Settlement

Exploration: Then and Now

Essential Question
How do an area’s location, soil, and
weather affect settlement?
Grade Level: 6–8

Lesson Overview Connections to Curriculum:

This lesson compares the location, soil, Science and Geography
and weather of early Jamestown to the
Teacher Preparation Time:
Moon as each site is considered for
settlement. Students use maps and 20 Minutes
graphs to look for patterns and then Lesson Duration:
make inferences about ways that Five 50-Minute Class Periods
location and weather affect settlements. (See Pacing Chart for Options)
Students also conduct experiments to
gather data about space radiation National Science Education Standards
shielding and Moon regolith formation Science as Inquiry
and then compare their findings to
Physical Science
Earth’s weather and soil.
Earth Science
Background Information Science and Technology
Settlement is affected by location, soil, National Geography Standards
weather, and access to natural
resources. The World in Spatial Terms
Human Systems
From the 17th century to the 21st
The Uses of Geography
century, all explorers begin with one
basic need: a suitable place to live.

Instructional Objectives
Students will:
• look for patterns in the location of New World colonies;
• plot the Apollo landings on the Moon and identify lunar surface features of
each landing site;
• make correlations between rainfall and mortality in Jamestown from 1604
through 1615;
• interpret and make inferences about rainfall based upon tree rings;
• gather data on space radiation shielding by observing a flashlight beam as
it shines through different materials;
• investigate the effects of micrometeoroid bombardment on regolith
formation;
• make inferences about properties of regolith based upon observations;
• compare samples of the Earth’s soil with simulated lunar regolith; and
• compare the differences in challenges faced by 17th-century and 21st-
century explorers.

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Materials
(Students will need journals and class charts in order to organize
information throughout this lesson.)

Engage
Per class:
• Overhead transparency of “Map of Original 13 Colonies”
• Atlases and United States maps
• Overhead projector
Per student:
• “Map of the Moon”
• “Apollo Landing Sites Chart”

Explore
Activity One: Weather
Per class:
• Overhead transparency of “Jamestown Rainfall Index and Mortality Rate”
• Overhead projector
• Cross sections of tree limbs or trunks (optional)
Per student:
• “Tree-Ring Cross Section Drawing”
Activity Two: Space Weather
Per group:
• Flashlight
• Metric ruler
• Materials to test (all materials should be the same color and about the
same size)
*several sheets of unlined copy paper
*several sheets of tissue paper
*several sheets of construction paper
*several sheets of card stock paper

Explain
Per student:
• “NASA and Jamestown Settlement Chart: Location”
• “NASA and Jamestown Settlement Chart: Weather”
• “NASA and Jamestown Settlement Chart: Soil”

Extend
Per group:
• Microscope or magnifier
• Box lid (shoe-box size)
• Larger box or lid (must be able to fit shoe-box-size lid inside this box or lid)
• Cinnamon sugar graham crackers (enough to line the bottom of the small
shoe-box lid)
• Three to four white-powdered sugar and cake mini-donuts (day-old works
best)
• Three index cards

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• Clear packing tape
• Two different-sized wire strainers (colander, tea strainer, etc.) or two
pieces of different-sized wire screens
• One pair of scissors
• Four containers for holding sifted regolith
• One-hole punch
• Marker
• Earth’s soil samples

Vocabulary
abiotic: not living

basalt: dark gray to black, dense igneous rock

bay: an inlet of the ocean partly surrounded by land

biotic: living

dendrochronology: the science of dating events by comparative study of growth

rings in trees

drought: a long period of dry weather

geologic terrains: physical features of a piece of land

highland: elevated land on the Moon

impact craters: craters caused by asteroids and meteorites

isthmus: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

magnetosphere: that region of space around Earth affected by Earth’s magnetic

field such that charged particles are trapped in it

maria: mostly flat, dark areas on the surface of the Moon

mortality: the rate of death in a given population

ozone: the layer of Earth’s atmosphere at about 32 to 48 kilometers (20 to 30

miles) that helps block most solar ultraviolet radiation from entering the lower
atmosphere

peninsula: a portion of land surrounded by water on three sides

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rainfall index: the amount of rainfall from a series of observations; used as an
indicator or measure

rays: the material that is scattered on the Moon’s surface when craters are
created

regolith: a mixture of fine dust and rocks that covers the Moon’s surface

rilles: long, narrow valleys on the Moon that formed as underground lava
channels collapsed once the hot lava flowed away

solar wind: streams of particles from the Sun

topography: the physical or natural features of the land’s surface

ultraviolet rays: electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength shorter than

wavelengths of visible light and longer than x-rays; rays that have more energy
than visible light and can cause chemical reactions

wetlands: land or area, such as a tidal flat or swamp, containing much moisture

Suggested Pacing:
Engage Explore Explain Extend Evaluate Total
50-minute Completed
class 1 class 2 class 1 class 1 class throughout 5 class
period period periods period period the lesson periods

Instructional Procedure
Teaching Suggestion: Prior to beginning this lesson, create a chart that will be
displayed throughout the lesson to help organize student learning. Ask the
students to create similar charts in their journals. The charts may be formatted as
follows, but must be large enough to organize information.

How do location, weather, and soil affect settlement?

JAMESTOWN MOON

LOCATION

WEATHER

SOIL

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Engage
1. Discuss the following questions as a class or ask students to write their
thoughts in their journals:
• How does the place where you live affect:
o the clothes you wear?
o the materials you use to build your homes?
o the types of food you can grow?
o your leisure activities?
2. A settlement’s location affects the quality of life for that settlement. Remind
students that the first settlers traveled by ship to the New World. Make an
overhead transparency of the “Map of the Original 13 Colonies”. Ask students to
locate the Chesapeake Bay and the Massachusetts Bay. Review with students
the definition of a bay. (A bay is an inlet of the ocean partly surrounded by land.)

Map of the Original 13 Colonies

3. Explain that colonial towns were built close to the water because access to a
port was important. Discuss why ports were important to the development of a
colonial town. (Major towns and cities needed access to ships bringing people
and goods to and from Europe.)
4. Ask students to use maps and atlases to locate the following colonial cities:
• Boston, MA
• Plymouth, MA
• Philadelphia, PA
• Baltimore, MD
• Williamsburg, VA
• Jamestown, VA
5. Discuss the following questions as a class or ask students to write their
thoughts in their journals:
• What is similar about the locations of all of these colonial cities?
• How does location affect settlement?
6. Review the terms longitude and latitude. Discuss how these coordinates help
to locate exact positions on Earth. Longitude and latitude coordinates for the
Moon start at a point near the crater Bruce (0 degrees latitude, 0 degrees
longitude). Give students a “Map of the Moon” handout and ask them to locate
and label this point.
7. Twelve astronauts in six Apollo missions landed on and explored the nearside
(Earth-facing side) of the Moon between 1969 and 1972. The six landing sites

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were chosen to explore different geologic terrains. Give each student a copy of
the “Apollo Landing Sites Chart.” Ask the students to locate the Apollo landing
sites on their map of the Moon and to mark these sites with the number of the
Apollo mission. Ask students to identify the topography of the site using
information in the chart and from the map.

Map of the Moon Apollo Landing Sites Chart

Technology Insertion Point: Sections of the Apollo Landing Sites Chart are
linked to images and QuickTime movies. To maintain active links, students must
access this chart on the computer. If the instructor uses paper copies of the
chart, information on the links should be printed.

8. Discuss the following questions as a class or ask students to write their

thoughts in their journals:
• How would you describe the lunar landing sites?
• Identify similar terrain on the map.
• Why do you think these six sites were chosen?
• If you were to choose the next lunar landing site, what site would you
choose? Why?
• How does a site’s location, on the Moon or on Earth, affect settlement?
9. Ask students to add information to the charts they created earlier in their
journals. Return to the class chart and add information learned during these
activities.

Teaching Suggestion: The Apollo Landing Sites activity was modified from
Exploring the Moon: a Teacher’s Guide with Activities. Additional activities may
be found in this document, http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/education/lesson.htm

Explore
Activity One: Weather
1. Make an overhead transparency of the “Jamestown Rainfall Index and
Mortality Rate” graph. Discuss the following questions as a class, based upon the
graph:
• When was the rainfall index the highest?
• When did a drought occur in Jamestown?

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• What is the correlation between low rainfall and mortality? Explain this
correlation.

Jamestown Rainfall Index and Mortality Rate

2. Introduce students to the study of dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating.

Each year that a tree grows, a ring can be seen in a cross section of the tree’s
trunk or large branches. These rings can be used to help reconstruct patterns of
drought and climate change. During years of plentiful rain, the rings are wider;
years of little rainfall or drought produce narrower rings. Tree-ring samples from
ancient bald cypress trees in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North
Carolina give researchers over 800 years of information on rainfall in this region.
Rainfall records between 1606 and 1612 (early Jamestown) distinguish these
years as having one of the worst droughts during the 800-year period.
3. Give each student a copy of the “Tree-Ring Cross Section Drawing” and ask
the students to highlight the rings that indicate the Jamestown drought. Ask
students to measure the distance between tree rings to compare years of
plentiful rain to years of drought. Is there evidence of another drought? (Note:
The Lost Colony drought is indicated in this drawing. Students may want to find
out more about this failed colony by visiting this National Park Service Web site,
http://www.nps.gov/archive/fora/roanokerev.htm)

Tree-Ring Cross Section Drawing

4. Ask students to compare the rainfall index/mortality rate graph to the tree-ring
drawing. Discuss the effect that a drought would have had on the Jamestown

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settlers. Consider factors such as availability of food, fresh water, willingness of
the Powhatan Indians to trade food to the settlers, and disease.

Teaching Suggestion: Before beginning this activity, cut cross sections of tree
limbs or trunks to bring to class so students may analyze “real” tree rings.

Activity Two: Space Weather

The Moon has basically no atmosphere. With no atmosphere, there can be no
weather similar to that on Earth and no ozone to protect humans from the Sun’s
ultraviolet rays. Although Jamestown’s weather was harsh, Earth’s atmosphere
protected the Jamestown settlers from ultraviolet rays. The Earth’s
magnetosphere and atmosphere also protected the settlers from solar particles
and other forms of what is known as “space weather.”

Space weather is made of many components including solar particles, magnetic

storms, and radiation from outside our solar system. Solar storms are one source
of space weather. Space is filled with solar wind, debris from comets, and
particles of dust. Space radiation comes from the Sun and from other stars from
outside our solar system.

Because the Moon has no protective atmosphere or magnetosphere, it is not

protected from space weather. When astronauts live and work in space, away
from Earth’s protective atmosphere, they are exposed to more radiation than the
average person is exposed to on Earth. Current spacecraft materials cannot
block all of the radiation in space weather.

For long-duration missions, especially those taking astronauts far away from low-
Earth orbit, more protection from space radiation will be needed. NASA is already
working on how to make spacecraft safer by using different materials to provide
protection.

1. Follow this procedure to help students test and compare different materials as
they are used to block simulated space radiation. Materials to be tested include:
unlined copy paper, tissue paper, construction paper, and card-stock paper.
Students may suggest other paper products to test, if time permits. The light from
a flashlight will represent space radiation.
a. Before testing the materials, ask the students to predict how many
pieces of that material it will take to completely block the light. Ask
students to record their predictions in their science journals.
b. Ask one student in each group to hold the flashlight. He or she should
steady the flashlight on the tabletop so it points up at the ceiling, turn it on,
and keep holding it. Caution: Remind students NOT to look directly into
the flashlight beam.

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c. Ask another member of the group to stack paper on top of the flashlight,
one sheet at a time, to block the light. As each piece of paper is added,
the transmitted light should become weaker. Instruct students to continue
adding sheets until the light is completely blocked, and then record this
number in their journals.
d. Repeat steps a–c with another material until all materials have been
tested.
2. Discuss the following questions as a class or ask students to write their
thoughts in their journals:
• Which material provided the best shielding from the simulated
space radiation? Explain your choice.
• Compare the mass of the materials. How does the mass of the
material that was the best shield compare to the mass of the other
materials?
• Why would mass be important in choosing materials for spacecraft
and shelters? (Mass is a consideration for NASA due to fuel, space,
and cost issues.
3. Ask students to add any new information to the class/student charts they
created earlier.

Teaching Suggestion: You may want to show the 30-second NASA KSNN™
(Kids Science News Network) video, “What would you hear in a weather report
from Mars?” found at http://ksnn.larc.nasa.gov/21Century/p11.html. You will also
find an expanded version of this activity and more explanations about space
weather on this site.

Explain
A living community depends upon the nonliving, or abiotic, factors in its
environment. Abiotic factors include water, topography, landforms, climate, soils,
sunlight, and air quality.

1. Ask students to read the three “NASA and Jamestown Settlement Charts”
to find out more about the abiotic factors of location, soil, and weather;
how they affected the early Jamestown settlement; and how they would
affect possible lunar settlements.

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NASA and Jamestown Settlement Charts

2. Help students add this information to both the class chart and their own
charts.

Extend
1. Earth’s soil is very different from the Moon’s soil, or regolith. Help students
find out more about regolith formation by completing the NASA KSNN™
activity “Making Regolith,” found at
http://ksnn.larc.nasa.gov/21Century/pdf/p10_educator.pdf.
2. Ask students to bring in soil samples to compare Earth’s soil with the
simulated lunar regolith.
3. Discuss the following questions as a class or ask students to write their
thoughts in their journals:
• In your opinion, what topography and location would be best suited
for a settlement?
• How might life in Jamestown have been different if Jamestown’s
soil was more like the soil in your area?
• How might regolith be used as a resource to build shelters on the
Moon?
• How could shelters protect astronauts from space weather?
4. Ask students to develop a multimedia presentation that shows the parallels
between exploration of the past and exploration for the future. They may
choose to focus on the theme of settlement or include other themes of
exploration, such as transportation, human needs, and the hunt for water.
5. Complete other lessons from “Exploration: Then and Now.”

Evaluate
Choose one or more of the following activities to assess student understanding of
how an area’s location, soil, and weather affect settlement.
1. Evaluate the students’ charts. Look for an increase in understanding of
how an area’s location, soil, and weather affect settlement.
2. Ask students to apply what they have learned to other settlements. How
do location, weather, and soil affect any settlement?
3. Assess student journal responses.

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4. Work with students to create a rubric to evaluate the multimedia
presentations created to characterize past and to predict future
exploration.

Additional NASA Resources

Sections of this lesson were adapted from existing NASA educational products.
These additional NASA resources may extend student understanding about how
an area’s topography, weather, and soil affect settlement.

Topography
NASA CONNECT™ Landscape Archaeology: Hidden Treasures
Use a coordinate plane system to create a topographic map of a mystery
planet landscape.
http://connect.larc.nasa.gov/programs/2004-2005/treasures/index.html

Weather
Modeling Solar Wind Collection
Model how different materials collect different solar wind particles.
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/educ/docs/ModelSolarWindColTG.pdf

Space Weather
Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum
This site provides additional resources to learn more about space weather.
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Soil
Clay Lava Flows
Simulate surface lava flows in this experiment to understand some of the
geological processes and structures that form as lava flows across the
Moon's landscape.
http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/Education/Activities/ExpMoon/LavaFlows.pdf

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Map of Original 13 Colonies

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Map of the Moon Student Handout

Credit: NASA/GSFC

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Apollo Landing Sites Chart Student Handout

Surface
Apollo Landing Landing Site
Latitude Longitude Major Geologic Features Views of
Mission Date (zoom in with
and Rock Types Landing
a QT movie)
Site

The major geologic feature for this site is a mare,

the Mare Tranquilitatis or Sea of Tranquility. The
first site is relatively smooth and level. In the last
July 20, few seconds before landing, the Lunar Module Apollo Mare
11 1°N 23° E (LM) was manually piloted by Neil Armstrong to
1969 avoid a sharp-rimmed ray crater which measured
11 Tranquilitatis
180 meters across (about 200 yards) and 30 meters
deep (about 33 yards). The major rock type found
at this site was basaltic lava.

The major geologic feature for this site is a mare,

November Apollo Oceanus
12 3°S 23°W Oceanus Procellarum or Ocean of Storms. Rocks
19, 1969 at this site are basaltic lava and a ray from 12 Procellarum
Copernicus Crater crosses the site.

The major geologic feature for this site is in the

February highlands at the Fra Mauro formation. This Apollo
14 4°S 18°W formation is thought to be ejecta from the Imbrium Fra Mauro
3, 1971 Basin. The site is a hilly region about 49.3 km
14
(30.6 miles) north of the Fra Mauro crater.

The major geologic features for this site are

Hadley Rille, a mare area near the Mare Imbrium
July 30, or Sea of Rains, and the highlands at the foot of the Apollo
15 26°N 4°E Apennine mountain range. The Apennines rise up Hadley Rille
1971 to more than 4572 meters (15, 000 feet) along the
15
southeastern edge of Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains).
The rocks at this site are breccia and basalt.

This site was a hilly region around Descartes crater

in the lunar highlands. The landing site had two
April 20, basic terrains that were explored and sampled: the Apollo
16 9°S 16°E Cayley Plains, a smooth plains unit, and the Descartes
1972 Descartes formation made up of hilly furrowed
16
highland materials. The rocks are anorthosite and
highlands soil.

The major geologic feature for this site is a mare,

the Serenitatis basin or Sea of Serenity. This site,
December Taurus-Littrow, takes its name from the Taurus Apollo Taurus-
17 20°N 31°E mountains and Littrow crater which are located in
11, 1972 a mountainous region on the southeastern rim of
17 Littrow
the Serenitatis basin. The rocks are mare soil,
orange soil, basaltic lava, and anorthosite.

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Jamestown Rainfall Index and Mortality Rate

Courtesy of Colonial National Historical Park

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Tree-Ring Cross Section Drawing Student Handout

Courtesy of Colonial National Historical Park

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NASA and Jamestown Settlement Chart: LOCATION Student Handout

JAMESTOWN NASA
On May 13, 2007, Jamestown marks its Twelve astronauts in six Apollo
400th anniversary as the site of the first missions landed on and explored the
permanent English-speaking settlement nearside (Earth-facing side) of the
in North America. The area has Moon between 1969 and 1972. The six
remained continuously populated since landing sites were chosen to explore
that time, but Native Americans were different geologic terrains. The first
the first known inhabitants. Based on lunar landing site, Mare Tranquilitatis,
recent discoveries at Jamestown, was relatively smooth and level.
anthropologists believe native peoples However, in the last few seconds
began to use Jamestown Island’s before landing, Neil Armstrong needed
natural resources over 10,000 years to manually pilot the Lunar Module to
ago! this site to avoid a sharp-rimmed ray
crater named West. Apollo 11’s Lunar
That was a fact unknown to the English Module landed safely about 6
voyagers who landed on the shoreline kilometers (3.7 miles) from the original
of what would become known as the site. The other five successful Apollo
Jamestown settlement. Once the boats missions explored hilly regions,
the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, craters, the Apennine mountains,
and the Discovery docked, 104 weary smooth plains, and highlands.
colonists trudged from their cramped
quarters onto swampy, marshland. More than 80 percent of the Moon is
These men had been at sea for nearly ancient, heavily cratered highland. The
5 months, sent by the Virginia rest of the surface is made up of
Company of London, England. The younger, basalt-covered, plains-like
Jamestown site was a peninsula, areas called maria. There are many
connected to the mainland by a narrow impact craters, some with bright rays;
isthmus and protected on three sides crater chains; and the long, narrow
by the James River, the Back River, valleys known as rilles.
and Sandy Bay.
Latitude and longitude coordinates for
The men were directed by the Virginia the Moon start at a point near the
Company to find “the true, most crater Bruce. From this starting point
wholesome and fertile place” to settle, (0° latitude, 0° longitude) locations
and the Jamestown site was defensible toward the east side of the Moon (the
since it had a deep harbor close to direction in which the Sun rises) are
shore. About 48 kilometers (30 miles) indicated with east longitude values.
upriver from the Chesapeake Bay, this Locations toward the west side (the
site was also easily accessible for direction in which the Sun sets) have
overseas trade. The forests were filled west longitude values. North latitude is
mostly with hardwood trees. Walnut, measured toward the Moon’s north
beech, oak and hickory trees covered pole. South latitude is measured
the low-lying land. toward the Moon’s south pole.

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In 1607, Jamestown’s tidal wetlands
looked much like the tidal wetlands of Many years have passed since
today. The sea level, however, was members of the Apollo 17 crew walked
about 1 meter (3 feet) lower then than on the surface of the Moon in 1972.
now, exposing more land. Although NASA has not been back to
the Moon, more than 400 explorers
Early accounts of this area vary in their have ventured into space. Subsequent
descriptions. John Smith thought missions have included the building of
“heaven and earth never agreed better the International Space Station (ISS).
to frame a place for man’s habitation.” Since October 31, 2000, at least one
Smith added that “the country is not person from Earth’s population has
mountanous[sic] nor yet low but such lived on the ISS, working to improve
pleasant plaine hils[sic] and fertle life on Earth and marking the
valleyes[sic], one prettily crossing an permanent presence of mankind in
other[sic], and watered so conveniently space.
with their sweet brookes[sic] and
christall[sic] springs, as if art itselfe[sic] NASA plans to return to the Moon and
had devised them.” Gabriel Archer eventually build a base there. Before
described the area this way. “This land humans return to the Moon, NASA will
lieth[sic] low at the mouth of the river conduct robotic missions to learn more
and is sandy ground, all over beset with about the lunar surface. These
fair pine trees. It is generally missions will help determine potential
replenish’d[sic] with wood of all kinds lunar landing sites and explore whether
and that the fairest, yea, and the best resources, such as oxygen, hydrogen,
that ever any of us (traveler or and minerals, are available. The
workman) ever saw, being fit for any missions will include searches for
use whatsoever, as ships, houses, water ice in permanently-shadowed
planks, pales, boards, masts, wainscot, craters at the lunar south pole.
clapboard—for pikes or elsewhat[sic].”
On first impression, the area appeared
to be exactly what the settlers needed
to build their new homes.

Chief Powhatan was the leader of the

Powhatan Indians, a powerful tribe who
lived near Tidewater Virginia, where the
Englishmen had chosen to build their
new settlement. Both Chief Powhatan
and his daughter Pocahontas became
important to the Jamestown settlers.
Chief Powhatan’s description of the
area was based on more than first
impressions. Calling the area around
Jamestown “waste ground,” the
Powhatan Indians knew it was difficult
to find fresh water there. None of their
villages were built in the tidal wetlands.

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NASA and Jamestown Settlement Chart: WEATHER Student Handout

JAMESTOWN NASA
By mid-May 1607, the early Jamestown The Moon has little or no atmosphere. With
settlers realized that the weather in no atmosphere, there is no weather as we
their new land was very different than recognize it on Earth and no ozone to
the weather in England, their homeland. protect astronauts from the Sun’s
Summer in England had little humidity ultraviolet rays. Although Jamestown’s
and few insects. Summer in weather was harsh, Earth’s atmosphere
Jamestown, with tropical humidity and protected the settlers from ultraviolet rays.
oppressively high temperatures, bred Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere
mosquitoes and biting flies. And also protected the settlers from solar
winters, as the settlers soon particles and other potentially harmful
discovered, were as cold as the energetic particles known as “space
summers were hot. weather.”

Evidence from archeological digs Because the Moon has no protective

shows that 1607 fell within a cool period atmosphere or magnetosphere, it is not
in North America and western Europe protected from space weather. Space
that historians call the “Little Ice Age.” weather affects the Moon and can be
The heat of summer did not last; the harmful for any people on the lunar
colonists were greeted by a severe surface. Dangers include significant, long-
winter in 1607–1608. The harsh term risk of cancer.
conditions were compounded by the
fact that they also had to endure one of Solar storms are one source of space
the worst droughts in nearly 800 years. weather. Space is filled with solar wind,
debris from comets, and particles of dust.
Dendrochronology is the scientific study The solar wind is composed mostly of
of tree rings. Evidence found in the hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts
rings of ancient, living bald cypress of neon, carbon, and nitrogen. It strikes the
trees near present-day Jamestown lunar surface and is implanted into mineral
Island, supports the theory that a grains lying there. These elements build up
drought occurred from 1606 through over time. Clues to the history of the Sun
1612. This drought contributed to poor are stored in the lunar regolith. By
water quality and difficult growing analyzing these solar-wind products, we
seasons. Food supplies ran very low can learn more about the Sun’s lifecycle.
and many of the settlers starved to These same solar-wind gases may prove
death. useful if people establish permanent
settlements on the Moon. Life-support
systems require the life-giving elements
hydrogen and oxygen (for water), carbon,
and nitrogen. Plenty of oxygen is contained
within the silicate minerals of lunar rocks,
and the solar wind could provide the
remaining elements.

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NASA and Jamestown Settlement Chart: SOIL Student Handout

JAMESTOWN NASA
Soil is a product of weathering. A mixture of fine dust and rocks called
Weathering includes all the processes regolith covers the Moon. Some
that cause rocks to fragment, crack, scientists call this “lunar soil,” but it
crumble, or decay. Once rock debris is contains none of the rich, organic
weathered, it can be loosened and material found in Earth’s soils. Lunar
carried away by erosion. Running regolith is made up mostly of
water, high-speed wind, and ice move fragments of lunar rocks found in the
rock debris and soil from place to place area. Mixed in with these local rocks
on Earth. As soil mixes with decaying are interplanetary and deep-space rock
plants and animals, it becomes rich and fragments, tossed in by the
fertile. bombardment of meteoroids pounding
into the lunar surface. Above a base of
In 1607, Gabriel Archer described the fractured bedrock, the regolith
soil around Jamestown as “… more becomes thicker as impacts continue
fertile than can be well express’d[sic]; it to rework it. With no weathering and
is altogether aromatical[sic], giving a erosion on the Moon, the powdery
spicy taste to the roots of all trees, surface does not wash away.
plants, and herbs, of itself a black, fat,
sandy mould[sic], somewhat slimy to The lunar surface is charcoal gray and
touch and sweet in savor, under which sandy, with a sizable supply of fine
about a yard is in most places a red sediment. Meteorite impacts over
clay fit for brick.” Today, the soil of billions of years have ground up the
Jamestown is known to be sandy loam formerly fresh surfaces into powder.
deposited over packed clay. Because the Moon has virtually no
atmosphere, even the tiniest meteorite
The Jamestown settlers had been strikes a defenseless surface at full
instructed to try farming on a small speed, at least 20 kilometers/second
scale. The sandy soil, however, did not (12 miles/second). Some rocks lie
hold moisture well, and the onset of a thrown about the surface, resembling
drought killed what crops they did boulders sticking up through fresh
manage to plant. snow on ski slopes. Even these
boulders will not last long, maybe a few
hundred million years, before they are
Jamestown Island was originally a
ground up into powder by the steady
peninsula during the time of the early
rain of high-speed projectiles. Of
settlers. But the waters around it were,
course, an occasional larger
and remain, restless, eating away the
meteoroid, about the size of a car,
land. Some contemporary studies
arrives and carves fresh rock from
indicate that the shoreline was eroding
beneath the blanket of powdery soil.
rapidly, even during the time of the
Falling meteoroids continue to grind
English colonization, at rates as high as
the fresh boulders down, slowly but
1.5 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 feet) each
inevitably.
year. Wave action would eventually turn
the peninsula into an island.
The layers of regolith vary, from about
2 meters on the youngest maria to
perhaps 20 meters on the oldest
Exploration: Then and Now
surfacesNASA
in the highlands. Lunar
and Jamestown Education Module
EG-2006-09-25-LaRC regolith has mixed local material
Settlement Page 20 ofso
21
that a shovelful contains most of the
rock types that occur in an area. The
Recent archaeological excavations at perhaps 20 meters on the oldest
Historic Jamestowne have uncovered surfaces in the highlands. Lunar
hundreds of thousands of artifacts regolith has mixed local material so
dating to the first half of the 17th that a shovelful contains most of the
century. Nearly half of the objects date rock types that occur in an area. The
to the first years of the English regolith is a great rock collection.
settlement (1607–1610). Many of these
items have been well preserved by the The regolith contains rock and mineral
hard clay soil that forms the base of fragments from the original bedrock. It
Jamestown Island. also contains glassy particles formed
by the impacts. In many lunar regoliths,
Most people had believed that the site half of the particles are composed of
of the original fort had washed into the mineral fragments that are bound
James River as the shoreline receded. together by impact glass. The chemical
Archaeologists, however, have composition of the regolith is similar to
uncovered large sections of the the composition of the bedrock.
Jamestown triangular fort, built soon Regolith in the highlands is rich in
after the first colonists landed. As the aluminum, as are the highland rocks.
artifacts are cleaned and studied, new Regolith in the maria is rich in iron and
information about Jamestown and the magnesium, which are elements also
people who settled there is being found in basalt.
discovered.

Exploration: Then and Now NASA and Jamestown Education Module

EG-2006-09-25-LaRC Settlement Page 21 of 21