Maquoketa Caves Formation
Description
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
Discipline
Earth and Space Science
Grade
High School (9-12)
Disciplinary Core Idea
ESS2: Earth’s Systems
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.
