Tiffany Rivera: National Parks Geology at Westminster College (UT)
About this Course
An introductory-level course for majors and non-majors. This course fulfills the College's Science and Math and Quantitative Emphasis requirements.
15
students
Two 110-minute lecture sessions per week
National Parks Geology syllabus (Acrobat (PDF) 2.2MB Jun9 17)
Many of America's National Parks were designated because of their geologic beauty and history. This course will examine geologic principles and concepts through the lens of National Park Service units, as they often represent the most exquisite examples of geologic phenomena. Geology within national parks tells a story of the evolution of North America, from mountain building, to volcanism, to historic inland seas and giant beasts of an earlier geologic age.
1) Identify major materials that comprise the Earth and describe their origins and significance
2) Understand and explain the major internal and surficial processes that act upon the Earth
3) Infer the action of past geological processes from maps, outcrops, and other data sources
4) Understand the large-scale history of the Earth and the evidentiary basis that allows geologists to know that history
5) Understand the specific geologic history of Utah and the southwestern United States
6) Understand and explain the interactions between geologic processes and human activity
Designed for students of all majors, National Parks Geology introduces fundamental geologic concepts through the lens of America's National Parks. My courses have gradually migrated from traditional lecture-based sessions, to integrated lecture and active learning periods. By immersing students in InTeGrate materials, they became more engaged with the content and enjoyed coming to class. The use of three different InTeGrate modules throughout the semester provided students with a variety of activities to challenge them with concepts, quantitative analysis, map reading and creating, and societal issues that affect the National Parks.
The InTeGrate units bridged the gap between fundamental geologic principles and human impact and influence on the natural world.
My Experience Teaching with InTeGrateMaterials
I did not need to modify the content of the modules. However, I included the InTeGrate materials in my pre-existing activities in order to keep the appearance of all course handouts and materials homogenous.
Relationship of InTeGrate Materials to my Course
This is a 16-week course and InTeGrate units were implemented from the beginning to the end of the semester. In some weeks, two InTeGrate units were used. My course is built around rock type, beginning with parks with exquisite sedimentary rocks, followed by parks of igneous origin, and finally parks preserving metamorphic rocks and orogenic activity. I used the Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources almost exclusively within the sedimentary unit as we focused on the impact of mining on Utah's national parks. The Living on the Edge module was used within the parks of igneous origin unit, and Map Your Hazards was used as an end of the semester project to examine the local earthquake hazard along the Wasatch Front.
Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources - Students were provided all readings and PowerPoint files via the course management software.
Unit 1. Lecture topic: Geologic time and minerals (Semester Week 2). I modified an existing minerals activity to include the minerals, chemical formulas, and products featured in Activity 1 (Minerals and Products). We then completed Activity 2 (Economic Development and Resource Use) in small groups during the remaining class time. Color versions of the graphs were made available online. Students completed the TED talk assignment as homework, answering the questions as an online quiz.
Unit 2. Lecture topic: Zion, Bryce, and introduction to geologic maps (Semester Week 3). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. Activity 1 (Batteries as an Example of Consumer Demand and Mineral Supply) was completed in class in small groups, followed by the completion of the lithium and cobalt mining summary assignment as an online quiz.
Unit 3. Lecture topic: Canyonlands and Arches (Semester Week 3). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. Activity 2 (Ore grades, waste, and remediation) was completed in class in small groups. Each small group completed one section of the assignment, and we discussed all sections as a class. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Unit 4. Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz (Semester Week 3). Activity 1 (Review of Sedimentary Processes) was completed in class in small groups. I modified this activity to include both peanut and plain M&Ms, and used both water and vinegar as weathering agents. We used this activity to discuss chemical weathering from acid rain at the National Mall. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Unit 5. Lecture topic: Yellowstone (Semester Week 8). Unlike the other units in this module, I included this unit with the igneous rocks portion of the class. Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. Activity 1 (Metallic Sulfide Deposits in Yellowstone and Near Lake Superior) was completed in class in small groups. We summarized the activity with a class discussion surrounding which location would be better to mine (Isle Royale National Park is within Lake Superior, although not labeled on the map provided in the activity). No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Living on the Edge - Students were provided all readings and PowerPoint files via the course management software.
Unit 1. Lecture topic: Death Valley (Semester Week 13). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. The San Francisco Earthquake Probabilities activity was completed in class in small groups. This activity was a perfect fit for the quantitative nature of my course. Some students understood the math and probability quickly, while others needed additional help. We worked through much of the math as a class. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Unit 2. Lecture topic: Death Valley (Semester Week 13). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. The Risk Factors activity was completed in class in small groups. I used the non-Google Earth version. Students then completed the final assessment for homework as an online quiz.
Unit 3. Lecture topic: Sunset Crater, Craters of the Moon, and Capulin (Semester Week 7). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz, and brought a print out of the tables with the divergent boundary column of Table 1 completed. The Hazards at Divergent Plate Boundaries activity was completed in class in small groups. Each small group completed one section of the assignment, and we discussed all sections as a class. Students enjoyed this activity. I provided additional information on how to read and interpret seismographs and GPS data. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Unit 4. Lecture topic: Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada (Semester Week 8). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz, and brought a print out of the complete spreadsheet to class. The Risk at Divergent Plate Boundaries activity was completed in class in small groups. Students also enjoyed this activity, and were able to quickly learn how to read the GPS data through the provided InTeGrate PowerPoint. Each group examined the motion at one station, and each group plotted their direction onto a map projected onto the white board. The provided assessment questions were completed as an online quiz by the end of the class period. Students were assigned the Nyiragongo homework to be completed online within one week.
Unit 5. Lecture topic: Mount Rainier and Crater Lake (Semester Week 5). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. The Seismic, Gas and Ash, and Tilt Data activity was completed in class in small groups. Each group was responsible for one type of data. After all groups determined an alert level, and posted to the white board, we had a discussion about how different scientists can interpret data in different ways, and why this makes communication with government officials difficult. Students also shared how each type of data is collected and the significance of the type of monitoring. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Unit 6. Lecture topic: Mount Rainier and Crater Lake (Semester Week 5). Students completed the pre-class reading and assignment as an online quiz. We continued with the Seismic, Gas and Ash, and Tilt Data activity in class in small groups. We summarized the activity with a class discussion about which towns were the most at-risk. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Map Your Hazards! - Students were provided all readings and PowerPoint files via the course management software.
Unit 1. (Semester Week 16 & 17). Students completed the pre-module quiz and the Natural Hazards survey. Students also distributed the survey link to locals via social media. In small groups, students completed the Hazards, Vulnerability, and Risk mapping activity. The students really enjoyed this activity, especially because our campus is situation directly on the Wasatch Fault, and many students live close to the fault. No InTeGrate homework was assigned.
Unit 2. (Semester Weeks 16 & 17). Evaluating the survey data. Each group was assigned a question set to prepare graphs and analyze data. Students struggled significantly with the use of Excel. Much of the class time was used to explain Excel, rather than interpretation of the data. If I use this unit in the future, I will compile all of the graphs ahead of time, instead of asking students to do this.
Assessments
I used many of the assessments (formative and summative) provided with the units and modules on exams, as homework, or as graded in-class assignments. Students were generally receptive to the questions, particularly if they were in class when we completed the activity. When studying for exams, students would revisit their InTeGrate materials as they knew they could expect questions relating to the activities on the test.
Outcomes
I had hoped that my students would 1) understand the geologic processes involved to create the landscapes observed at America's National Parks; and 2) recognize the importance of geology within our society - from mining to natural hazards - and how personal decisions can have regional and global affects. I feel that my students achieved both of these goals. Some students were captivated by the impacts of mining on National Parks in Utah, and began to question their consumer habits. Other students were particularly interested in the earthquake hazard here in Salt Lake City, and began to address awareness and preparedness on campus. Overall, the InTeGrate materials were able to assist in bringing awareness of how geology and society are intertwined, and students gained a newfound appreciation for the role that geology plays in their daily lives.
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