No AP Courses
in the Earth Sciences?
ESOP Fills the Gap!
Dr. Jim Ebert, SUNY Oneonta
Steve Kluge, Fox Lane High School
Dan Brownstein, Hastings High School
Why no AP Geology, etc.?
• Nationwide effort led by American
Geological Institute, American
Geophysical Union, Geological Society of
America and others proposed AP Geology
• “Not enough qualified teachers nationwide
to justify cost of course and exam.” –
College Board – There will be no AP in the
Earth Sciences
• Enter Oneonta ESOP!
Oneonta ESOP –
Earth Science Outreach Program
• SUNY Oneonta, Earth Sciences Department
• Director: Dr. Jim Ebert
• College Credit for Advanced Courses
– taught in high schools by high school teachers
• Student receive official Oneonta transcripts
• ESOP Student Fee only – no tuition
• Total Cost: $100!!!
• Equivalent part-time tuition and fees: $ 568.00
Proposing Courses for ESOP
• Teacher must hold a
Masters Degree
• Course must be
equivalent to an existing
intro course in the Earth
Sciences at Oneonta
• Students must have taken
Regents Earth Science
before ESOP course
• Ideally students are
Juniors and Seniors
Materials Required for Approval
• Teacher’s Vita
• Outline/Syllabus for
Course
• Examples of
Instructional Materials
• Approval Letter from
Principal or
Superintendent
• President to President
Letter (handled by Oneonta)
Materials Required for Approval
• Send
–
–
–
–
Vita
Outline/Syllabus for Course
Examples of Instructional Materials
Approval Letter from Principal or
Superintendent
• To: Dr. James R. Ebert
Earth
Sciences Department SUNY
College at Oneonta Oneonta,
New York 13820-4015
• or E-mail materials to
Ebertjr@oneonta.edu
Examples of Existing Earth Science
Courses at Oneonta
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GEOL 120 Planet Earth (Intro. Geology)
METR 110 Introduction to Meteorology
OCEA 110 Introduction to Oceanography
ESCI 100 Introduction to the Earth
ASTR 108 Descriptive Astronomy
ASTR 110 Introductory Astronomy
ASTR 115 Big Bang: the Creation and
Evolution of the Universe
Answers to
Frequently Asked Questions
• Students receive Oneonta transcripts
• ESOP courses look like all other Oneonta
courses on transcripts
• ESOP courses count as prerequisites for
other courses at Oneonta
• ESOP credit can be transferred to other
colleges/universities
• Many ESOP courses satisfy SUNY
General Education requirements
ESOP Courses Taught 2004-2005
• Fox Lane High School
– Taught by Steve Kluge
• Hastings High School
– Taught by Dan Brownstein
• 54 Students at these schools earned
college credit
• Both schools are participating 2005-2006
• Their stories follow!
History of Physical Geology
at Fox Lane
1982 – Proposal
1983 – First year, offered as “Earth Science II”
1986 – Students take “Regents College Exam”
Trip to the Catskills become part of the class
1995(?) – Regents College drops Geology
1999(?) – APES comes to FLHS
2004 – SUPA comes to FLHS
2005 – ESOP comes to FLHS
Course Content
Typical of 1st year undergrad level intro Physical Geology course
 Planet
Earth
 Mineralogy and Petrology
Includes:
 Plate Tectonics
 Earth Systems / Geomorphology
 Geologic Time
Course Content
Luxury of time allows deeper examination of content, more lab work,
and a small research component.
A key component is a major field trip during first month of school
The Field Trip has a strong science component…
Sedimentary Processes
Glacial Processes
The Field Trip has a strong science component…
Some hydrology
…and a little structural geology
The Field Trip has a strong science component…
Stream Processes
Karst exploration
…and builds a sense of camaraderie, too
Dinner for 37
Ready for adventure
ESOP at Fox Lane High School
 Introduced mid-year 2004-05 school year
 100% of Geology class enrolled in 2005-06
 Strongly endorsed and supported by admin.
 Strongly endorsed by parents
 Strongly endorsed by kids
The Impact of ESOP
on students
 Provides credibility across the board
 Creates a sense of parity with other courses
 Gives a sense of purpose to the senior year
 Is an incentive for students to work hard
 Guaranteed SUNY credit, likely credit elsewhere
 Looks good on the resume
 The BEST bang for the buck!
The Impact of ESOP
on teachers
 Provides credibility to existing geoscience courses
 Provides credibility to proposed new courses
 Is an incentive to examine/upgrade existing courses.
 Provides an good reason for schools to support field
experiences
 Is a resume builder for teachers, too!
Advanced Geology at
Hastings High School
An Alternative Approach to
Learning Introductory College
Geology
History of the Course
• Designed by Dan Brownstein and
Implemented as an Elective in 2001
• As of Spring 2005: Three College Credits
Through SUNY Oneonta
Design of the Course:
First 10 weeks: Local Geology
• Focus on the geologic story of the Lower
Hudson Valley and New York State
• Begin with Grenville Orogeny and end with
the Appalachian Orogeny
Foundation: Field Experiences
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Four field trips throughout the semester
Two locally in Westchester County
One in New York City
One in Hudson Valley near New Paltz
Field Experiences Teach Introductory Concepts
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Rocks and Minerals
Plate Tectonics
Weathering and Erosion
Local Geologic History
Second 10 Weeks
• Focus on Physiographic Provinces of the
Western U.S.
• More Complex Aspects of Glaciation,
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology,
Volcanism, Desert Processes, and
Structural Geology are Covered
Assessment
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Major In-Class Projects
Exams
Labs
Photography Project
Weekly Journal Entries
Offering Credit through
SUNY Oneonta
• Enrollment has Increased
• Greater Enthusiasm for the Course
• Majority of Students Enrolled Opted to
Take the Course for College Credit
• The Course is Taken More Seriously by
Students
• Viewed as a Viable Alternative to AP
Courses
Let’s Talk About ESOP!
E-mail Dr. Jim Ebert at Ebertjr@oneonta.edu or call him at (607) 436-3065