Plate Tectonics

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/plate-tectonics-i

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/plate-tectonics-ii

How Old is Stuff?

Readings

James Hutton http://www.eoearth.org/article/Hutton,_James

Uniformitarianism http://www.eoearth.org/article/Uniformitarianism

Charles Lyell http://www.eoearth.org/article/Lyell,_Charles

Law of Superposition http://imnh.isu.edu/exhibits/online/geo_time/geo_principles.htm#super

Age of the Earth http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/age.html

How Do We Know The Age of the Earth http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/gtime/ageofearth.html#age

Radiometric Dating http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/radiometric_dating.htm

How Old is the Universe http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_age.html

WMAP http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Video

Radioactive Dating http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1920gi3swe4

Cool Interactive Website

Clocks in Rocks http://www.sciencecourseware.org/VirtualDating/files/1.0_ClocksInRocks.html

Powerpoint Presentation

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/how-old-is-stuff

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student will be able to

- discuss the contributions of Hutton and Lyell to the development of the field of geology

- define uniformitarianism

- discuss why early geologists concluded that the Earth had to be much older than 6000 years

- discuss how scientists use radioactive dating to determine age

- briefly discuss how scientists determined the age of the Universe

The Earth- Basic Intro Part II

Readings

Structure of the Earth http://www.eoearth.org/article/Structure_of_the_Earth

The Big Bang http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-powered-the-big-bang/

Composition of Rocks http://www.eoearth.org/article/Composition_of_rocks

Igneous Rock http://www.eoearth.org/article/Igneous_rock

Sedimentary Rock http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sedimentary_rock?topic=49478

Metamorphic Rock http://www.eoearth.org/article/Metamorphic_rock?topic=50013

Rock Cycle http://www.eoearth.org/article/Rock_cycle?topic=50013

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should  be able to

- briefly discuss the characteristics of the different layers of the earth

- briefly discuss the origin of the Universe by the Big Bang

- discuss the three different types of rocks

- briefly discuss the rock cycle

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/the-earth-part-ii

Ecosystem Ecology: Energy

NOTE!!! By the end of this class you should be able to discuss what is WRONG with the diagram shown above!!!!!


Ecosystem ecologists focus on the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients through the ecosystem.  In this lesson we will focus on energy.

Further Readings

Ecosystems- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ecosystem

Ecological energetics- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ecological_energetics

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- diagram and discuss the flow of energy through an ecosystem

- discuss the implications of the energy pyramid on the population sizes and risks of extinction.

- discuss why the "inverted trophic pyramid" originally described in coral reefs was so disturbing to ecologists.