Introduction to Earth Science

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Apply quantitative analysis to understand the natural world.
• Analyze and interpret quantitative data to evaluate and test hypotheses about the natural world.
• Construct and interpret data tables, charts, graphs, or other representations of scientific data.
• Describe how Earth’s major subsystems are connected.
• Describe the nature and makeup of Earth’s major inorganic subsystems.
• Explain and describe the key process that occur within Earth’s lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
• Understand and articulate the nature and significance of important local and global environmental challenges.
• With a basic knowledge of the Earth and the processes that shape it, students will have a greater appreciation of our home—planet Earth.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Quizzes (4 at 10%)	40%
Exercises & Homework (~11% score avg.)	35%
Project	15%
Attendance	10%
Total	100%

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
93-100	A
90-92	A-
88-89	B+
83-87	B
80-82	B-
78-79	C+
73-78	C
70-72	C-
68-69	D+
63-67	D
60-62	D-
Less than 60	F

Attendance/Participation:

“Regular class attendance is a responsibility and a privilege of university education. It is fundamental to the orderly acquisition of knowledge.” – UNCG Catalog 2023-24. https://catalog.uncg.edu/academic-regulations-policies/university-policies/class-attendance/

If you attend and are attentive in class, you will learn more; it’s that simple. You are allowed to miss one of those attendance days for any reason without penalty (you are of course obligated to catch up on your own, on whatever you miss as a result). The % of attendance days for which your attendance is recorded is your attendance grade. Your attendance grade represents 10% of your final grade. If you have to miss class for a medical or university sponsored event, or other important, verifiable and unavoidable emergency, please inform the instructor immediately (within 1 day; preferably prior to the miss).

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

To enhance your learning experience and provide discounted access to the right course material, this course is part of an inclusive access model called First Day®. You can easily access the digital materials for your course right from Canvas. UNCG will bill you at the discounted price as a course charge for this course.

You have the option to opt-out of this program in the LMS. However, please be advised it is NOT recommended that you Opt-Out, as these materials are required to complete the course. If you choose to Opt-Out you will be responsible for purchasing your course materials at the full retail price.

ACCESSING DIGITAL COURSE MATERIALS: Mastering Geology, Exercises, and eText. This course is part of the campus’ course material delivery program (First Day Complete). The digital materials include the e-textbook and various supportive services and exercises through the publisher (Pearson) called Mastering Geology. They are required for the course. Once set up you can access them through Canvas.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Tasa; Earth Science, Prentice Hall. (15th ed.); Textbook is online only as part of Pearson’s Mastering Geology package accessed through Course Materials in Canvas. For reference, ISBN-13: 978-0-134-54353-6).