A Revision of Historical Geology
Vicki HarderMary Dowse
Department of Natural Sciences
WesternNew Mexico University
Current Approach
• Geologic Principles• History of Earth
WesternNew Mexico University
The ProblemStudents frequently don’t make the connection between the principles and history.
WesternNew Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.
WesternNew Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.2. Earth has a long history.
WesternNew Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.2. Earth has a long history.3. Earth has changed through time.
WesternNew Mexico University
Big Ideas & Understandings1. Science is based on evidence.2. Earth has a long history.3. Earth has changed through time.4. The history of Earth is recorded in the
sedimentary archives.
WesternNew Mexico University
Significant Events1. Formation of the Earth• Solar nebula• Differentiation of the Earth• Atmosphere and oceans• Meteorite bombardment
WesternNew Mexico University
Significant Events2. Appearance of Life• Archean environment• Nature of early life• Prokaryote to eukaryote
WesternNew Mexico University
Significant Events3. Snowball Earth4. Oxygenation of the atmosphere5. Rodinia6. Cambrian explosion7. Trilobites and brachiopods
WesternNew Mexico University
Significant Events8. Leaving the water9. Formation of Pangea10.Permian extinction11.Dinosaurs, ammonites, and flowers12.Cordilleran evolution
WesternNew Mexico University
Significant Events13.K-Pg extinction14.Evolution of mammals15.Evolution of hominids16.Pleistocene glaciation
WesternNew Mexico University
WesternNew Mexico University
Science is based on evidence!
Significant Events
Earth has a long
history!
Earth has changed!History is
in the sediment
How do we know?
Lots has happened!
Potential for great change
Evide
nce?
Rocks tell a story
Evidence?
How do we know?
How do we know?
Observations
Revised Course Outline• Introduction to Class• Introduction to HG• Reading the Rocks• Precambrian:
Archean• Life• Precambrian:
Proteorzoic
• Geologic Time• Plate Tectonics• Paleozoic Era• Mesozoic Era• Extinctions• Cenozoic Era
WesternNew Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Introduction to ClassNEW: Google Earth exercise, measure from where they work or live to the department.REVISED: Superposition exercise to cover the scientific method.
WesternNew Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Introduction to Historical GeologyNEW: Reference LetterREVISED: Geologic time scale activities
Reading the Rocks: moved lithofacies exercise from Paleozoic.
WesternNew Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Precambrian: ArcheanNEW: Meteorite impactsNEW: Chaos
LifeNEW: Evolution lab
WesternNew Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Precambrian: ProterozoicNEW: miniGEEBITTNEW: Timeline (this was done for each era)
Plate TectonicsREVISED: Sea floor spreading activity converted to Google Earth exercise
WesternNew Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Paleozoic EraNEW: Cayuga Lake Basin correlation of outcropsNEW: Biostratigraphy
ExtinctionsNEW: Mass extinction—needs revision
WesternNew Mexico University
Revised Course Outline
Cenozoic EraNEW: Evolution of the HorseNEW: Cenozoic climate analysis
WesternNew Mexico University
Conclusions• Student comprehension seemed to improve.• There was an emphasis on evolution but no
complaints.• The activities were interesting to the students
and instructor.• Won’t go back to the old method.
WesternNew Mexico University