This is an introductory course that uses the geoscience context of the National Parks (Hawaii, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, Pt. Reyes, Death Valley, Grand Teton, Rocky Mtn, Glacier, Shenandoah, Puerto Rico, Isle Royale, and others) to explore the geological history of the Earth, and specifically the tectonic evolution of the North American continent.

Topics include plate tectonics of large continental units and smaller displaced terranes, global volcanism, large explosive volcanic eruptions, Earth’s depositional environments, the history of life (fossil record), meteorite impacts, earthquakes, mountain building, the origin of the Great Lakes, and records of extreme climate throughout Earth history.

Course Requirements:

Students will be graded on weekly quizzes (up to 12%), two in-class exams (44%), and a third (noncumulative) exam (22%) during final exam week.

Intended Audience:

Students who: Are interested in a 4-credit hour introductory Earth science course with laboratory; need an intro lecture+lab course as a prerequisite for Program in the Environment; need an intro course as a prereq for a major in Earth and Environmental Sciences; have an interest in the outdoors, aim to be a park ranger, plan a grad tour of the American West, etc.

Class Format:

The class format is lectures and a two-hour laboratory.