Geological Research (Taining Danxia) Research Course (Sanming): Teaching Objectives, Curriculum and Task List

Geological research was conducted in Taining: the Danxia landform in youth is a textbook-level sample. Students looked at the peak clusters on the water at Dajin Lake, read the canyon profile at Shangqing Creek, and completed landform observation sheets and sketches.

Taining is part of the China Danxia World Natural Heritage (listed in 2010); the course adheres to the discipline of not collecting specimens.

Teaching goals and literacy goals

• Geographic practice: train observation, recording and reasoning on real sections instead of looking at models
• Landform evolution: understanding the combination of cliffs, alleys, valleys and natural bridges in Danxia in its youth
• Man-land relationship: How Danxia landform affects settlement, agriculture and tourism development
• Practical output: The team completed the cross-section sketch, landform observation form and protection proposal

Available school stages: junior high school and high school. The teaching objectives are written into each plan hierarchically by school stage, and should be confirmed with the school before leaving the group.

Course schedule (example structure, customized to the school calendar)

Geological Research (Taining Danxia) Research Curriculum (as of 2026-10)

time	location	Teaching activities and tasks	Output
09:00	Dajin Lake	Observation of peaks and cliffs on the water	Geomorphological observation table
11:00	Lakeside profile point	Observation of rock joints and weathering	A cross-sectional sketch
12:00	Taining Ancient Town Lunch	Meals and data organization	Morning filing
14:00	Shangqingxi	Slot Canyon and Downcut Observation	Canyon Profile Notes
16:00	Shangshudi and the ancient city	Relationship between man and land: settlement site selection and sources of building materials	Man-land relationship analysis table
17:00	Study classroom	Group reporting and scoring	A protection proposal

Research bases and locations

• Taining Dajin Lake (Danxia on the Water)
• Shangqingxi Canyon
• Shangshudi and the ancient city (sample of relationship between man and land)

Operational guarantee

• No specimens are collected during the whole process: observation, photography and sketching are substituted for collection
• Wear a life jacket for water sports; the bamboo raft section is not allowed to enter the water
• During the dry season, the fare will be adjusted to Shangqing River plus the ancient city line, with no increase in fares.
• There is 1 study instructor for every 50 students, and additional teachers accompanying the school

Frequent issues between schools and parents

Can I pick up rock specimens?

No. No collection is allowed in the protected area; the course uses sketching, photography and recording sheets to achieve the same training objectives.

Can we take geology classes on rainy days?

Adjust the order but not the target: first the cultural line of the ancient city, and the cliff after the rain is more conducive to seeing the joints and weathering traces.