Lecture: 2 hours/week
and
Lab: 2 hours/week
This course will be presented using lectures and laboratories that illustrate the practical aspects of the lecture material. A field trip may be required.
- Origin of the solar system and the Earth
- Origin of life and evolution of life on Earth
- Mineral and rock composition, texture/physical properties, classification and identification
- The formation of sedimentary rocks, including weathering and erosion, erosional/transport agents, formation of soils, sedimentary processes, structures and formation of depositional environments
- The structure of Earth's interior, plate tectonics, composition and structure of oceanic and continental crust and deformation (e.g., orogenies, rifting)
- Geologic time scale
- Relative and absolute dating
- Stratigraphic principles, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, lithofacies, biofacies and correlation
- Fossil observation, description and identification
- Paleoenvironments, paleobiogeography and paleoclimate
- Major events of Earth history, including mass extinctions, the formation of supercontinents, glaciations, etc.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- describe the history of important events and people involved in the development of early geological concepts and the geologic time scale;
- explain the difference between uniformitarianism, actualism and catastrophism;
- state the geological time scale in terms of eons, eras, periods and Cenozoic epochs;
- describe, identify and classify common rocks and minerals;
- explain the formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, with an emphasis on sedimentary rock forming processes and depositional environments;
- describe the underlying principles of stratigraphy and fossil succession and apply them to sedimentary successions (stratigraphic sequences);
- interpret stratigraphic sequences in terms of changes to paleoenvironment and paleolandscape;
- correlate stratigraphic sequences;
- describe, identify and classify common organisms in the fossil record;
- explain the basic principles of evolution and extinction;
- describe the theory of plate tectonics and how it relates to rock forming processes;
- state and describe key climatic, tectonic and evolutionary events in Earth's history.
Assessment will be in accordance with Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:
Participation and/or Attendance: 0-10%
Lecture Assignments and Quizzes: 0-15%
Term Project: 0-15%
Laboratory Assignments: 9-15%
Laboratory Tests: 20-30%
Term Test(s): 20-30%
Final Exam: 25-30%
Total: 100%
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:
Levin, H.L. (Current Edition). The Earth Through Time. Wiley Publishing.
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EAES 2320, 2550, 2800