SYLLABUS
Earth Science Outside - Landforms, EDUC5220-382
Enrolls concurrently with USOE “OnTrack 34745 Earth Science Outside, LANDFORMS,
Wasatch Front.”
Summer Workshop – Taught in July
Note – this workshop is offered for diverse types of credit, USOE OnTrack, SUU, or WSU
with some modifications of expectations for homework. Read this syllabus for a general
sense of the workshop… know that some specifics are for SUU only.
For General Professional Development
1 – credit. 15.5 hours of contact time.
To qualify for credit, Southern Utah University requires that learners must complete 15 hours of
contact time per credit hour in any given course
Additional course information: http://www.earthscienceeducation.org
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Genevieve Atwood, Ph.D.
801-534-1894; 801-647-8155 (cell)
Office: Earth Science Education, 30 U Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
GenevieveAtwood@icloud.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This Earth science course prepares teachers to go outside and teach students what they see.
Teachers learn to “read” landscapes of the Wasatch Front. Landscapes are evidence of Earth
systems. Course content includes Earth systems processes of tectonics and erosion/deposition
and how these processes change global and local landscapes and landforms. The course is taught
outside using Salt Lake County places and vistas as outdoor classrooms.
LEARNING MATERIALS:
Earth Science Education’s sponsors provide course materials. Teacher-participants receive about
$50 worth of classroom supplies such as the course text (looseleaf format also posted to website), maps, models of Basin and Range tectonics, and images depicting Utah’s three
physiographic provinces.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1) Knowledge of the physical world
Participants will:
i. recall terminology
ii. categorize elements of landscapes
iii. articulate and illustrate fundamental Earth science principles
2) Inquiry and analysis
Participants will:
i. value observation as a way to obtain knowledge of Earth system science
ii. demonstrate curiosity about nature and about science through questions about landforms
iii. write a narrative about a local landform that coveys at least one concept of Earth science
iv tie their narrative to Utah’s science core and show relevance to students
3) Critical thinking
Participants will:
i. integrate knowledge of tectonics and sedimentation to derive conclusions regarding landforms
ii. distinguish (1) landforms, (2) materials of landforms, and (3) processes that change landforms
COURSE ASSESSMENT TABLE:
Day 1
Day 2
exercises
exercises
and HW01 and HW02
Knowledge
Inquiry and
Analysis
Critical
thinking
Day 3
exercises
and HW03
Day 4
exercises
and HW04
Day 5
exercises
and HW05
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
HW06 -ties to
science
core
x
x
x
COURSE OBJECTIVES
After this course, teacher-participants will be able to go outside with their students, teach what
they see, and discuss how Earth processes change Earth’s surface. They will be able to role
model observation, curiosity, and wonder. They will recognize expressions of local and global
processes, specifically, tectonics and erosion/deposition, and communicate their relevance to
students.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
REQUIREMENTS: Participants must attend all five sessions. The course assumes an hour of
homework for every class contact hour. Daily homework includes reading and written
assignments that culminate in a final project. The participant’s final project tells the story of a
landform seen from their schoolyard or neighborhood. The narrative is for classroom use
appropriate to grade. The Earth science content of the story generally includes concepts of
tectonics and/or erosion/deposition, and should convey sense of place.
HW01- Homework #1. What interests you (inquiry) about landforms and science?
HW02- Homework #2. Observe differences in landforms of Wasatch Front and articulate that
TECTONICS sets the scene for all landforms… everywhere.
HW03- Homework #3. Outline your narrative. What is the big concept? What should your
students understand? Demonstrate your own understanding of the two overarching Earth science
concepts of this course: tectonics and erosion/deposition.
HW04- Homework #4. Work collaboratively on each other’s narratives. Think critically about
concepts of tectonics and erosion/deposition by explaining to each other.
HW05- Homework #5. Your literary piece: a narrative, written and illustrated, appropriate to
grade, analyzes a landform familiar to your students and conveys a concept of Earth science
HW06- Homework #6. Identify and connect a concept from each day to the science core. This
assignment distinguishes requirements of EDUC5220-382 from USOE On-Track 34745 for
relicensure.
RUBRICS for Earth Science Outside Summer Courses.
Evaluations explore learning objectives of: inquiry, analysis, critical thinking, and content knowledge.
Course grade:
60% on final project (narrative for classroom use)
25% on homework assignments
15% on in-class exercises and interactions.
Consistently Advanced: A
Intermediate to Advanced: AIntermediate: B
Novice: C
Non-responsive or Inadequate: D
INQUIRY: Demonstrate curiosity. Appreciate how questions drive science.
Advanced: Higher order inquiry about: the nature of applications syntheses, significance; or causal
relationships. “Analysis Inquiry”
Intermediate: Mid-order inquiry calling for clarification of definitions or effects. “Comprehension
inquiry”
Novice: Lower-order inquiry calling for facts. “Knowledge inquiry”
Non-responsive or Inadequate
ANALYSIS: Value observations; Communicate Earth science concept(s) logically; Tie course knowledge to
Utah science core
Advanced: Embrace observations and uncertainty; Use evidence to draw logical inferences; Use theory
as a guide to test inferences.
Intermediate: Systematically articulate and record observations; Distinguish patterns; articulate theory
and course concepts using own words.
Novice: Distinguish observations from interpretations; Follows logic of text and classroom assignments.
Non-responsive or Inadequate
CRITICAL THINKING: Integrate theory with Earth science outside; Distinguish evidence outside using
categories from coursework; Compare and contrast nuanced processes;
Advanced: Gives examples beyond those of course; Clarify definitions; Articulate nuances. Abundant
specifics. Explores causal relationships.
Intermediate: Sees connections, can relate to personal experience, articulates contrasts.
Novice: States the obvious, Can give examples similar to those of course content. Desire to learn.
Non-responsive or Inadequate
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE: Recall terminology; Articulate Earth science concepts; Illustrate using one or
more learning modalities.
Advanced: Mastery. Can explain course content to others using more than one learning modality; Final
project conveys course concepts appropriate to grade with potential to interest students in Earth
science outside.
Intermediate: Solid work. Can explain course content and identify evidence in the field with coaching
from instructor. Draws conclusions using big concepts.
Novice: Getting there. Can rephrase course content using course verbiage.
Non-responsive or Inadequate
Attendance Policy: Students are required to attend all class times. Students may attend morning
or afternoon sessions and mix and match.
Emergency Management Statement: Outdoor classroom experiences have inherent risks.
Teacher-participants are expected to adhere and contribute to a safe environment including but
not limited to alerting instructor to concerns. Safety first.
Academic Integrity: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent. You expected to have read and understood Policy 6.33 Academic Integrity and the
current issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding student
responsibilities and rights.
ADA Statement: Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring
academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Southern Utah
University Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in Room 206F of the
Sharwan Smith Center or phone (435) 865-8022. SSD determines eligibility for and authorizes
the provision of services.
HEOA Compliance statement: The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P)
file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law. Detailed
information can be found at http://www.suu.edu/it/p2p-student-notice.html.
Disclaimer: Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments,
makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed
appropriate by the instructor.
PROGRAM OF STUDY
This introductory field-based Earth science course coaches teachers to go outside, recognize the
Earth science that surrounds them, and teach students what they see. Each session is held outside
and includes a walk of discovery, lecture, collaboration and in-class exercises. Daily homework
assignments solidify comprehension. Teachers learn to “read” Salt Lake County landscapes and
relate what they see to other places along the Wasatch Front. The course is taught outside using
local places and vistas as outdoor classrooms.
CONTENT: (1) Earth science concepts of (i) tectonics; and (ii) weathering, erosion, transport,
and deposition; (2) applications of concepts to the Wasatch Front; and (3) the geographic concept
of a sense of place.
SESSION
First
session
Second
session
Third
TIME
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
5 – 8 PM
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
5 – 8 PM
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
PLACE
Flat Iron Park (upper level)
Silver Hills Elementary
Jordan River – Arrowhead Park
ADDRESS
1675 East 8600
South, Sandy 84093
5770 West 5100
South
Park north of 48th So.
session
Fourth
session
Fifth
session
5 – 8 PM
8:30 – noon OR
5 – 8 PM
8:30 – 11:30 AM OR
5 – 8 PM
593 West 4800 South
FIELD TRIP leaves from
Hillsdale Elementary School
Silver Lake information center,
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Meet south side
3275 West 3100
South
Brighton, UT
opposite the general
store
Session 1: Recognize and describe landforms.
 Ask “why” questions… why various landscape features look the way they do
 Identify geologic and geographic features in Salt Lake County
 Practice thinking spatially. Discuss what is meant by a sense of place and geography.
 Experience directional yoga: stretch and point to cardinal directions and geographic features.
 Identify defining characteristics of Utah’s three physiographic provinces
 Discuss the distribution of Utah’s natural resources based physiographic provinces.
Session 2: Process Geomorphology… processes from within Earth
 Review distinguishing characteristics of physiographic provinces.
 Discuss map literacy, including how to teach contouring and how to read topographic maps
 Review evidence of continental drift. Discuss concepts of Earth’s magnetism, and isostasy.
 Understand how plate tectonics changes Earth’s surface.
 Discuss landforms directly attributed to tectonics including volcanoes and faults.
 Explain tectonics of the Basin and Range and seismicity of the Wasatch fault.
 Tell the story of Salt Lake Valley, the Wasatch Range, and Oquirrh Mountains.
 Discuss ways to introduce earthquake risk to children
 Discuss the theory of tectonics as an example of the evolution of scientific thought.
Session 3: Process Geomorphology… processes acting on Earth’s surface
 Review the process of sedimentation including weathering, erosion, transport and deposition.
 Recognize examples of sedimentation in Salt Lake County.
 Understand how the Jordan River and its tributaries are agents of geomorphic change
 Revisit directional yoga. Identify landmarks of Salt Lake County
 Review processes that change Earth surface: tectonics versus climate-driven change.
 Tell the story of Great Salt Lake and Lake Bonneville as evidence of climate change
Session 4: FIELD TRIP:
 Aggressively identify local landforms. Recognize that landforms are everywhere.
 Discuss concepts of relief and slope. Quantify steepness.
 Discuss how to teach students what they can see from their schoolyards.
 Discuss ways to “read” the changing surface of Salt Lake County,
 Apply major Earth systems concepts how specific landforms of Salt Lake County result from
processes at work inside the earth (tectonics) and processes acting on the earth’s outer
surface (erosion and deposition),
 Observe and compare the Wasatch fault and the West Valley fault zones.
 Recognize features of Lake Bonneville. Imagine Ice Age environments.
Session 5: Changing surface of Salt Lake County and climate change … Ice Age versus non-Ice
Age
 Observe, categorize, and understand evidence of glacial processes at Brighton, UT.
 Review how closed-basin lakes are historians of climate change.
 Discuss evidence of global warming and associated climate change.
 Discuss teachers’ content literacy projects. Link literacy and landscape.
 Discuss student reaction to these concepts and content literacy approach.
 Share classroom project / teaching moments.