G 103 Evolving Earth

Surveys geologic history of Earth and life. Topics include sedimentary environments, strata, plant and animal evolution, and how plate tectonic actions built continents. Labs include problem solving, fossils, relative ages of rock layers, geologic maps, and cross-sections. Lab included.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

Recommended: G 101 or G 102

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Use evidence from sedimentary rocks and structures to identify and interpret paleoenvironments of deposition
2. Use principles of age dating and various stratigraphic relationships to decipher geologic and tectonic events over time
3. Recognize methods of fossil preservation; describe, identify and classify notable fossil species from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic
4. Interpret the sequence of geologic events and development of life as exposed in the rock and fossil records, using geologic maps and cross sections
5. Apply their understanding of various geologic theories, including plate tectonics and evolution
6. Describe major tectonic events that shaped North America over time
7. Describe and explain topics such as the origin and changing configuration of the Earth, and the chronological progression of different life forms which have lived on Earth
8. Recognize major fossil groups and their ages, and geologic structures and their placement in mountain building events, and apply basic stratigraphic principles to interpret the geologic history of select regions of the world
9. Assess and examine theories for the formation of mountain ranges and be able to match different types of sedimentary rocks to the specific environments in which they formed
10. Examine and discuss early evolutionary theories, and how they are being reconsidered/revised in light of recent studies
11. Discuss and evaluate past global climate changes and apply that knowledge to recent climate change
12. Examine theories of, plate tectonics, mountain building, ancient climate change, evolution, uniformitarianism and catastrophism for comparison and assessment
13. Discuss the changes throughout geologic history to Earth and life due to the processes covered in this course, in particular the evolution of humans and the development of human culture, including how that culture does/could have an effect on Earth’s surface, life, and climate