a revision of historical geologyweb.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/faculty/harderv/harder2013.pdf ·...
TRANSCRIPT
A Revision of Historical Geology
Vicki Harder Mary Dowse
Department of Natural Sciences
Western New Mexico University
Current Approach
• Geologic Principles
• History of Earth
Western New Mexico University
The Problem
Students frequently don’t make the connection between the principles and history.
Western New Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings
1. Science is based on evidence.
Western New Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings
1. Science is based on evidence. 2. Earth has a long history.
Western New Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings
1. Science is based on evidence. 2. Earth has a long history. 3. Earth has changed through time.
Western New Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings
1. 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.
Western New Mexico University
Significant Events
1. Formation of the Earth • Solar nebula • Differen.a.on of the Earth
• Atmosphere and oceans • Meteorite bombardment
Western New Mexico University
Significant Events
2. Appearance of Life • Archean environment • Nature of early life
• Prokaryote to eukaryote
Western New Mexico University
Significant Events
3. Snowball Earth 4. Oxygenation of the atmosphere 5. Rodinia
6. Cambrian explosion 7. Trilobites and brachiopods
Western New Mexico University
Significant Events
8. Leaving the water 9. Formation of Pangea 10. Permian extinction
11. Dinosaurs, ammonites, and flowers 12. Cordilleran evolution
Western New Mexico University
Significant Events
13. K-Pg extinction 14. Evolution of mammals 15. Evolution of hominids
16. Pleistocene glaciation
Western New Mexico University
Western New 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!
Poten.al for great change
Rocks tell a story
Evidence?
Observa.ons
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
Western New Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Introduction to Class NEW: Google Earth exercise, measure from where they work or live to the department. REVISED: Superposition exercise to cover the scientific method.
Western New Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Introduction to Historical Geology NEW: Reference Letter
REVISED: Geologic time scale activities
Reading the Rocks: moved lithofacies exercise from Paleozoic.
Western New Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Precambrian: Archean NEW: Meteorite impacts
NEW: Chaos
Life
NEW: Evolution lab
Western New Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Precambrian: Proterozoic NEW: miniGEEBITT
NEW: Timeline (this was done for each era)
Plate Tectonics REVISED: Sea floor spreading activity converted to Google Earth exercise
Western New Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Paleozoic Era NEW: Cayuga Lake Basin correlation of outcrops
NEW: Biostratigraphy
Extinctions NEW: Mass extinction—needs revision
Western New Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Cenozoic Era NEW: Evolution of the Horse
NEW: Cenozoic climate analysis
Western New 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.
Western New Mexico University