COURSE:
REVISION DATE:
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:
Curriculum Committee:
Instruction Council:
Date Filed in Library:
GEOL& 101
COURSE OUTLINE
Please check the appropriate category for the level of revision:
ROUTINE
MAJOR
NEW COURSE
Department:
Geology
Number: &101
Title:
Introduction to Physical Geology
Credits:
5
Abbreviated Title (20 Characters): Intro to Geology
Weekly Student Contact Hours x 10-Week Quarter:
Typically:
Lecture Hours per Quarter:
Non-Lecture Hours Quarter:
Lab
Clinic
Other
Total Hours per Quarter (lecture and non-lecture):
60
6 hours per week
40
20
60
Intended Use of the Course:
A. Not Intended for Transfer, Typically Numbered Below 100
B. Intended for Transfer as Distribution: (please mark one of the following):
Writing Skills
Social Sciences
Quantitative Skills
Non-lab Natural Science
Lab Natural Science
Humanities w/o Performance
Humanities with Performance
C. Elective
D. Restricted Elective – Courses numbered 100 or higher that do not normally transfer to
baccalaureate institutions.
Course catalog description:
Study the geologic processes that shape the earth. Determine how the earth works and its history by applying
principles of geology, chemistry, and physics. Topics include plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, rocks,
minerals, glaciers, rivers, geologic maps, and the structure of the earth. May include field trips. Includes
laboratory.
Prerequisites: MATH 93 or higher.
Name of Originator:
Ralph Dawes
Date:
Signature of Administrator:
02/03/15
Date:
1
Revised 10/14
COURSE OBJECTIVES
I.
Student Learning Outcomes
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1.
Problem Solving:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
Quantitative Reasoning
Qualitative Reasoning
2.
Communication:
A. Oral Expression
B. Written Expression
C. Artistic Expression
3.
Social Interaction:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Collaboration
Ethical Conduct
Professional Conduct
Cultural Diversity
4.
Inquiry:
A. Information Literacy
B. Research
C. Documentation
List your principal course objectives and then match them with the Student Learning Outcomes
(SLO’s) above. It is important to note you DO NOT need to provide a
course objective to match each of the above categories.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Upon completion of this course, successful students will (be able to):
Describe (orally or in writing) the major topics studied in geology.
Distinguish a scientific theory from a hypothesis, and distinguish the colloquial
meaning of theory from the scientific meaning.
Describe practical and economic benefits of geology to human society.
Describe how geology is unique among sciences in its emphasis on history.
Explain observations of geologic phenomena in terms of geologic theory, as
demonstrated in lab reports and field trip reports.
Describe how the theory of plate tectonics accounts for earthquakes, volcanic
activity, mountain ranges, and the creation of the earth’s crust.
Determine the physical properties of minerals and identify several common types of
minerals.
Describe the earth as a system of interaction and feedback between life, rock,
atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Work through diagrams and concept formulations
involving cycles involving a system and exchanges between systems. For example,
describe and model processes involved throughout Earth’s hydrologic cycle.
Diagram the rock cycle, show how it connects to all other earth systems at various
points, and name and describe the main categories of rocks.
Identify several common types of rock and explain how each rock formed in terms of
geologic processes.
Read elevations, directions, and distances on topographic maps, and draw a
topographic profile along a designated line.
Identify rock types, rock ages, faults, and folds on geologic maps and geologic crosssections.
From geologic maps and cross-sections, write a geologic history of the area depicted.
Make systematic observations of minerals, rocks, and geologic sites in the real
world, and identify some basic geologic aspects of what they see using appropriate
geological terminology.
List rock formations and geologic structures in correct relative age sequence, based
on evidence in maps, cross-sections, or the actual world, using geologic principles
Describe how the geologic timescale was constructed by relative age determination
methods.
Explain the methods of absolute age measurement, including more than one of the
sources of data that are used to measure the age of the earth.
Identify, classify and describe types of mass movement. Identify and interpret
driving and resisting forces on various slopes composed of various geologic
materials.
Investigate the formation glacial ice, compare and contrast glacier types and past and
2
Categories
2 A, 2B
1A, 1D
2.A, 2B
2A, 2B
2B, 4B, 4C
2.A, 2B, 4B, 4C
1A, 1D, 4A, 4B,
4C
1A, 1D, 2B
1A, 2A, 2B, 4A,
4B
1A, 2A, 2B, 4A,
4B
1A, 1D, 4A, 4C
1A, 1C, 1D, 4B
4A, B, C, 1A, C,
D, 2B
1A, 1D, 2A, 2C,
3A, 3B, 4B
1A, 1C, 1D
1A, 4B
1C, 4B
1A, 1D, 4A, 4C
1A, 1D, 4A, 4C
Revised 10/14
20
present locations of glacial ice, and explain how glaciers and ice ages have impacted
Earth and local regions.
Recognize geologic topics in news reports and explain the geologic topics in a
broader or more detailed geologic context than presented in the news reports.
1A, 1D, 4A, 4C
Footnotes:
(1) A typical course addresses two or three of the four principal SLO areas, though one or all four may be acceptable for
a given course
(2) It is the AAS-DTA in total which covers all of the SLO’s.
3
Revised 10/14
II.
List core topics of this course.
1. absolute and relative geologic time
2. principles of relative geologic age
3. origin of earth in the solar system
4. radioactive isotopes in minerals and rocks (used for measuring ages)
5. minerals
6. rocks
7. the rock cycle
8. weathering
9. erosion and mass wasting
10. sediment deposition, sedimentary structures, and stratigraphic sequences
11. streams
12. floods (optional)
13. groundwater (optional)
14. glaciers
15. climate change in earth history
16. earthquakes
17. volcanoes
18. plate tectonics
19. earth’s interior
20. (optional) earth resources
III.
Text and Reference Materials:
a) The text and lab manual are the GEOL& 101 open course library, which was created by WVC and is
available online from the Washington State Community and Technical Colleges, currently available at
http://ocl.azurewebsites.net/geol-101-introduction-to-physical-geology/ . The text covers the above
outcomes and topics with the aim of achieving the appropriate level of up-to-date science knowledge,
affordability, and online and hard copy versatility.
IV.
Special Equipment, Supplies and/or Materials Required
Instructor equipment: Multimedia teaching station, including document camera with strong
zoom/magnification capability, computer with Internet connection, and video camera with adapter for
showing microscope images projected to large screen.
Student Equipment: Computer stations with Internet connectivity. Rocks, minerals, maps (topographic
and geologic), rulers, protractors, standard testing tools for determining the physical properties of
minerals (glass plates, bottles of 5% HCl solution, streak plates, hand lenses, pieces of steel for
scratching), low-power binocular microscopes for viewing rocks, minerals, sediments, or fossils in detail.
Other: Access to vans or bus for field trips.
V.
Transferability:
Least transferable
RESTRICTED
CREDIT
(as defined by
DTA and ICRC)
Most transferable
GER (General
Education
Requirement) with our
degree; Generally does
not transfer unless
with DTA completed)
GTC (General Transfer
Credit) Transfers w/ or
w/o the degree; Generally
transfers as credit without
completing DTA but only
as XX or no specific
equivalent course
COURSE EQUIVALENT
(please list equivalent
course descriptor/ number)
Transfers w/or w/o degree
because it has specific
course equivalent
GEOL 100
GEOL 101
GEOL 101
GEOL 101
ESS 101
Eastern WU
Central WU
WSU
Western WU
UW
4
Revised 10/14
VI.
Lab Fees: Course already has an existing Lab Fee:
YES
This is a NEW course and needs to establish a Lab Fee:
YES
Existing Lab Fee: $
20.00
Suggested NEW Lab Fee: $
VII.
Course Development Stipend Authorization. For course development stipends the appropriate
Dean must COMPLETE this section:
NEW Course development
Conversion of an existing course for
Online or
Hybrid or
NO
NO
Other (check one)
Major online revision (check one)
VIII. Changes: For your Routine or Major Revision, please list or briefly describe all changes
made to this course outline compared to the previous outline.
Updating Student Learning Outcomes
5
Revised 10/14