Courses and Materials
Part of the InTeGrate University of Northern Colorado Program Model
Courses
SCI 291 - Scientific Writing (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)
Instructor: Byron Straw
Term(s) and Year(s) Offered: 2015-Present
Course Level: Introductory (the course fulfills a general education requirement at UNCO)
Syllabus Scientific Writing Course Syllabus
During Spring semester 2016 the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) implemented a new pedagogy while teaching Scientific Writing (SCI-291) in order to help non-geoscience students understand the importance of environmental issues facing society today. Traditionally, during the first two weeks of a SCI-291 class, the students are given the task of creating a title for a term paper that will be developed throughout the semester. Additionally, the students will use the finished manuscript to produce a scientific poster that will be presented at the end of the semester during the departmental "Poster Fest." This event simulates professional presentations and gives students the experience needed for this type of environment and growth in their scientific discipline.
ESCI 200 Introduction to Environmental Earth Sciences (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)
Instructor: Steven Anderson
Term(s) and Year(s) Offered: Fall 2016
Course Level: Introductory (the course is required for students with an Environmental Science emphasis in their Earth Science major. It also fulfills a general education requirement at UNCO.)
Syllabus (Acrobat (PDF) 589kB Nov14 16)
Course Description: This lecture/lab course is an exploration of the complex changes in the Earth's environment, the science behind these changes, and impacts on human populations requiring interdisciplinary strategies to solve problems.
The course was formulated by considering the concepts and skills that our environmental geoscience majors should know as they prepare for upper division work. It also assumes that a significant number of students will not use this as an entry point into a geoscience major, but instead use this as perhaps their only exposure to environmental geoscience topics. Therefore, the course blends basic background information needed to understand modern topics such as hydrology, energy, and geologic hazards that are presented over the course of a semester. Labs focus on developing quantitative and technological skills to build the students' self-efficacy with respect to using mathematics to solve problems, with the lab content playing off topics presented in lecture. This is a new course offered for the first time, and will require significant update, especially to the labs.
OCN 301 Geological and Biological Oceanography
Instructor: William HoytTerm(s) and Year(s) Offered: Spring 2016
Course Level: Upper Division
Sustainability of Ocean Resources Research Project: Law of the Sea was developed for this course.
OCN 302 Geological and Biological Oceanography
Instructor: William HoytTerm(s) and Year(s) Offered: Spring 2016
Course Level: Upper Division
Carbon Through Time: Legacy of Energy vs. Environment was developed for this course.
GEOL 414 Ore Geology
Instructor: Graham BairdTerm(s) and Year(s) Offered: Spring 2016
Course Level: Upper Division
The Elements and Society was developed for this course.
MET 452 Paleoclimatology
Instructor: Cindy ShellitoTerm(s) and Year(s) Offered: Spring 2016
Course Level: Upper Division
Is Warming Natural or Anthropogenic? was developed for this course.
GEOL 460 Geomorphology
Instructor: Joe ElkinsTerm(s) and Year(s) Offered: Spring 2016
Course Level: Upper Division
The Role of Modern Human Land use on Geomorphology was developed for this course.
Teaching Materials
Materials Developed
Is Warming Natural or Anthropogenic? Students in upper division courses use global climate model results and a TED talk to consider human impact on climate through changes in atmospheric greenhouse gases and land surface change over the 20th century.
Helping non-geoscience majors understand societal impacts of environmental issues in technical writing courses
Students in scientific writing courses discover the interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues.
The Role of Modern Human Land use on Geomorphology
A computer-based lab using Google Maps and portions Ken Burn's Documentary 'The West' in a 400-level geomorphology course.
The Elements and Society
Students investigate where elements are extracted from, the need for elements in society, the scarcity and cost of many elements, and the societal and environmental impacts of extracting elements from the lithosphere.
Sustainability of Ocean Resources Research Project: Law of the Sea
Students consider the history and development of the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty, with a focus on extraction of natural resources from the ocean. Sustainability of a single resource is investigated in detail.
Carbon Through Time: Legacy of Energy vs. Environment Students collect and analyze geological and biological materials for carbon content in order to investigate carbon through time. Implications for energy production now and in the future are explored in the context of carbon cycling in the oceans, the atmosphere, and the geosphere.