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Learner Outcome
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Activity (optional)
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Assessment
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Identify, measure and describe common fossils and their morphology from examples
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- Repeated interaction with hand specimens and digital specimens in the classroom and homework reading and exercises.
- Specific classroom activities, for example:
- Digital morphology database
- Statistics of taphonomy
- Dinosaur skeleton disarticulation
- Ammonite fractals
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and online homework exercises on fossil identification; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Identify and differentiate methods of preservation of organisms in the rock record and distinguish biases of preservation.
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- Specific classroom activities, for example:
- Statistics of taphonomy
- Variety of preservation methods
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and online homework exercises on taphonomy; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Demonstrate how evolutionary processes, adaptation, and extinction relate to the history of life, diversity, and changing environments on Earth over geologic time.
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- Specific classroom activities, for example:
- Geologic time and phylogenetic tree
- K/T boundary controversy
- Milankovitch climate cycles
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and online homework exercises, and exam questions on evolution and extinction related to geologic history; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Identify fossil content and rock type to interpret depositional environments and ecosystems.
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- Specific classroom activities, for example:
- Variety of preservation methods
- K/T boundary controversy
- Milankovitch climate cycles
- South America/Africa connection
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and online homework exercises on paleoecology; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Interpret and construct paleogeographic maps and use them to hypothesize and assess the distribution of fossil and modern organisms
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- Specific classroom activities, for example:
- South America/Africa connection
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and online homework exercises on paleogeography; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Relate paleobiological data to (1) major events and trends in the evolutionary history of plants and animals and (2) major global events and trends (tectonic, paleogeographic, paleoclimate)
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- Specific classroom activities, for example:
- K/T boundary controversy
- Milankovitch climate cycles
- South America/Africa connection
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and online homework, and exam questions on the role of fossils in telling Earth history; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Evaluate the adequacy of the fossil record for tackling a particular question, and assess the quality of hypotheses based on (limited) fossil data
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- In class discussions of fossil data sets and paleobiological research goals culminating in written student evaluations and reflections.
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Assessment by individual write-ups and exam questions; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between processes and the timescales over which they operate
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- Cumulative learning goal for all in class activities. Students will develop higher order thinking throughout the quarter.
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Assessment by exam questions; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Accurately apply and differentiate concepts of correlation and causality when interpreting data
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- When posed withreal-world data, students will work individually or in small groups to evaluate cause and effect relationships or lack thereof.
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class, online homework exercises, and exam; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Use mathematical concepts and tools to analyze, evaluate, and present numerical data
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- Most classroom activities will incorporate mathematics.
- Homework reading and exercises.
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Assessment by individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and individual work for homework exercises, and exam; these will be assessed with a rubric and students should achieve satisfactory or better.
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Practice effective oral, written, and graphic communication techniques
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- All in class and homework assignments.
- Feedback will be given to help students improve.
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Assessment during individual write-ups of small-group work done in class and individual work for homework exercises, in class discussions, and presentations on class.
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