Class Schedule
 

Week

Date

Session Type

Class Topics

       

1

 

Reading

Blue Planet (BP) pgs 1-8 or The Earth System (TES) ch 2

 

Aug 29

Activity

Exploring Daisyworld

 

Aug 31

Lecture/Discuss

The Earth as a System

   

 

 
2   Reading BP pgs 272-275 and 478-488 or TES chs 3 and 16

 

Sept 5

Lecture/Activity

Planetary Energy Balance, Comparative Analysis of Planetary Greenhouse Effects

 

Sept 7

Lecture

Climate Change - Life in the Greenhouse

       
3   Reading BP pgs 272-282 and 294-307 or TES ch 4

 

Sept 12

Lecture/Discuss

The Global Atmosphere

 

Sept 14

Activity

Exploring Climate Zones

       
4   Reading BP pgs 282-289 and 303 or TES ch 4

 

Sept 19

Activity

Exploring Climate Zones

 

Sept 21

Activity

Exploring Monsoons

       

5

  Reading Class Notes

 

Sept 26

Lecture/Discuss

The Science of Weather Forecasting

 

Sept 28

Activity

Forecasting Tomorrow’s Weather

       

6

  Reading BP pgs 246-252 or TES ch 5

 

Oct 3

Activity

Exploring Density-Driven Ocean Circulation

 

Oct 5

Lecture/Discuss

Wind-Driven vs Density-Driven Ocean Circulation

       

7

  Reading BP ch 5 pgs 92-99 and ch 4 or TES ch 7

 

Oct 10

Lecture/Activity

Exploring Earthquakes and Seismic Waves

 

Oct 12

Lecture/Activity

Evidence for Plate Tectonics - Dredging the Deep

       

8

  Reading BP ch 4 and refer to chs 7 and 8 as needed, or TES ch 7

 

Oct 17

Lecture/Discuss

Life on the Edge and the Diversity of Subduction Zones

 

Oct 19

Activity

The Rock Cycle, View from an Ophiolite

       

9

  Reading BP ch 4 and refer to chs 7 and 8 as needed or TES ch 7

 

Oct 24

Exam

Midterm Exam

 

Oct 26

Activity/Discuss

The Rock Cycle -View from an Ophiolite

       

10

  Reading Class notes, BP chs 19 and 9 as needed, web resources specific to your project

 

Oct 31

Lecture/Activity

Erosion and Weathering - Reshaping the Landscape
Introduce project: Freshwater – Exploring a Delicate Balancing Act

 

Nov 2

Group Exploration

Freshwater- Exploring a Delicate Balancing Act

       

11

  Reading Web resources specific to your project

 

Nov 7

Group Exploration

Freshwater – Exploring a Delicate Balancing Act

 

Nov 9

Present/Discuss

Freshwater – Exploring a Delicate Balancing Act

       

12

  Reading TBA

 

Nov 14

Lecture/Discuss

What Goes Around, Comes Around - Biogeochemical Cycling

 

Nov 16

Activity

The Carbon Cycle

       

13

  Reading TBA

 

Nov 21

Group Exploration

Earth/Ecosystem Interactions  (Initial Exploration)

 

Nov 23

Holiday

Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class

       

14

  Reading TBA

 

Nov 28

Lecture/Group Exploration

Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Earth/Ecosystem Interactions (Continue group work)

 

Nov 30

Group Exploration

Earth/Ecosystem Interactions (Continue group work)

       

15

  Reading TBA

 

Dec 5

Group Exploration

Earth/Ecosystem Interactions (Continue group work)

 

Dec 7

Present/Discuss

Group Presentations – Earth/Ecosystem Interactions

       

Final

Dec 12 (Tues)

 

Final Exam: 12:45 – 3:00 pm

Final Paper: due 3:00 pm (please email as a word document to the instructor)