Maquoketa Caves Formation
This video shows Maquoketa Caves State Park as well as specific features of the cave.
Location
Maquoketa Caves State Park, Maquoketa, IA
Possible Guiding, Compelling and/or Anchoring Questions
- What earth processes causes the Maquoketa caves to form?
- Could caves form in all types of rock in Iowa?
- Did the caves form instantly or over time?
Classroom Suggestions
Students could:
- Discuss the patterns and observations in the caves shown.
- Perform an acid test on limestone and 4-5 other rock or mineral samples to determine which types of rock dissolve.
- Research and model the types of weathering.
- Investigate what type of rock they believe caves are made out of based on the tests they performed.
- Create a model or diagram of cave formation based on lab findings.
Related Resources
- Iowa DNR Maquoketa Caves State Park: Provides photos, park updates, and hiking suggestions.
- Earth Science Week: Making a Cave: Lab suggestion of modeling how caves are formed.
- PBS: How Caves Form: Uses diagrams to describe how caves can be formed from limestone.
- National Geographic: Caves: Slideshow of caves formed in many types of environments.
- Iowa Farm Bureau: Iowa Underground: Discusses how to experience the different caves of the park as well as wildlife.
Iowa Core Alignment
HS-ESS2-5:Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes
Credit Info
Media produced for Iowa Outdoors by Iowa PBS.
Submitted by Dan Voss and Madison Beeler as part of their Iowa STEM Teacher Externship experience at Iowa PBS.
Funding for Iowa Science Phenomena provided by:
