Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    EASC

 Course #:    111

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5.5

 CIP:    n/a

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

Hands-on (i.e. lab-based) exploration of Earth sciences developing understanding of the interactions of matter and energy in Earth processes such as rock formation, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanism. The inquiry also develops tools to understand how Earth has changed over geologic time-scales. Lab included. This course is open to all students and is strongly recommended for the Associate in Education and Early Childhood Education degrees, and is a �highly desired� science course for students pursuing Woodring College of Education's ECE or Elementary Ed. programs at WWU. The suggested sequence is PHYS 111 followed by EASC 111.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: ENGL 099 with a grade of "C" or higher (or placement into college-level English); and either placement into OR co-enrollment in OR completion of a college-level Math course with a grade of "C" or higher.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 44

Lab: 22

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Natural Sciences  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Be able to explain the processes by which scientific understanding is developed and improved.
2. Demonstrate understanding of the differences between scientific theories, hypotheses, laws and of the nature of scientific uncertainty in their development.
3. Articulate different learning styles through group work in discussion and laboratory activities.
4. Describe methods for promoting scientific literacy.
5. Develop hypotheses and design experiments to answer basic questions they have identified.
6. Construct models explaining the components of systems and their interactions.
7. Read and interpret scientific data presented graphically including on maps.
8. Demonstrate understanding that sufficient data and multiple fundamental scientific theories are needed to explain complex systems and that these theories evolve.
9. Interpret simple observations to demonstrate understanding of the state and/or structure of matter in Earth materials including rocks, tectonic plates, fossils etc.
10. Demonstrate understanding of the source(s) of-, and role(s) of energy in processes such as earthquakes, volcanism, erosion and metamorphism that modify Earth materials.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

1. How do we know about things that we can�t observe directly such as the Earth�s interior and processes and events in the geologic past?
2. How do rocks tell us about Earth�s processes and history?
3. Why does Earth have such varied topography (i.e. high mountains and deep oceans)?
4. How do we know about Earth�s tectonic plates and how they interact?
5. How does outward heat transfer (energy) from inside Earth affect Earth�s surface?
6. How do water, wind, and ice movement redistribute the Sun�s (heat) energy, and play large roles in modifying the Earth�s surface?
7. How does physical evidence, such as fossils, relationships between rock units, and radioisotopic dating, support the idea that Earth has changed (evolved) over billions of years?