Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Search Home
 
Print this page
 
Geology
  

Geology

Recommended Prerequisite: Physical Science, Biology I and Chemistry I, or Physics I

Grades Offered: 10-12

Credit ½ - 1

SDE Course Code: 3205

MNPS Course Code: SC16607

 

Course Description:

 

Geology is a course that explores the origins and the connections between the physical, chemical and biological processes of the Earth system.  Students will experience the content of geology through investigations and observations both in the field and the laboratory, and through open-ended problem solving via cooperative learning and individual research.  Students will focus on the physical aspects of Earth processes and cycles.   Maps, minerals, rocks, geologic history, plate tectonics and external landform morphology are areas of study in geology.

 

Course of Study:

 

  • Earth Materials
    • List the sciences traditionally included in geology.
    • Summarize the early evolution of Earth.
    • Describe Earth’s “spheres”.
    • Discuss Earth system science and Earth as a system.
    • Summarize some of the relationships between people and the natural environment.
    • Describe the nature of scientific inquiry.
    • Explain the difference between a mineral and a rock.
    • Describe the basic structure of an atom and explain how atoms combine.
    • List the most important elements that compose Earth’s continental crust.
    • Define an isotope and describe radioactive decay.
    • Describe the physical properties of minerals and how they can be used for mineral identification.
    • Investigate the uses of minerals, give examples of mineral use.
    • Determine if minerals are renewable or non-renewable.
    • Discuss metallic and nonmetallic mineral resources.
    • Identify rocks and mineral samples using simple property tests and classification keys.
    • List the basic compositions and structures of the silicate minerals.
    • List the economic use of some non-silicate minerals.
    • Distinguish between mineral resources, reserves, and ores.
    • Diagram and describe the rock cycle.
    • List the geologic processes involved in the formation of each rock group.
    • Distinguish among sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks.
    • Briefly explain crystallization of magma.
    • List the criteria used to classify igneous rocks.
    • List the names, textures, and environments of formation for the most common igneous rocks.
    • Describe the origin of materials that accumulate as sediment.
    • List the criteria used to classify sedimentary rocks.
    • Identify factors that causes rocks to break down.
    • Explain the differences between detrital and chemical sedimentary rocks.
    • List the names, textures, and environments of formation for the most common sedimentary rocks.
    • List the common features of sedimentary rocks.
    • Describe the agents of metamorphism.
    • List the criteria used to classify metamorphic rocks.
    • List the names, textures, and environments of formation for the most common metamorphic rocks

 

  • Sculpturing Earth’s Surface
    • Describe soil composition, texture, structure, formation and classification.
    • Create a simple soil profile.
    • Describe the processes of weathering, erosion, and mass wasting.
    • Explain the difference between mechanical and chemical weathering.
    • Describe the controls and triggers of mass wasting.
    • List and describe the various types of mass wasting.
    • Describe the movement of water through the hydrologic cycle.
    • Describe the process of stream-flow and list the factors that influence a stream’s ability to erode and transport materials.
    • List and describe the major features produced by stream erosion and deposition.
    • Describe the tow general types of stream valleys and their major features.
    • Distinguish between the different types of drainage patterns.
    • Discuss the occurrence and movement of groundwater.
    • Describe springs, geysers, wells, and artesian wells.
    • List the major environmental problems associated with groundwater.
    • Describe the major features of caves and karst topography.
    • Describe the types and locations of glaciers.
    • Discuss glacial movement.
    • List the types of glacial drift.
    • Describe the features produced by glacial erosion and deposition.
    • Define the Ice Age and the Pleistocene epoch.
    • List the theories for the causes of glacial ages.
    • Discuss the roles of weathering and water in arid climates.
    • Describe the geologic evolution of the Basin and Range region.
    • List the types of wind deposits and describe the features of wind deposition. 

 

  • Forces Within
    • Describe the cause of earthquakes.
    • List the types of seismic waves and describe their propagation.
    • Describe how an earthquake epicenter is located.
    • Describe the worldwide distribution of earthquake epicenters.
    • Explain how the magnitude of an earthquake is determined.
    • List the other destructive forces that can be triggered by an earthquake.
    • Describe Earth’s interior structure and composition.
    • Understand the characteristics of earth’s layers and the location of major plates.
    • List the evidence that was used to support continental drift hypothesis.
    • Describe the theory of plate tectonics.
    • Demonstrate the dynamics and effects of plate tectonics.
    • Explain the differences between the continental drift hypothesis and the theory of plate tectonics.
    • List and describe the evidence used to support the plate tectonic theory.
    • Demonstrate how plate movement can cause major geological events.
    • Explain the differences between divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries.
    • Describe the models that have been proposed to explain the driving mechanism for plate motion.
    • List the factors that determine the violence of volcanic eruption.
    • List the materials that are extruded from volcanoes.
    • Describe the various types of volcanoes and other features produced by volcanic activity.
    • List and describe several intrusive igneous features.
    • Discuss the role of heat, pressure, and volatiles in the origin of magma.
    • Describe the relation between igneous activity and plate tectonics.
    • Discuss rock deformation and list the factors that influence the strength of a rock.
    • List the major types of folds and faults and describe how they form.
    • Describe mountain building associated with convergent boundaries.
    • Describe the process of isostasy and the isostatic adjustment during crustal uplifting.

 

  • Deciphering Earth’s History
    • Summarize evidence for  the dramatic effect of asteroid impacts and the mass extinction of life on Earth
    • Identify the stages of fossil formation.
    • Describe how index fossils and physical features used to determine relative age.
    • Describe the doctrine of uniformitarianism.
    • Explain the difference between numerical and relative dating.
    • List the laws and principles used in relative dating.
    • Discuss unconformities.
    • Explain correlation of rock layers.
    • Describe fossils, fossilization, and the uses of fossils.
    • Explain radioactivity and radiometric dating.
    • Describe the geologic time scale.
    • List the principle geologic and biologic events for each era of geologic time.

 

Reading: In addition to the use of the textbook, students are expected to read from a variety of sources including essays, studies, newspapers/periodicals, maps, charts, graphs, science cartoons, and other documents.  Students are expected to gain literal understandings of readings and also interpret, analyze, and evaluate information from readings.

 

Writing: Students are expected to write regularly and effectively in various domains including: narrative, descriptive, persuasive, analytical, and practical.  Suggested written assignments include: essays, journals, lab reports, and research papers.

 

Standards:      MNPS standards for Geology can be accessed at:
http://www.mnps.org/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=3353

 

                         State Geology standards can be found at:
                         http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/cistandards2001/sci/ciscigeology.htm


Textbooks:     Earth Science10th Edition; Tarbuck & Lutgens

                       

 

Required/Recommended Resources: