A Revision of Historical Geology

Vicki HarderMary Dowse

Department of Natural Sciences

WesternNew Mexico University

Current Approach

• Geologic Principles• History of Earth

WesternNew Mexico University

The ProblemStudents frequently don’t make the connection between the principles and history.

WesternNew Mexico University

Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.

WesternNew Mexico University

Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.2. Earth has a long history.

WesternNew Mexico University

Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.2. Earth has a long history.3. Earth has changed through time.

WesternNew Mexico University

Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.2. Earth has a long history.3. Earth has changed through time.4. The history of Earth is recorded in the

sedimentary archives.

WesternNew Mexico University

Significant Events1. Formation of the Earth• Solar nebula• Differentiation of the Earth• Atmosphere and oceans• Meteorite bombardment

WesternNew Mexico University

Significant Events2. Appearance of Life• Archean environment• Nature of early life• Prokaryote to eukaryote

WesternNew Mexico University

Significant Events3. Snowball Earth4. Oxygenation of the atmosphere5. Rodinia6. Cambrian explosion7. Trilobites and brachiopods

WesternNew Mexico University

Significant Events8. Leaving the water9. Formation of Pangea10.Permian extinction11.Dinosaurs, ammonites, and flowers12.Cordilleran evolution

WesternNew Mexico University

Significant Events13.K-Pg extinction14.Evolution of mammals15.Evolution of hominids16.Pleistocene glaciation

WesternNew Mexico University

WesternNew Mexico University

Science is based on evidence!

Significant Events

Earth has a long

history!

Earth has changed!History is

in the sediment

How do we know?

Lots has happened!

Potential for great change

Evide

nce?

Rocks tell a story

Evidence?

How do we know?

How do we know?

Observations

Revised Course Outline• Introduction to Class• Introduction to HG• Reading the Rocks• Precambrian:

Archean• Life• Precambrian:

Proteorzoic

• Geologic Time• Plate Tectonics• Paleozoic Era• Mesozoic Era• Extinctions• Cenozoic Era

WesternNew Mexico University

Revised Course Outline

Introduction to ClassNEW: Google Earth exercise, measure from where they work or live to the department.REVISED: Superposition exercise to cover the scientific method.

WesternNew Mexico University

Revised Course Outline

Introduction to Historical GeologyNEW: Reference LetterREVISED: Geologic time scale activities

Reading the Rocks: moved lithofacies exercise from Paleozoic.

WesternNew Mexico University

Revised Course Outline

Precambrian: ArcheanNEW: Meteorite impactsNEW: Chaos

LifeNEW: Evolution lab

WesternNew Mexico University

Revised Course Outline

Precambrian: ProterozoicNEW: miniGEEBITTNEW: Timeline (this was done for each era)

Plate TectonicsREVISED: Sea floor spreading activity converted to Google Earth exercise

WesternNew Mexico University

Revised Course Outline

Paleozoic EraNEW: Cayuga Lake Basin correlation of outcropsNEW: Biostratigraphy

ExtinctionsNEW: Mass extinction—needs revision

WesternNew Mexico University

Revised Course Outline

Cenozoic EraNEW: Evolution of the HorseNEW: Cenozoic climate analysis

WesternNew Mexico University

Conclusions• Student comprehension seemed to improve.• There was an emphasis on evolution but no

complaints.• The activities were interesting to the students

and instructor.• Won’t go back to the old method.

WesternNew Mexico University