GEOL 1404 - Historical Geology

4 credit hours. 3 lecture hours. 3 lab hours.

interpreted from rocks and fossils.

This laboratory-based course accompanies GEOL 1304, Historical Geology. Laboratory activities will

introduce methods used by scientists to interpret the history of life and major events in the physical

development of Earth from rocks and fossils.

Additional Fees: $24

Measurable Learning Outcomes:
Describe how the application of the scientific method has led to our current understanding of Earth history.

Explain the historical development of Geology as a science and how it was influenced by early interpretations

of fossils and the theory of evolution.

Communicate how principles of relative and numerical age dating have been used to develop the Geologic

Time Scale.

Describe the processes involved in the formation and differentiation of the Earth and identify major

milestones in the physical evolution of the planet.

Identify the major milestones in the evolution of life from its initial inorganic stages, through development of

the major animal and plant groups, to mass extinctions.

Explain how rocks and fossils are used to interpret ancient environments.

Identify the major tectonic events in the geologic evolution of North America.

Classify and interpret depositional environments using sedimentary rocks and fossils.

Taxonomically classify samples of geologically important fossil groups and use them to interpret the age of

rocks on the Geologic Time Scale.

Apply relative and numerical age-dating techniques to construct geologic histories including the correlation of

stratigraphic sections.

Reconstruct past continental configurations.

Integrate multiple types of data to interpret Earth history.