Earth Science

Course Overview:

LCCC CC+ PSSC 161 (9, 10, 11, 12) – semester - 1 credit and 3 credit hours from LCCC The Earth Science course is designed as a semester long introduction to geology and dynamic Earth interactions. The course is designed as an introductory college Earth Science class. Students will be required to enroll at LCCC and will receive college credit. Focus will placed on identification of minerals, rock types, rock deposition, plate tectonics, volcanism, weathering, glaciations, and geologic time. The unique geologic features of Northern Ohio will be used as examples. Prerequisites: CC+ standards. Enrollment in Astronomy either before or after the class is suggested, but not required. This class meets one period daily for one 1 unit of credit.

Textbooks:

  1. The Good Earth: Introduction to Earth Science
    D. McConnell et al. 2007

Assessments:

Chapter and Unit Tests - Final (cumulative) - case study project 

Tentative Course Outline

 

Week

M/T lecture

Wed activity

Tr/F Lecture

1
Ch. 1 Intro
CHPT:1.1-1.20
Ch. 1 Earth as a System
2
Ch. 2 Earth in Space

Movie: Fireballs
CHPT:2.1, 2,5, 11, 14, 15, 17-19, 25, 3.1-3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 18

Ch. 3 Near Earth Objects
3

Ch. 4 Earth & Plate Tectonics

CHPT:4.1-3, 5, 7, 9-12, 19
Ch. 4 Plate Boundaries
4
EXAM 1
CHPT: 5.1-3
Ch. 5 Deformation and Faults
5
Ch. 5 Earthquakes

Seismic Wave Activity, CO2 activity

CHPT: 5.5, 8-12, 14, 15, 18-20

Ch. 5 & 6 Earthquakes & Volcanoes
6
Ch. 6 Volcanoes & Other Mountain Formations

Viscosity Lab

CHPT:6.1-3, 6, 8, 9, 13-15, 17-21, 24-26

Ch. 6 Other Mountain Formations
7
Ch. 7 Earth Materials: Minerals & Igneous Rocks

Mineral Classification Lab
CHPT: 7.1-3, 5, 7, 9-11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21-24

Ch.7 Earth Materials: Sedimentary & Metamorphic Rock
8
Ch. 8 Relative Time
CHPT:8.2-4, 6, 9-11, 14-16, 18
Ch. 8 Relative Time
9
EXAM 2
Geologic Time Line Activity
Ch. 8 Numerical Time
10
Ch. 8 Numerical Time
CHPT:9.1, 2, 5-7, 14-18, 21, 23
Ch. 9 Weathering
11
Ch. 10 Landslides & Slope Failure

Stream Cross Section Lab

CHPT: 10.1, 5, 6, 11.2, 5, 8-11, 13, 15, 17-19, 22

Ch. 11 Streams & Flooding
12
Ch. 12 Groundwater & Wetlands
CHPT:12.1-5, 9, 13, 14, 17, 21
Ch. 14 Atmosphere
13
Ch. 14 Water in the Atmosphere
CHPT:14.1-7, 9-12, 14, 17, 18, 23
EXAM 3
14
Ch. 13 Structure of the Oceans
CHPT:13.3-5, 8-11, 13-15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25-27
Ch. 13 Ocean current & Tides
15
Ch. 13 Shorelines

Time for Case Study

CHPT:15.1-6, 9-11

Ch. 15 Weather Systems
16
Ch. 15 Severe Weather

Time for Case Study

CHPT:15.13, 18-20, 24-26, 16.1, 2, 5-7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 22-24

Ch. 16 Climate past & Present
17
Ch. 17 Climate Change

Time for Case Study

Ecological Footprint Activity

CHPT:17.1, 2, 5-9, 12, 13, 17, 21-24

Case Study Presentation