Geology
Dickinson College
Using Large datasets to teach quantitative reasoning and analytical writing in a global climate change course part of Cutting Edge:Data, Simulations and Models:Workshop 03:Activities
Activities use EXCEL to manipulate and statistically analyze large climate databases of precip., temp, stream discharge, tree ring data, ice core data, and ENSO to determine climate relationships and forcing mechanisms. Effects of continentality, altitude and latitude across the globe are ascertained to enhance learning about climate zones.
Chemistry of Earth Systems part of Cutting Edge:Course Design:Goals Database
The course covers thermodynamics and kinetics of earth systems as it relates to earth surface environments. Much of the course examines the geochemistry of the different "spheres" and the fluxes and mass balances between them. The lab is analytical instrumentation heavy with short class projects to show the usefulness and limitations of an instrument to collect different kinds of geochemical data. Data precision and accuracy are key aspects in all these projects. There is a final class project on a local geochemical problem (differs each year with everything from water chemistry to the differentiation of diabase dikes and sills and country rock metamorphism). This course is mainly low temperature geochemistry (high temp is covered in our min/pet course) and helps with understanding of environmental geochemical issues.
