Course Details

Physical geology is a course designed to provide you with a broad picture of geological processes operating on and within the earth. We will be studying plate tectonics and how these global scale processes create, alter, and are responsible for the world around us. A wide range of individual topics will be covered including minerals, rocks, fossils, weathering/erosion/sedimentation, earthquakes, volcanism, and map reading.

1. Identify the dynamics of the Earth’s interior and its relationship with Plate Tectonics and the formation of plate boundaries.

2. Identify the rock forming minerals by their physical properties.

6. Recognize 20–30 of the most common earth minerals by applying only their easily discernible physical properties.

3. Identify the three major rock types and their geologic processes.

7. Classify rock samples representative of some of the most common varieties of the three major rock families. It is expected that students will identify with at least 60% accuracy.

4. Analyze geologic deep time and the geologic time chart.

5. Demonstrate map scale and location.

Your ePortfolio will account for 100% of your final grade for this class. This portfolio will be a work in progress throughout this semester. We will be pushing hard at the beginning of the semester so that you are only putting finishing touches to your project by the end.

To get started, go to the ePortfolio page