Weekly Learning Outcomes-2

Learning Outcomes Links to an external site.for Introduction to Physical Geology Week 1

1. Scientific behavior: Think, behave, and communicate scientifically and collaborate with others learning science and conducting research. This week you will do so by introducing yourselves to each other, engaging in online and in-class discussions, working through geology learning activities together in class, and conducting your first geology lab together.
2. Dynamic nature of Earth: Gather, show, and explain evidence of the earth as a dynamic, ever-changing planet. This includes the rock cycle, plate tectonics, and exchange of matter and energy among Earth systems.  This week you will be introduced to the rock cycle during lecture and lab and will break it down into more detail than you will find it listed on the Web.
3. Earth systems: Identify and describe earth systems, explain their chemical compositions and energy exchanges, and analyze their interactions and feedback effects on each other. This week you will be introduced to Earth systems and will perform an activity in which you define and name each major system and identify its chemical make-up and energy sources.
4. Rocks and minerals: Observe, describe, classify, map and narrate the origin of geologic materials. This may include minerals, rocks, and the unseen, deeper layers of earth’s interior, and may include fossils.  You will see a three-part division of the layers of the Earth - core, mantle, and crust - and start to think about what that really means and how else the Earth can be divided into layers. This week you will be introduced to the rock cycle during lecture and lab and will begin using it as an over-arching concept to connect different types of Earth materials together while seeing what separates them into different categories.
5. Geologic time: Put geologic events in order and determine the age of geologic materials. This week you will be introduced to the geologic timescale and will enter the names of eons, eras, periods, and epochs of geologic time into their correct places in the timescale.
6. Maps: Interpret spatial and quantitative information with maps and diagrams. This week you will see some glimpses of maps of the Earth as you are introduced to geology; think about how important maps are for studying the Earth. 
7. Numbers and graphs: Make appropriate measurements, numbers, calculations and graphs to test hypotheses and account for the behavior and properties of Earth. This week you will encounter such numbers as the age of the Earth and the review the evidence from which it is derived.
8. Earth hazards: Analyze, explain, locate, and prepare for earth hazards. This week you will go over some commonly known Earth hazards, perhaps hear of some you had not thought of as Earth hazards before, and briefly consider whether they are a hazard where you live.