FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY State Univesity System of Florida
GLY 5021 Earth Sciences for Teachers
The Earth Sciences for Teachers (EST) course is a content course that will give you the necessary backround to cover topics such as geology, geodesy, cartography, meteorology and climatology that are part of many high school Earth Science(s) curricula. You may have several instructors, but you will primarily report to me as your designated EST co-ordinator The course has several elements:
You must attend and complete the examinations in one of the sections of GLY 1010 (Introduction to the Earth Sciences) This will give you the material which consists of the major part of the course. Your performance here will constitute 70% of your grade
You must complete 3 assignments throughout the term on the following topics
1. Geodesy and cartography
2. Meteorology and climatology
3. South Florida geology and hydrogeology. This will include one Saturday morningfield trip about half to two thirds way through the semester, and possibly one Saturday morning lecture prior to the trip. [may not be required in the Summer]
Please include your name, student number and a mailing address (so that the work can be returned to you) on all assignments .Your performance here will constitute 30 % of your grade
GLY 5021L Earth Science for Teachers Lab You must attend, do the assignments and examinations in a section of GLY 1010L(Intro to the Earth Sciences Lab). This will give you "hands on" skills at rock and mineral identification, map work etc. You will be graded by the instructor in this lab just as for other students. The instructor will pass along the grade roll to me
EARTH SCIENCE FOR TEACHERS ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment 1:
Introduction to Geodesy and cartography
In this assignment you will make notes (similar to lecture notes) on geodesy (measurement of the Earth) and cartography (the study of maps). Make these notes according to the outline laid out below. Use copious sketches and diagrams in your notes - this subject cannot be understood without them!
Shape and size of the Earth
The Earth as a globe: demonstations of approximate sphericity of the Earth
Eratosthenes' method of measuring the size if the Earth
True shape of the Earth: the oblate ellipsoid
Location and distance on the globe
Great circles and small circles on the globe
Arc of a great circle - shortest distance between two points on the globe
The geographic grid: latitude and longitude; Greenwich meridian; equator
Magnetic field of the Earth; relation of magnetic declination and inclination to the geographic grid
Illumination and rotation of the Earth measurement of time
Revolution of the Earth around the sun - plane of the ecliptic, perihelion and aphelion
Rotation of the Earth obliquely to the ecliptic
Illumination of the Earth: Origin of seasons, variable length of the day, solstices, equinoxes; significance of the tropics(Cancer, Capricorn) and the Artic and Antarctic circles
Local time and standard time
Time zones
International date line
Determination of longitude using a marine chronometer
Moon and tides
Revolution of the Moon around the Earth
Effect of the gravitational pull of the Moon on the Earth's envelope of ocean
Sping tides and neap tides
Representation of the globe: map projections
Problem of representing spherical surface on a flat piece of paper, developable surfaces
Conformal versus equal area projections; scale variations
Classes of projections: zenithal, conical, cylindrical
Properties of stereographic, conical, Mercator (standard and transverse) and Mollweide projections
Topography of the Earth
Planimetric versus topographic maps.
Representation of scale
Map orientation, grids and grid references
Representing topography: shading, altitude tints, hachures and contours
Sources of information
Many sources of information can be found both in FIU and County public libraries. Books on geodesy and cartography are in the GA 100-200 section and general physical geography in the GB 54-60 section.in the Library of Congress classification. The better encyclopedias and atlases may also yield some valuable information. The following books may also be useful:
Robinson and Sale: Elements of Cartography, Wiley
Strahler, A.N : Physical Geography, Wiley
Strahler and Strahler: Modern Physical Geography, Wiley
Noble, J.N.: The Mapmakers, Knopf (A popular book, but full of interesting backgound and anecdotes)
Due date for assignment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Assignment 2:
Weather and Climate
In this assignment you will make notes (similar to lecture notes) on weather (the science of meteorlogy) and climate. As for the first assignment, take these notes according to the outline laid out below. Again use copious sketches and diagrams in your notes - this subject cannot be understood without them!
Atmosphere
Composition of the atmosphere
Temperature variation with height in the atmosphere; environmental lapse rate; troposphere, stratosphere
Pressure variation with height; barometers
Outer atmosphere: ozone layer; ionosphere, magnetoaphere, Van Allen belts, the aurora (northern lights)
Oceans
Composition
Thermal stucture, salinity variation with depth
Radiation balance of the Earth
Electromagnetic spectrum
Insolation and albedo: contrast between tropical and polar regions
Rayleigh scattering (or why the sky is blue and sunsets are red)
Greenhouse effect of CO2, water vapour, methane (what is benefit of the greenhouse effect, why is it a potental danger?)
Energy balance in atmosphere
Daily cycle of temperature
Winds and wind circulation
Winds and pressure gradients; land and sea breezes
Coriolis effect
Cyclones and anticyclones; sense of rotation in northern and southern hemisphere
Global wind circulation pattern: Hadley cell trade winds, horse latitudes, westerlies,
Jet stream
Ocean circulation
Global pattern of circulation; gyres; Gulf Stream andf other currents.
Eckman spiral
Deep water circulation
Atmospheric water and precipitation
Humidity: relative, specific, dew point
Condensation of water vapor
Adiabatic cooling of rising air and formation of clouds
Cloud types (ninbus, cirrus, altus, cumulus, stratus etc)
Precititation: rain, snow, hail
Measurement of precipitation
Precipitation producing conditions 1: convectional and thunderstorms, orographic
Precipitation producing conditions 2: cyclonicstorms, cold fronts, warm fronts, occluded fronts
Tornados (an aside)
Precipitation producing conditions 3: tropical cyclones and hurricanes
Climate
Temperature and precipiation regimes as basis for climate classification
Some (certainly not all!) basic climate types: wet tropical, Mediterranean (wine country), marine west coast, Boreal forest, tundra
Many sources of information can be found both in FIU and County public libraries. Books on meteorlogy, climatology and oceanaography are in the GA and general physical geography in the GB sections.in the Library of Congress classification. The better encyclopedias and atlases may also yield some valuable information. The following books may also be useful:
Battan, L, Weather (2nd ed) Prentice Hall