The "Hole" Story About Ocean Cores will introduce your students to core description and curation techniques used by scientists and technicians during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 309. Lab groups can work together to examine high resolution photos and data from four cores taken at various depths in this first-of-its-kind complete section of oceanic crust. This poster includes background information and five classroom activities on the back.

Copies of The "Hole" Story About Ocean Cores poster are available free of charge by e-mailing

deepearthacademy@oceanleadership.org.

National Science Education Standards
Suitable for Grades 9-12 and undergraduates
Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science
Content Standard G: History and Nature of Science

Download or view classroom activities on the back of this poster:

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Visual Core Description
Students identify and describe distinguishable characteristics in one or more core sections.

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Core Section Curation
Students use guides to catalogue and label one or more core samples.

Download/Print PDF (1.8 MB)

Mineralogy and Petrology of Oceanic Crust
Students examine and match whole thin section photos to the cores from which they were sampled.

Download/Print PDF (10.1 MB)

Drilling Rates through Oceanic Crust
Students calculate drilling rates over a three-day period.

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Density of Oceanic Crust
Students calculate density of samples from a core, determine the relationship between density and depth, and compare continental rock samples.

Download/Print PDF (1 MB)

Poster Credits:

Writing – Alan Gelatt, Leslie Peart, Matthew Niemitz
Design - Matthew Niemitz
Images courtesy IODP-USIO