GEOL115-16S2 (C) Semester Two 2016

The Dynamic Earth System

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 11 July 2016
End Date: Sunday, 13 November 2016
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 24 July 2016
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 9 October 2016

Description

The 4.55 billion year story of Earth is a story of constant renewal and interaction among tectonics, rocks, water, plants, animals, soil and air. The Dynamic Earth System teaches you how to read this story present in both the rock record and Earth's modern natural environment.

The 4.55 billion year story of Earth has a single unifying theme: change. Entire continents have come and gone and more than 99.9% of Earth’s life forms are now extinct. You can even find marine fossils on the top of Mount Everest, and whole oceans have disappeared as continents have collided in prolonged periods of mountain building. The story of Earth is a story of constant renewal and interaction among tectonics, rocks, water, plants, animals, soil and air. The Dynamic Earth System teaches you how to read this story present in both the rock record and Earth’s modern natural environment.

Lectures :
3 one-hour lectures per week: schedule to be advised by Centralised Timetabling

Laboratories and tutorials:
1 lab (2.5 hours duration – 5 streams) or 1 tutorial per week (1 hour duration). schedule to be advised by Centralised Timetabling
Occurrence of labs and tutorials is shown on the lecture timetable over the page.
Laboratories are held in the Stage 1 classroom (von Haast 101) on the ground floor of the Geological Sciences Department.

Learning Outcomes

  • Goal of the Course:
    To introduce students to concepts of earth System Science as they relate to the Earth through geological history.

    Students completing The Dynamic Earth System will be able to:
    1)  explain fundamental geological concepts and terms.
    2)  observe, describe and identify major fossil groups and chemical systems and their interactions
    3)  interpret earth processes and events using scientific observations, knowledge and reasoning.
    4)  discover and explain how Earth works as a system of interacting components across geological timescales.
    5)  understand geological processes, hazards and resources relevant to society.
    6)  identify and solve common geological problems by synthesizing multiple independent observations
    7)  identify, evaluate and reflect on potential career paths and professional opportunities in earth science.

    Summary of the Course Content
    The topics coved by this course are:

  •  Chemical Reactions that Drive the Earth System
  •  Origin of Universe, Solar System, Earth, Moon, Oceans and Life
  •  Evolution of Early Life
  •  Causes and Casualties of Mass Extinctions
  •  How plants changed the atmosphere and the evolution of dinosaurs, birds and mammals
  •  Evolution of New Zealand’s biota
  •  Tectonic, topographic, climatic and biologic evolution of Earth
  •  Human Evolution and the Great Human Migration
  •  Soils, Nutrients and Feeding the Planet
  •  Water Cycle and Sustainable Water Resource Utilisation
  •  Applications of Earth System Science to Modern Science Challenges

Prerequisites

RP: GEOL111

Restrictions

GEOL112

Recommended Preparation

Course Coordinator

For further information see School of Earth and Environment Head of Department

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Short Answer Test 20% Short Answer Test
Laboratory Quizzes and Problem Sets 20% Laboratory Quizzes and Problem Sets
Practical Test 20% Practical Test
GEOL115 40% Final Exam

Notes

Relationship of GEOL115 to other courses:

GEOL115: The Dynamic Earth System is designed as a general interest paper that may add breadth to any degree and is suitable for students with no previous experience in either geology or other science subjects. GEOL115 is an acceptable prerequisite for entry into 200-level Geology courses when combined with GEOL111. Entry into GEOL 200-level courses requires 30-points of pre-requisite coursework at 100-level, including 15 points from GEOL111 and a further 15 points from either GEOL113 or GEOL115.

Students interested in our natural environment and how it works will find GEOL115 is ideal preparation for continued study of earth and environmental science courses offered by a number of departments, including Geological Sciences. GEOL115 is excellent preparation for GEOL240, GEOL241, GEOL245, and several 300-level courses covering natural systems and how they change.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $832.00

International fee $3,638.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 16 people apply to enrol.

For further information see School of Earth and Environment .

All GEOL115 Occurrences

  • GEOL115-16S2 (C) Semester Two 2016
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