Course

Objective:

Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the scientific method, Earth's systems, structure, and the various branches of geological study.
• Compare the physical properties of metals, minerals and rocks, including sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks and the roles they play in sustaining life on earth.
• Describe the processes of mechanical and chemical weathering, erosion, soil structure and type, the types of stress leading to rock deformation and the causes of various geological folds and faults.
• Summarize the structure of the ocean, marine organisms, oceanic ridge systems, basins, as well as active and passive continental margins.
• Describe characteristics of deserts in general and those in the Southwest U.S. in particular.
• Categorize types of glaciers, glacier movement, glacier budget, erosion, deposition, glaciation and causes of glaciation.
• Summarize Earth history and draw connections between geologic principles and real-world problems, such as natural resource exploration and environmental changes over time.
• Explain the internal and external forces that shape Earth through looking at the four spheres of Earth, the mechanism of plate tectonics and continental drift, and the cause of earthquakes.
• Explain the water cycle, distribution of water, drainage basins, stream flow, groundwater systems, the effect of erosion and deposition on landforms and how landform diagrams depict a landscape's geological progression.

General Topics: