Effective: 2022-03-31

Course Description

The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.

General Course Purpose

This course examines Earth Systems from an Environmental Geology Perspective.

Course Objectives

• Scientific Literacy
• Explain phenomenon using scientific principles
• Demonstrate proper usage of credible and relevant scholarly sources in support of inquiry
• Identify or apply methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge
• Organize and interpret quantitative or qualitative evidence
• Draw conclusions based on evidence
• Fundamentals of Environmental Geology
• Humans Role in the Geologic Environment
• Utilize the Scientific Method in Conducting Investigations in the Natural World
• Describe the concept of Geologic Time
• Describe how geologic time and the rate at which natural processes operate impact how humans respond to environmental issues
• Describe how Earth operates as a system and the interaction with humans
• Explain how population growth impacts resource use and environmental hazards
• Describe the concept of sustainability
• Earth and Space
• Explain the nebular hypothesis and the evolution of objects in the solar system.
• Explain the formation of the Earth and its role in the universe and solar system.
• Explain how extremophile bacteria are related to life on Earth.
• Explain habitable zones and Earth's place in the solar system
• Explain how comet and asteroid impacts have shaped Earth processes through Geologic time.
• Describe how the Moon was formed and its importance to the evolution of life on Earth
• Earth Materials
• Explain how atoms are created and assembled in minerals and rocks
• Describe why rock forming minerals are important to geologic studies
• Describe the earth materials and processes in the rock cycle
• Identify minerals and rocks
• Explain how rock are used to interpret ancient environments
• Plate Tectonics
• Explain the dynamics of large and small scale plate movements and their impact on humans and the environment
• Describe the types of Earth's internal heat and their influence on internal and external movements
• Describe forces that deform rock
• Illustrate the Earth's external and internal structure
• Describe the process of seafloor spreading
• Major types of plate boundaries and the surface feature indicators
• Hazardous Earth Processes
• Earthquakes
• Explain seismic waves and why some are more damaging than others
• Explain the difference between intensity and magnitude
• Explain difference between short- and long-term earthquake predictions
• Describe factors that affect ground shaking and structural damage
• List ways humans can minimize loss of life and property damage from earthquakes
• Describe how earthquake magnitude and depth are influenced by the type of plate boundary.
• Volcanoes
• Describe how the tectonic settings are defined by different types of volcanoes
• Explain the factors causing violent eruptive behavior of volcanoes
• List the types of volcanic hazards associated with active eruptions and dormant periods
• Describe the tools for eruption forecasts and how they can minimize damage effects
• Mass Wasting
• Characterize factors that affect slope stability
• Describe the different types of planes of weakness
• Describe ways in which water destabilizes slopes
• Characterize triggering mechanism for mass wasting event
• Describe the types of fast and slow mass wasting processes
• Describe ways humans reduce the mass wasting risks
• Streams and Flooding
• Explain the hydrologic cycle and its processes and reservoirs
• Describe the connection between stream channels, drainage basins and divides
• Describe how streams erode, transport, sort, and deposit sediment
• List human activities that affect severity of floods
• Recognize landforms created by fluvial processes.
• Coastal Hazards
• Explain differences between tides, currents, waves
• Explain how waves from deep ocean transition to shallow along the shore
• Discuss process of longshore currents the transport of sediment
• Explain how hurricanes form and cause destruction and loss of life along the coast
• Explain causes of shoreline erosion and retreat
• Explain how tsunamis form and why they are a hazard to property and people
• Describe types of coastal engineering and their consequences
• Earth Resources
• Soil
• Describe how soils form from rock and its composition
• Describe how soil horizons develop
• Characterize the relationship between soil erosion and sediment control strategies
• Describe ways to mitigate soil loss
• Describe how agricultural practices and deforestation impact soil and water quality.
• Water
• Describe the effect of porosity and permeability in runoff and infiltration
• Analyze issues in water demand and resulting pollution
• Describe how groundwater mining and over drafting can create water use problems
• Mineral/Rock
• Discuss the degree to which people in industrialized societies rely on rock and mineral resources.
• Explain why the properties of certain minerals make them useful in specific applications.
• Characterize the difference between mineral reserves and resources.
• Explain what is meant by an economic deposit.
• Explain the key geologic processes that concentrate minerals into economic deposits in the basic rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
• Discuss mining operations and factors of their environmental impact.
• Energy-Fossil Fuels/Alternative
• List the basic forms of energy, and describe some of the common transformations between different energy forms.
• Characterize how organic matter accumulates geologically and is transformed into coal or petroleum.
• Discuss why it will take years to scale up production of nonconventional oil resources to make up for declining supplies of conventional oil.
• Explain why conservation and efficiency must play key roles in limiting the impact of future shortages.
• Global Picture
• Pollution and Waste Disposal
• Explain the difference between point source and nonpoint source pollution.
• Describe methods of hazardous waste disposal
• Explain the impact human behavior has on different types of pollution.
• Climate Change
• Explain how the greenhouse effect operates.
• Describe how humans have disrupted the carbon cycle and how this affects Earth's climate system.
• Discuss how climate change can be triggered by orbital variations and then amplified by positive feedbacks.
• Describe the role the oceans play in shaping Earth's climate and weather patterns.
• Explain how the study of glacial ice core and glacial feedback mechanisms have led to a better understanding of the climate system.
• Discuss what a threshold is and how it relates to abrupt and dramatic changes in climate.
• Describe the basic mitigation strategies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and why it is imperative to begin making immediate and significant reductions.
• Laboratory Skills
• General Skills
• Use and identify Earth Materials such as minerals, rocks, and sediments in Geological Studies
• Utilize Topographic maps and Google Earth for analysis and interpretation
• Conduct on-site or virtual field studies to determine natural and human environmental issues
• Utilize GPS, compass
• Utilize field methods and equipment for water, soil quality, mapping, sample collection
• Write formal field and lab reports
• Engage with the connections between society and climate
• Connect topics discussed in lecture and laboratory observations

Major Topics to be Included

• Fundamentals of Environmental Geology
• Human Role in the Geologic Environment
• Earth and Space
• Earth Materials
• Plate Tectonics
• Hazardous Earth Processes
• Earthquakes
• Volcanoes
• Mass Wasting
• Streams and Flooding
• Coastal Hazards
• Earth Resources
• Soil
• Water
• Mineral/Rock
• Energy-Fossil Fuels/Alternative
• Global Picture
• Pollution and Waste Disposal
• Climate Change
• Laboratory Skills
• General Skills