Iowa Investigative Report

Loess Hills- click for larger view

Research Topics

Research Topic - Beginnings

In this section you will have the opportunity to investigate the geological makeup of the state from its beginnings dating from the Pleistocene period more than a million years ago. You will be able to study the glaciers that covered parts of Iowa and how they formed the land into the landscape that we have today. Among these many land forms is one that is only found here in Iowa and an area of China. This area is called the Loess Hills.
If you so desire you might study the prehistoric wild life found in Iowa. Dinosaurs were not known as residents of Iowa but a new discovery points to a remote possibility of their presence. Many other exotic creatures were in Iowa and you can learn about and catalog these.

You can begin your investigation with the links and print materials below.

LINKS

The Geology of Iowa -

Geologic sites of Iowa with fossil remains

Glacial effects on Iowa -

Driftless area - NE Iowa-

Devonian Fossil Gorge - located at the Coralville Dam north of Iowa City.

Loess Hills - One of Iowa's most unique physical features is the Loess Hills.

Loess Hills Alliance is a group attempting to preserve the Loess Hills. The links on their site can give you more information on the Loess Hills.

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State Archaeologist's Office -

Paleontology & fossil links-

Paleo Iowa -

Dinosaurs - were there dinosaurs in Iowa. Check out this site and find out.

A dinosaur article

Nebraska dinosaurs - may have wandered into Iowa

Early Indian stories of Iowa

Some have maintained that the creation of theManson crater may have been related to the disappearance of the dinosaurs

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Print materials in the Regina Library

Fargo, O.J. A History of Iowa Geography, Creston, Iowa, Green Valley AEA, 1983

Hunt, Nyla Sherburne, Iowa's Natural Heritage ,Des Moines: Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Iowa Academy of Science, 1982

Mutel, Cornelia F. Fragile Giants; A Natural History of the Loess Hills, Iowa City, Iowa, University of Iowa Press,1989

Prior, Jean Cutler, Landforms of Iowa,1st ed. Iowa City; University of Iowa Press for the Dept. of Natural resources, 1991

Troeger, Jack Clayton, From Rift to Drift: Iowa's Story in Stone 1st ed., Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1983

Wolf, Robert Charles. Fossils of Iowa: A Field Guide to Paleozoic Deposits, 1st ed. Ames: Iowa State University, 1983

Questions about the assignments can be addressed to:, June 5, 2002