The Earth's Record of Climate

Kevin Theissen, kmtheissen@stthomas.edu
University of St. Thomas a Private four-year institution, primarily undergraduate .

Summary

Course URL:
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change
Resource Type: Course Information:Goals/Syllabi
Ready for Use: Course Goals Only
Course Type: Entry Level:Global Change
Topics: Climate
Course Size: 31-70

Course Context:

This is a topical introductory course with no pre-requisites. The course satisfies the pre-requisite for all intermediate level courses for a geology major. The course has a two-hour lab and required field trip. This will be the first time this course is offered at St. Thomas.

Course Goals:

Students should be able to collect (in the field) and interpret their own climate/paleoclimate data.

Students should be able to access (i.e. from web) and analyze climate and paleoclimate data sets in various formats (tabulated, graphical, simple strat. column, satellite photo, etc.) and make logical inferences about climate and environmental change from the data.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

Skills Goals

Quantitative abilities-- working with data.

Working in groups.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:
Labs activities are designed to have students gather and work with their own data and to access and work with data from other sources. Homework activities will involve simple calculations (i.e. radioactive decay) and use of data (d18O) that improve quantitative skills and introduce students to the way earth scientists make interpretations with the various "clues" available to them. Students will be expected to work together in most lab and in-class activities. A final lab examination will allow students to work in small groups and use the skills they have developed to interpret the paleoclimate change of Minnesota using various indicators.

Attitudinal Goals

not provided

No Syllabus provided.

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