A Revision of Historical Geology

1. A Revision of Historical Geology Vicki Harder Mary Dowse Department of Natural Sciences Western New Mexico University

2. Current Approach Geologic Principles History of Earth Western New Mexico University

3. The Problem Students frequently don’t make the connection between the principles and history. Western New Mexico University

4. Big Ideas & Understandings Science is based on evidence. Western New Mexico University

5. Big Ideas & Understandings Science is based on evidence. Earth has a long history. Western New Mexico University

6. Big Ideas & Understandings Science is based on evidence. Earth has a long history. Earth has changed through time. Western New Mexico University

7. Big Ideas & Understandings Science is based on evidence. Earth has a long history. Earth has changed through time. The history of Earth is recorded in the sedimentary archives. Western New Mexico University

8. Significant Events Formation of the Earth Solar nebula Differentiation of the Earth Atmosphere and oceans Meteorite bombardment Western New Mexico University

9. Significant Events Appearance of Life Archean environment Nature of early life Prokaryote to eukaryote Western New Mexico University

10. Significant Events Snowball Earth Oxygenation of the atmosphere Rodinia Cambrian explosion Trilobites and brachiopods Western New Mexico University

11. Significant Events Leaving the water Formation of Pangea Permian extinction Dinosaurs, ammonites, and flowers Cordilleran evolution Western New Mexico University

12. Significant Events K-Pg extinction Evolution of mammals Evolution of hominids Pleistocene glaciation Western New Mexico University

13. Science is based on evidence! Earth has a long history! How do we know? Lots has happened! Potential for great change How do we know? Evidence? How do we know? Earth has changed! Significant Events Observations History is in the sediment Evidence? Rocks tell a story Western New Mexico University

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. Revised Course Outline Precambrian: Archean NEW: Meteorite impacts NEW: Chaos Life NEW: Evolution lab Western New Mexico University

18. 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

19. Revised Course Outline Paleozoic Era NEW: Cayuga Lake Basin correlation of outcrops NEW: Biostratigraphy Extinctions NEW: Mass extinction—needs revision Western New Mexico University

20. Revised Course Outline Cenozoic Era NEW: Evolution of the Horse NEW: Cenozoic climate analysis Western New Mexico University

21. 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