Natural Science 172: Earth Science
Spring Semester, 2012
Lectures: Monday & Wednesday 10:30 – 11:45 MLH 230
Laboratories: Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00 MLH 230
Instructor: Tom C. Walker tcwalker@lcsc.edu 792 – 2798 MLH 120C
Office Hours: Mon.
- Thurs. 8:00 – 9:30 Or
By Appointment
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The first eight weeks of this course is structured to provide you
with Earth Science content knowledge and the pedagogical skills for the
transfer of your newly gained knowledge to your future students.
I have aligned this course to meet the goals of Idaho’s Content
Standards for the Nature of Science and Earth and Space Systems. We will be
referring back to Idaho’s Content Standards as well as the National Science
Teaching Standards throughout this semester.
Course Objectives:
1.
To provide
pre-service teachers with an understanding of content in the biological and
earth sciences that is taught in the
elementary grades (K-6) in most states.
2. To foster enthusiasm and confidence in teaching
scientific concepts and processes through asking and answering questions
3. To model a classroom that encourages student and
teacher confidence by promoting teamwork and an environment that encourages
student exploration
Grading:
Laboratory
Attendance & Participation (8 @ 25pts) =
200
Notebook Entries & Data Collection
Daily
Participation/Discussion (non-laboratory) 13 days
This may include an occasional unannounced 5-10 pt quiz
Exams & Quizzes =
200
Earth
Science Concept Map =
100
Total =
500 points
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A > 94% |
A- 90 – 93% |
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B+ 87 – 89% |
B 83 – 86% |
B- 80 – 83% |
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C+ 77 – 79% |
C 73 – 76% |
C- 70 – 72% |
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D+ 67 – 69% |
D 60 – 66% |
F < 60% |
You are required to supply TWO notebooks for this course.
Your laboratory notebook will be a simple spiral bound notebook
for general information and data collections. This notebook will be used for
writing down general information; experimental directions, procedures,
observations, and measurements; personal discoveries, and/or any other
information you wish to retain for future reference.
You are also required to supply a Composition Notebook.
The Composition Notebook is the “Finished Product”. This is the
notebook that serves as your publisher. Your notebooks will be collected at the end of
each scenario to be evaluated for its organization and completeness.
Many of the Wednesday’s Labs will be conducted outside.
Please make sure that you wear or bring clothes appropriate for Laboratory work
and outside activities (sturdy shoes and any extra things in case of inclement
weather, i.e., hat, gloves, rain jacket…) Science does not stop due to
inclement weather.
General Information
Attendance:
Regular
attendance is necessary in order for a person to succeed in any class. If you
miss a class, it will be your responsibility to get the notes from another
student. There will be NO MAKE-UP LABS!
Participation:
Active
and thoughtful participation is expected and will count 40% of your grade.
Classroom etiquette:
·
Please respect
others’ desire to learn and do not talk in class; it is very distracting for
those around you as well as the instructor.
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Cell phones going
off and text messaging in class will NOT be tolerated! Cell phones must be stored away. If a cell phone goes off, or if I see someone
text messaging I will confiscate the cell phone and will hold on to it until
the class is over. This is your first
and only warning.
Cheating will not be tolerated.
In
the event of academic dishonesty, those involved will receive an
"F" grade for the assignment and will be referred to the Director
of Student Life. As defined in the LCSC Student Handbook, Academic Dishonesty
includes:
a)
Cheating—intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized
materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. The term
"academic exercise" includes all forms of work submitted for credit
hours.
b)
Fabrication—intentional and/or unauthorized falsification or
invention of any information or the source of any information in an academic
exercise.
c)
Collusion
facilitating academic dishonesty—intentionally
or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of Academic
Dishonesty.
d) Plagiarism—the
deliberate adoption or reproduction of ideas or words or statement of another
person as one’s own without acknowledgment.
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Week 1 |
Day |
Lecture
Topic |
Supplemental FYI |
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Mon Jan 16 |
Martin Luther King Jr. |
National
Science Teaching Standards Ch 6
Science Content Standards Activities with Interactive Online
Simulations Earth Science Activities and Lesson Plans Earth
Science lesson plans for K - 5 grade The Franklin Institute:
Resources for Science Learning I Know That (this is a cool interactive
web site for all ages) |
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Wed Jan 18 |
Introductions: Tom C.
Walker
Dr. Matt Brady Syllabi Scaffolding Inquiry - What
is Inquiry? Introduction to the Nature
of Science Idaho Science Teaching Standards National Science Teaching Standards |
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Week 2 |
Mon Jan 23 |
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Schoolyard
Solar System Activity Exploring Planets in the
Classroom Hawaii
Space Grant Consortium |
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Wed Jan 25 |
Planets in our Night Sky |
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Week 3 |
Mon Jan 30 |
Sun – Earth – Moon
Relationships |
NASA Near
Earth Object Program |
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Wed Feb 1 |
Eclipses, Equinoxes, and
Solstices |
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Week 4 |
Mon Feb 6 |
Weather Observations: Cloud
Charts |
Meteorology
Activities in the Classroom National
Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration |
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Wed Feb 8 |
Weather maps and
Predictions |
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Week 5 |
Mon Feb 13 |
Physical & Chemical
Weathering |
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Wed Feb 15 |
Rocks & Minerals |
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Week 6 |
Mon Feb 20 |
President’s Day |
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Wed Feb 22 |
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Week 7 |
Mon Feb 27 |
Soil Textures and
Structures Soil Textural Analysis |
Plate Tectonics
Classroom Activities & Lessons Paleogeography of
Southwestern US Allen Collins -
Historical Zoologist USGS:
Understanding Plate Motions USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory Fossil
Collections of the World Dendrochronology for Educators U.C.Berkeley’s
Geological Time Machine Putting Down Roots in
Earthquake Country USGS
Earthquakes Hazards Program |
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Earth’s History: Geological
Time Scale |
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Week 8 |
Mon Mar 5 |
Presentations |
Students present lecture Earth Science topic or Earth Science Activity |
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Wed Mar 7 |
Presentations |
Wednesday’s Laboratory Topics
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Laboratory Activity |
Lecture Topic |
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Week 1 Wed 1/18 |
Scaffolding Inquiry |
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Week 2 Wed 1/25 |
Planets in our Sky |
Astronomy |
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Week 3 Wed 2/1 |
Sun-Earth-Moon
Relationships |
Seasonal Changes |
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Week 4 Wed 2/8 |
Library Introduction to Research |
Weather Research |
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Week 5 Wed 2/15 |
Groundwater Pollution |
Water |
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Week 6 Wed 2/22 |
Stream Tables: Erosion
& Deposition |
Weathering & Erosion |
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Week 7 Wed 2/29 |
Field Trip Soil Textural Analysis |
Soil |
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Week 8 Wed 3/7 |
Earth Science |
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