lewis and I am delighted to share the wonderful world of geoscience with you.
I have been involved in geoscience (or Earth science) since the 1980’s and want to share my passion by running field experiences, developing and sharing teaching resources, delving deeper into the theories or just explaining our planet for everyone to understand.
Whether you are an educator, student, rock hound or just love the great outdoors, I am sure that you will live and learn about it a little more with me.
Join one of our Field Adventures
Want to be informed of our new trip opportunities and updates for any or all our adventures via email? Then join our Field Adventures email list. Click here.
2020
Discover Hawaii’s Active Volcanoes – Hawaii Trip January 2020
Gary Lewis, GEOetc, leads..... Discover Hawaii's Active Volcanoes 2020 A trip for STEM & Geography Educators, students, and geology enthusiasts. Pre-service teachers and College Students are welcome on this trip. 5-12 January 2020 Get on the email interest list for this ...
Read More
Read More
Discover Australia – Geology and landforms. July 2020
Gary Lewis, GEOetc, leads..... Discover Australia 2020 A trip for STEM & Geography Teachers, students, and all geology enthusiasts. Pre-service teachers and College Students are welcome on this trip. 23 July - 2 August 2020 TRIP NOW CLOSED Get on the ...
Read More
Read More
The Volcanoes of Italy – July 2020
Gary Lewis, GEOetc and Chris Spencer, TravelingGeologist, lead... The Volcanoes of Italy A trip for Earth Science & Geography Teachers from around the world Teachers, Pre-service teachers, College Students, and their friends are welcome on this trip. July 4-13, 2020 We ...
Read More
Read More
2021
Discover Iceland – Fire and Ice on a Mid-Ocean Ridge 2021
Discover Iceland - Fire and Ice on a Mid-Ocean Ridge 10 - 16 July 2021 (Dates to be confirmed) TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT - Join our email list for more information. This 7-day (6 night) field trip to Iceland highlights the amazing geology ...
Read More
Read More
Earth Science Snippets
Mineral Identification – a guide.
When you just start off exploring the wonders of minerals, working out mineral identification can seem a daunting task. It ...
Read More
Read More
Holiday gifts for Geologists & Rockhounds
So you need to buy a holiday gift for the geologist in your life? Are you struggling to find something ...
Read More
Read More
So you want to run a field trip? 20 tips and tricks!
So you want to run a field trip? I have been leading field trips for over 30 years, and have ...
Read More
Read More
Climate change and understanding science
I have spent a lot of time measuring the weathering rates of marble gravestones. During my studies, I have discovered ...
Read More
Read More
Why I don’t start Earth science by teaching rock and mineral identification
For many educators who are not Earth science trained, and many who are, they flounder when trying to work out ...
Read More
Read More
Understanding Polar Reversals
Understanding polar reversals helps us to understand an important piece of evidence for Plate Tectonics. When molten rock cools, some ...
Read More
Read More
Divergent Plate Boundaries
One of the most amazing places on the Earth's crust is where two massive continental plates are moving apart. Almost ...
Read More
Read More
Volcanoes as a STEM teaching tool
Trying to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in the classroom can often seem disjointed. Having a STEM teaching ...
Read More
Read More
Geologist Field Gear – the six “H” essentials!
What are the essential pieces of field gear for a geologist - or in fact any geology enthusiast? What ...
Read More
Read More
Olivine – one of simplest rock-forming minerals
Olivine is one of the simplest silicate minerals that can be found in igneous rocks on our planet. All the ...
Read More
Read More
Conference Posters – tips to make an impact
So you have been successful in having your topic selected as one of the conference posters. Good job! Presenting a ...
Read More
Read More
Silicates – a simple guide to the Earth’s rock forming minerals
While high school students are taught about chemistry using simple examples of inorganic and organic substances, very few are exposed ...
Read More
Read More
Geoscientists need to talk to the public
Too often scientists ignore talking to the public. They would rather spend all their “communication” time and energy talking about ...
Read More
Read More
Geological hammer – a beginners guide to buying your “forever hammer”
A geological hammer is often seen as an essential part of any field geologists equipment. Often called rock picks ...
Read More
Read More
Cinder Cones – a unique volcanic feature.
Cinder cones are volcanic features that are found at volcanic sites where there has been some form of fountaining activity. Fire Fountains ...
Read More
Read More
Evidence for Plate Tectonics
The evidence for Plate Tectonics is very conclusive. It is a very well supported theory, and while scientific debate continues ...
Read More
Read More
Boundaries – how the crustal plates interact
The Earth's plates don't just sit there. They move and interact at their boundaries - and that is what makes ...
Read More
Read More
Plates – understanding the tectonic jigsaw pieces.
The Earth's crust is broken up into around seventeen major pieces that we call tectonic plates. These plates form ...
Read More
Read More
The Earth’s Crust – a simple way to view it.
The Earth's crust - that outermost rocky layer of our planet - can be daunting to understand. To start ...
Read More
Read More
Field Boots – an essential piece of equipment.
If you are a geoscientist you are going to need field boots. Even if you are being a "geoscientist" just ...
Read More
Read More
Field Notes – what students need to learn to do.
Taking solid field notes is a skill that many students are not taught. The days of a geologist's life recorded ...
Read More
Read More
There’s mica in my toaster!
Mica has been used for many purposes over time and even in my short lifetime I have seen it in ...
Read More
Read More
Space Geeks Timeline
Understanding time is something that geoscientists are just great at doing. But we get a little sick of people not understanding ...
Read More
Read More
Lava flows – can you outrun a lava flow?
Most people believe that one of the major hazards of volcanoes are lava flows. They are surprised to find ...
Read More
Read More
Diamonds are NOT a girl’s best friend
Diamonds are NOT a girl's best friend - or so I tell my wife. And here is why. All minerals ...
Read More
Read More
Field trips – they are critical for teachers!
Field trips are critical. Learning Earth science in the field is as important as learning to cook in a kitchen ...
Read More
Read More
Spot the cleavage – a characteristic often misunderstood.
Cleavage is an important diagnostic feature of minerals. However it is often misunderstood. And more often mistaken for another mineral ...
Read More
Read More
I love a dike – my geology hook.
One of the reasons I fell in love with geology was finding evidence of igneous activity in the form of ...
Read More
Read More
Not all that glitters is gold!
Gold - the metal on which many empires have grown (and withered) is a strange metal indeed. In nature it ...
Read More
Read More
EarthCache – Let the Earth be your teacher!
An EarthCache is a special place that you can visit using GPS technology to learn more about the geology of ...
Read More
Read More
How hard is mineral hardness?
How hard is a mineral? Geoscientists still use mineral hardness as a way to identify an unknown mineral. This ...
Read More
Read More
Using a Circular Data Calendar
We are all looking at ways to collect and display data with our students. Most of the time the data ...
Read More
Read More
The strange thing about Basalt.
Basalt. It's the fine grained igneous rock that makes up the sea floor and sometimes spews forth from volcanoes on ...
Read More
Read More
How long is deep time?
Deep Time is the term used by scientists to describe the vast amount of time that has passed since the ...
Read More
Read More
What happened in the Permian?
The Permian period of time started around 299 million years ago when the Earth was in the deep freeze of ...
Read More
Read More
Welcome to GEOetc
G'day, Howdy and Hi, My name is Gary Lewis and I am an enthusiastic and passionate geoscientist. I grew up ...
Read More
Read More