Students will examine the evolution of Earth, its climate system, water resources, and life on the planet over time. The connection between these phenomena and societal concerns will be explored. Students will develop their skills in geoscience data analysis and interpretation and explore academic and career pathways in the geosciences. There will be a required fieldtrip during the course of the quarter that will take the time of one lecture and one lab.
Prerequisites
Quarters Offered
Spring
Course Outcomes
- Describe key components of the evolution of Earth and life over time.
- Compare quantitatively the timing and magnitude of events in Earth history to human activities.
- Collect, plot, and analyze spatial data using appropriate techniques to make claims about rates of change, scale and proportion, and fluxes.
- Describe key components of the climate system and Earth’s hydrosphere.
- Compare quantitatively the hazards and risks associated with flooding and sea-level rise in different locations around the world.
- Collect, plot, and analyze spatial data using appropriate techniques to make claims about hydrologic and climatic processes.
- Describe careers in which the knowledge and skills developed in this course are critical to success.
Institutional Outcomes
IO2. Quantitative Reasoning: Students will be able to reason mathematically.
Course Content Outline
Lecture
- Rock Cycle and rock type/name identification
- Geologic maps and cross sections
- Absolute and relative dating techniques
- Fossil record
- Carbon cycle
- Groundwater resources and use
- Climate impacts in local and global scales
- Geologic timescale
Lab
- Rock types and identification
- Geologic maps and cross sections
- Cross-cutting relationships
- Fossil identification
- Carbon cycle
- Groundwater contouring
- Streamflow analysis
- Sea level rise mapping