MiddlesexFells

=Middlesex Fells=

[[image:IMG_0001.JPG width="341" height="255" align="left" caption="Mr. Mikowski showing us Gabbro"]]Introduction
This year the 7th graders at the [|Amigos School] in Cambridge, Massachusetts were fortunate enough to be able to attend various field trips. One of these field trips we went to the [|Middlesex Fells] in Melrose, [|Massachusetts]. The Middlesex Fells is full of rocky hills, meadows, wetlands, oak and hickory forests. Our goal for this field trip was to learn more about the area, rocks that had gotten there, and how the rocks had gotten there. We were able to discover, learn about, and draw the following igneous rocks, such as: [|Gabbro], [|Granite], [|Rhyolite], and [|Basalt].

===[|Location][|(map)]===

Our class took a school bus to get there and we were graciously welcomed by a man named Ed Mikowski who then showed us around the Fells. The Middlesex Fells has beautiful and extensive woods that give a nice airy effect, away from all of the highways and traffic. There is a fairly wide pathway for hikers, walkers, and others who just want to have a joyful day. Along the pathway, and in the woods you will find various erratics (boulders left by glaciers), and rocks that had been landed after a eruption from the once-volcanic Blue Hills. Some of these rocks include Granite and Gabbro.

What We Learned
//__Find Grained or Coarse Grained: Where did they come from?__// At the Fells you’re able to (and we did) discover and see samples of different types of rocks. One thing we learned relating to this topic is that you get **different sized grains in rocks depending on where they’ve cooled**. What I mean by this is that a __coarse grained__ rock (a rock with large grains/crystals) has __cooled inside a vol____cano__. Unlike coarse, a __fine grained__ rock (a rock with small grains/crystals) has __cooled outside a volcano__. These findings are true because it takes a longer period of time for a rock to cool when it is inside a volcano (making the grains larger), and rocks cool much faster when outside of the hot volcano (making the grains smaller). Another thing we learned was that Gabbro and Granite are related. This is so because they are both coarse grained (they cooled inside a volcano). Though, Gabbro is darker than granite. Also, Rhyolite and Basalt are related because they’re both fine grained, Finally, the last thing we learned was that from the area of the Middlesex Fells around to rout 128 were volcanoes (but are now inactive). They have not erupted for about 600 million years and are not thought to erupt again. I believe everyone should visit and experience the beauties and the interesting findings at the Middlesex Fells in Melrose, MA as out class did.



__//Rock Cycle//__ At the Middlesex Fells we also learned some about rock formation and deposition. As you can see, in the image, there is an on-going circle of rock formation, deposition, and melting. We learned that there are 3 main types of rocks: Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary. To get from one of these types to the next they must go through, melting then turning back into a solid (Metamorphic to Igneous), weathering/erosion (Igneous to Sedimentary), or heat and/or pressure (Sedimentary/Igneous to Metamorphic). These examples are mearly few of many different ways you can get from one rock form to the next.



All images from the internet that were used in this Wiki were found through[| Creative Commons]. Annie (Fifo)