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Course Syllabus

GEO 1225 Historical Geology Laboratory

  • Division: Natural Science and Math
  • Department: Geology
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 0; Lab: 3
  • Prerequisites: GEO 1110 or 1010 or permission of the instructor
  • Corequisites: GEO 1220
  • Semesters Offered: Spring
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2022
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2027
  • End Semester: Summer 2028
  • Optimum Class Size: 6
  • Maximum Class Size: 12

Course Description

In this course, students will learn to apply the basic principles of historical geology including rock identification, sedimentology, relative and absolute dating, fossil identification, geologic map interpretation, and interpretation of rocks in the field.

Justification

This lab is an integral part of an historical geology course as it teaches the skills necessary to continue as a geology major. Its purpose is to introduce geology students to some of the intermediate skills of a geologist. This course is required curriculum for geology majors and is designed to transfer as GEO 1225 to other public colleges in the Utah system of higher education.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify and interpret common rocks.
  2. Identify and interpret environments of deposition
  3. Correlate rock units using a variety of stratigraphic techniques.
  4. Construct and interpret lithofacies maps.
  5. Determine the relative sequence of geologic events in the lab or in the field.
  6. Determine the age of rocks given isotopic data or fossil content.
  7. Identify and classify fossils by Kingdom and Phylum and, in some cases, Class and Order.
  8. Identify the method of preservation of a fossil.
  9. Construct a structural cross-section from a geologic map.
  10. Interpret earth history using geologic maps.

Course Content

Students are invited to connect with the natural world and relate the culture and history of a place to the geologic processes that shape it and the ability to identify the materials present. The geologic history of a landscape will be explored as a means of identity. During this course, the following topics will be addressed using hands-on laboratory exercises. Any topic not so covered remains the responsibility of the student to explore.• Identification and more advanced interpretation of rocks.• Sedimentary environments • Application of stratigraphic principles• Constructing and interpreting facies maps and structural cross-sections• Relative and absolute dating and sequences of events • Fossil classification and methods of preservation • Using geologic maps to determine geologic history.Unique student perspectives on these topics will be discussed.