GEOLOGY 1-2: A YEAR LONG FIELD ORIENTED INTRODUCTORY GEOLOGY CLASS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Southern California is known for the variety and prominence of its many geologic phenomena and processes. Geologic study and knowledge is important for high school college preparatory students in its application to state environmental and resource issues. At Schurr High School, a junior-senior level geology course was created for college preparatory students. This class covers the topics taught in a typical college level introductory geology class including Tectonics, Rocks and Minerals, Weathering and Mass Wasting, Seismology, Historical Geology, Geological Environments, and how each of these apply and relate to a California resident. The course is further supplemented by single day and overnight field studies.

The single day trips include studies of the San Andreas Fault, Vasquez Rocks, Malibu Coast, and the Devil’s Punch Bowl. Visits to the local museums in Los Angeles, such as the Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits, are also destinations for the one-day study trips.

Overnight field excursions are designed to provide more in-depth geologic study, covering multiple topics. So far, overnight trips have been taken to the East Mojave Desert (for study of Desert Geomorphology, Volcanology and Karst Systems), Rainbow Basin (for Structural Geology, Stratigraphy and Tectonics), and Owens Valley (for Glacial Geomorphology, Volcanology, and Tectonics). I continue to explore additional field areas for inclusion in the curriculum.

This year will mark the sixth year anniversary of the geology class at Schurr High School. The class is now a University of California approved laboratory science course that meets college requirements. The curriculum continues to improve in scope and refinement; the number of sections required by student enrollment increases.