ESS 536 Teaching Environmental Geology
Summer 2001
Class meetings:
Place: BB 219
Time: TR 10:00-2:15
Instructor:
Dr. Tim Lutz
Dept. of Geology & Astronomy, BB 231 (Boucher Bldg.)
436-3498 (x-3498)
436-2727 (x-2727) (Geology office)
tlutz@wcupa.edu
Office hours: TR 9:00-10:00 and by appointment
Textbook:
Environmental Geology, 8th ed.
Edward A. Keller
Prentice Hall, 2000
Course web page:
Many materials for this course, including this syllabus and agenda, some
lecture materials and lab hand outs, and exam study guides will be
available on the web at http://courses.wcupa.edu/tlutz/
Course description:
Population in the suburban Philadelphia counties is increasing as rapidly as in most
developing countries. The population density of Delaware County now exceeds that of
Bangladesh. As a result, our abilities to obtain resources, eliminate pollutants, maintain the
integrity of natural systems, and avoid hazards are being tested as never before, accelerating the
pace at which governments, communities, and individuals need to plan for, and respond to,
change. While public awareness of environmental issues has been increasing for decades, the
importance of the geological aspects of our environment remain poorly understood; and it is the
objective of this course to change that. You, teachers and future teachers, are the means to this
end.
The hydrologic cycle will be the focus of this summer’s course: issues related to the water
supply, storm water and flooding, water pollution, and erosion/sediment pollution are commonly
featured in our local news. We will bring the study of basic geologic materials, processes, and
terminology into focus using the lens of the local human “environment.” We will frequently
leave the classroom to walk or work outside on campus and to take field trips.
Students with disabilities. I am committed to giving all students a fair chance to learn. If you
have a disability that may interfere with your learning in this course please let me know as soon
as possible so that we can, if necessary, arrange alternative exams and activities. You do not need
to ask permission to tape record lectures. In fact, I recommend it to all students!
ESS 536 Teaching Environmental Geology
Summer 2001
Required course components:
Field trip reports (min. 3)
Field exercises (min 3)
Worksheets (min. 7)
Participation/attendance
Agenda development criteria:
Content:
Should interest students
Focus on emerging issues
Emphasize basic processes
Local relevance
Skills:
Ability to recognize pedagogically valuable features in our environment
Ability to find, organize, present, and interpret environmental data
Ability to localize the general
Ability to convey environmental relationships through visualization
Preliminary agenda
Week 1. Environmental geology  hydrologic cycle  watersheds  streams
Reading: 1 (all), 5.1, 10.1, 10.2
Week 2. Groundwater
Reading: 10.4
Surface water: water flow, erosion, and sediment transport
Reading: 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 10.3
Week 3. Floods
Reading: 5
Week 4. Water resources
Reading: 10.5-10.9
Week 5. Water pollution
Reading: 11