Download EPS 101 Student Learning Outcomes 1. By evaluating a

EPS 101 Student Learning Outcomes
1. By evaluating a set of data, the student will define a problem, pose a hypothesis, and describe how the
hypothesis can be tested.
2. Students will be able to state the age of the Earth and describe how geologists measure absolute rock
ages by radioactive decay.
3. Students will be able to determine the relative order in which a series of geologic events occurred by
applying the concepts of relative dating.
4. Students will be able to describe the compositional (crust, mantle, core) and mechanical (lithosphere,
asthenosphere, outer core, inner core) layers that exist in the Earth.
5. Students will be able to use the concept of isostasy to explain why continental crust is at a higher
elevation than the oceanic crust.
6. Students will be able to describe the three main rock types (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic)
and how they form in the context of the rock cycle
7. Students will be able to explain the evidence for the plate tectonic processes that occur at each of the
three types of plate boundaries.)
8. Students will be able to describe the geologic processes involved in formation and concentration of a
significant geologic resource (examples include fossil fuels and metals).
9. Students will describe the processes that are responsible for specific geologic hazards (e.g., earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, mass movement, flooding, etc.).
Outcomes and Rubrics:
1. By evaluating a set of data, the student will define a problem, pose a hypothesis, and describe how
the hypothesis can be tested. (addresses I, II, IV)
Observations and facts: You live in a town by a river. Prior to the rapid growth of the town in the last
few decades, the river rarely flooded. In the last few years, the river has flooded several times, much
more frequently than before. (6 points)
(a) Please write a hypothesis to explain why your city floods more frequently now.
If flooding is related to city size, then larger cities would have more flooding. Any reasonable
hypothesis is okay.
(b) Propose at least one test of your hypothesis, i.e., what data could you collect that would allow you to
either reject or support your hypothesis?
I would check bigger cities near rivers similar in size and location to my town and see if their river
flooded more frequently than mine. As long as the hypothesis is testable.
Exemplary
Student is able to write a
hypothesis that may explain
why this city floods more
frequently.
AND
Student is able to develop a
method to test their
hypothesis.
Satisfactory
Student is able to write a
hypothesis that may explain
why this city floods more
frequently.
Unsatisfactory
Student is neither able to
write a hypothesis nor develop
a method to test their
hypothesis.
OR
Student is able to develop a
method to test their
hypothesis.
Alternative 1:
You ride the tram up to the summit of the Sandia Mountains and find a limestone that contains fossils
that look a lot like sea shells.
(a) Formulate a hypothesis that could account for the presence of fossil sea shells in a rock formation
that is currently 10,000 feet above sea level.
(b) Propose at least one test of your hypothesis, i.e., what data could you collect that would allow you
to either reject or support your hypothesis?
Alternative 2:
Observations and facts: You are standing on a dry river bed and observe lots of fragments of rocks and
lots of mineral fragments of feldspar, quartz, minor amounts of biotite and amphibole. You observe
granite outcrops above the river bed. (6 points)
(a) Please write a hypothesis to explain how the granite becomes the rock and mineral fragments you
see on the river bed.
(b) How would you test your hypothesis?
Alternative 3:
In a region of high earthquake activity it is observed that structures built on sandy river deposits
experience more damage than structures built on granite bedrock.
(a) Write a hypothesis that describes why this difference in earthquake damage may occur.
(b) Propose at least one test of your hypothesis, i.e., what data could you collect that would allow you to
either reject or support your hypothesis?
Alternative 4:
On the ground near the west side of a composite volcano you find a thick ash layer but on the ground on
the east side of the volcano, there is no ash.
(a) State a hypothesis that could explain why the ash layer is much thicker on the west side of the
volcano than the east side.
(b) Propose at least one test for your hypothesis, i.e., what data could you collect that would allow you
to either reject or support your hypothesis?
Alternative 5:
Observation: You live in a town by a river that has grown dramatically in the last few decades. Prior to
the rapid growth of the town, the river rarely flooded. In the last few years, the river has flooded
several times, much more frequently than before.
1. Which statement below is a hypothesis that could explain why your city floods more frequently
now?
a. The flooding is related to city size: the larger the city the more flooding occurs
b. The current flooding is caused by the tropical climate present in the area during the Jurassic
Period
c. The flooding is increasing due to cultural changes within the city
2. How would you test the following hypothesis: The increase in flooding in my town is related to
the dramatic growth over the last few decades?
a. I would interview citizens in my city to see if they have also noticed the increase in flooding.
b. I would check bigger cities near rivers similar in size and location to my town to see if their
river flooded more frequently than mine.
c. I would measure the stream velocity and the volume of water within the stream over the
course of several months.
3. If growth of a city is defined as the percentage of paved surface area within the town limits,
which statement is an accurate interpretation of the data represented in the graph below:
100
80
70
Percentage of paved surfaces
90
Surface area of my town paved
60
50 stream flows and the paved
a. The data in the graph shows there is no relationship between
surface area of my town.
b. The data within the graph would support the hypothesis that
increase flooding is related to
40
the growth of my city
c. The data within the graph would not support the hypothesis that increased flooding is
related to the growth of my city.
30
20
10
2. Students will be able to state the age of the Earth and describe how geologists measure absolute rock ages
by radioactive decay. Rubric to follow below.
(addresses I, III)
Radioactive isotope X decays to daughter isotope Y. The half-life of the decay of X to Y is 200,000 years.
In the lab, you measure 6,250 atoms of X and 43, 750 atoms of Y in a rock sample.
(a) How many half-lives have gone by?
(b) How old is the rock? (6 points) You must show your math.
P (X)
D
HL
50,000
0
0
25,000
25,000
1
12,500
37,500
2
6,250
43,750
3
3 x 200,000 yrs = 600,000 yrs old
3 half lives have passed and the age of the rock is 600,000 yrs
Exemplary
Student is able to determine
the number of half-lives that
have passed
AND
Student is able to determine
the age of the rock.
Satisfactory
Student is able to determine
the number of half-lives that
have passed
OR
Unsatisfactory
Student is neither able to
determine the number of halflives that have passed or the
age of the rock.
Student is able to determine
the age of the rock.
Alternative:
2. Students will be able to state the age of the Earth and describe how geologists measure absolute rock ages
by radioactive decay. Rubric to follow below.
(addresses I, III)
Questions 1 to 3 refer to this text: You have analyzed a mineral has 2,500 atoms of X (parent isotope)
and 17,500 atoms of Y (daughter isotope). The mineral typically contains X but not Y when it first forms.
The half-life of the X to Y isotope pair is 1.5 billion years.
1. How many half-lives have gone by since the mineral formed?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
2. When there were 5,000 atoms of the parent isotope in the mineral, how many atoms of the
daughter isotope were present?
a. 5,000
b. 10,000
c. 15,000
d. 20,000
e. 35,000
3. How old is the mineral?
a. 1.5 billion yrs old
b. 2 billion yrs old
c. 3 billion yrs old
d. 4.5 billion yrs old
e. 6 billion yrs old
Rubric:
Exemplary
Student correctly answers
all three questions.
Satisfactory
Student correctly answers
2 of the 3 questions.
Unsatisfactory
Student correctly answers one
or fewer of the three
questions.
#3. Students will be able to determine the relative order in which a series of geologic events occurred by
applying the concepts of relative dating.
(addresses I, III)
Using the diagram below, please answer the following questions:
1. Which is older, rock unit C, rock unit F or rock unit K?
a. Rock unit C
b. Rock unit F
c. Rock unit K
2. What type of unconformity is present between rock units H and I?
a. Disconformity
b. Angluar unconformity
c. Nonconformity
d. Sedimentary
3. Which is younger, rock unit G, rock unit I or rock unit E?
a. Rock unit G
b. Rock unit I
c. Rock unit E
Exemplary
Satisfactory
Student correctly answers
all three questions.
Student correctly answers
2 of the 3 questions.
Unsatisfactory
Student correctly answers one
or fewer of the three
questions.
Outcome #5: Students will be able to use the concept of isostasy to explain why continental crust is at a
higher elevation than the oceanic crust. Rubric to follow below. (addresses I, II, III, IV).
1.
According to the principle of isostasy, the oceanic crust sits lower in the mantle than continental
crust because
a. It is thicker and less dense
b. It is thicker and more dense
c. It is thinner and less dense
d. It is thinner and more dense
2.
As sediment eroded from the continental crust is transported and deposited on top of the oceanic
crust, which statement is true?
a. Removal of the sediment will eventually result in isostatic uplift of the continental crust
b. Deposition of the sediment will eventually lead to isostatic uplift in the oceanic crust
c. The oceanic and continental crust will both sink farther into the mantle
d. Neither plate will experience a shift in how they sit in the mantle
3.
If mountains are forming on the continental crust, the implication from isostasy is:
a. The continental crust is only sinking lower into the mantle because of the added weight
b. The continental crust is not changing its position in the mantle
c. The continental crust is getting thicker and the base is rising higher in the mantle
d. The continental crust is getting thicker and the base is sinking from the added weight, but
resulting in a net rise in surface elevation
Rubric:
Exemplary
Student correctly answers
all three questions.
Satisfactory
Student correctly answers
2 of the 3 questions.
Unsatisfactory
Student correctly answers one
or fewer of the three
questions.
7. Students will be able to describe (or explain evidence for?) the plate tectonic processes that occur
at each of the three types of plate boundaries.
(addresses II and III)
For Questions 1-3, refer to the diagram below:
1.
What kind of plate boundary is seen in this map?
a. divergent
b. convergent
c. transform
2.
How did you reach this conclusion?
a. The deeper earthquakes are farther inland on Plate B, indicating Plate A is subducting
underneath Plate B
b. There are more earthquakes on Plate B, indicating Plate B is moving faster than Plate A as they
rub against each other
c. The number of earthquakes located close to the boundary indicate that the plates are moving
away from each other
Which location, 1 or 2, is mostly likely to experience a volcanic eruption and the reason why?
a. Location 1; Plate A subducts under plate B, this would cause magma to form in the
asthenosphere above the subducting plate, and volcanoes would form above it.
b. Location 1; Plate B subducts under plate A, because it is older and therefore cooler making it a
more dense plate and more likely to form volcanoes.
c. Location 2; Plate B subducts under plate A, because it is older and therefore cooler making it a
more dense plate and more likely to form volcanoes.
d. Location 2; Plate A subducts under plate B, this would cause magma to form in the
asthenosphere above the subducting plate, and volcanoes would form above it.
Rubric:
3.
Exemplary
Student correctly answers
Satisfactory
Student correctly answers
Unsatisfactory
Student correctly answers one
or fewer of the three
all three questions.
2 of the 3 questions.
questions.
Outcome #8: Students will be able to describe the geologic processes involved in formation and
concentration of a significant geologic resource (examples include fossil fuels and metals). Rubric to
follow below. (addresses III, V)
The diagram below shows a cross-sectional view. Where below would you think there could be oil?
C
B
D
A
a.
b.
c.
d.
A
B
C
D
OR
This is a cross-sectional view of sedimentary rock layers. What location below is most likely to
possess deposits of oil?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
A
B
C
D
E
Rubric:
Satisfactory
Student correctly answers
the question.
Unsatisfactory
Student incorrectly answers
the question.
9. Students will describe the processes that are responsible for specific geologic hazards (e.g.,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mass movement, flooding, etc.). (addresses III, V)
Question:
You are planning to move to a volcanic island. You have to decide between an island with a composite
volcano or an island with a shield volcano. You have to decide which island is safer.
1. Which of the following is true when you compare the properties of magmas from a shield
volcano and a composite volcano?
a. Shield volcanoes are intermediate/felsic in composition with low viscosity and low gas
content and composite volcanoes are mafic in composition with low viscosity and low gas
content
b. Shield volcanoes are mafic in composition with high viscosity and low gas content and
composite volcanoes are intermediate/felsic in composition with low viscosity and high gas
content
c. Shield volcanoes are mafic in composition with low viscosity and low gas content and
composite volcanoes are intermediate/felsic in composition with high viscosity and high
gas content
d. Shield volcanoes are intermediate/felsic in composition with low viscosity and low gas
content and composite volcanoes are felsic in composition with high viscosity and high gas
content
2. From the properties of the magma, you can infer that the shield volcano will be:
a. Explosive with pyroclastic deposits, ash accumulations, and lahars
b. Non-explosive with pyroclastic deposits, ash accumulations, and lahars
c. Explosive with lava flows and minor pyroclastic deposits
d. Non-explosive with lava flows and minor pyroclastic deposits
3. Which of the two volcanoes poses the greatest potential hazard to property and life?
a. Shield volcano because they erupt more felsic magma that is more viscous causing a more
explosive volcano.
b. Composite volcano because they erupt more felsic magma that is more viscous causing a
more explosive volcano.
c. Shield volcano because they erupt more mafic magma that is less viscous causing a more
explosive volcano.
d. Composite volcano because they erupt more mafic magma that is less viscous causing a
more explosive volcano.
Exemplary
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory
Student correctly identifies
magma composition at shield
Student correctly identifies
magma composition at shield
Student correctly answers one
volcano to be more mafic,
hold less gas and is less
viscous and that in composite
volcano to be more
intermediate/felsic, hold
more gas and is more viscous
volcano to be more mafic,
hold less gas and is less
viscous and that in composite
volcano to be more
intermediate/felsic, hold
more gas and is more viscous
AND
AND/OR
Connects magma composition
to explosivity and products
AND
Concludes that eruptions
from the composite volcano
are likely to be more
explosive (more gas) and
hence more hazardous than
those from the shield volcano.
EITHER Connects magma
composition explosivity and
products
AND/OR
Connects magma composition
to gas content and concludes
that magmas in the composite
volcanoes can hold more gas,
and therefore, more explosive
than those of a shield volcano.
Correctly answers questions 13
Correctly answers 2 of the 3
questions
or none of the three questions.