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2005 Salt Lake City Annual Meeting (October 16–19, 2005)

Paper No. 12
Presentation Time: 1:30 PM-5:30 PM

AN EARTH-SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR FULFILLMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-SCIENCE MAJORS: SCI 156, INTEGRATED GEOLOGY/BIOLOGY, AT RED ROCKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE


ATKIN, Steven A.1, JORGENSEN, Colleen2 and ZEILER, Kathryn G.1, (1)Natural Sciences, Red Rocks Community College, 13300 W. 6th Ave, Lakewood, CO 80228, (2)V.P. Instructional Services, Red Rocks Community College, 13300 W. 6th Ave, Lakewood, CO 80228, kate.zeiler@rrcc.edu

A two semester integrated science lab/lecture sequence has been incorporated into the teacher training program in Colorado. The first half of the sequence, SCI 155, is designed as an integrated science course combining the disciplines of chemistry and physics. The second semester (SCI 156) offers an integrated science class that examines the interplay between biology and geology. This presentation summarizes the progress to date in deployment of this earth systems approach to undergraduate science education with specific reference to the second half of the sequence (geology/biology).

Historically, students in the Colorado Elementary Teacher Education Program were required to successfully pass two laboratory science classes (geology, biology, chemistry, and/or physics). The integrated science program has been initiated to provide elementary school teachers a broader perspective of the interrelationship between science disciplines and presents the material in a fashion that makes sense within the context of today's world. The courses are designed to emphasize basic math skills, quantitative analyses, critical thinking, and reflection. The integrated biology and geology course covers the origins of the earth and life on the earth, basic geology and biology, interactions between climate and life, interpretation of landforms and ecology, and other areas of interface between the two disciplines. The integrated science program at Red Rocks Community College is only the most recent aspect of an on-going classroom and field program designed to merge the disciplines of biology and geology into an earth systems curriculum and has included programs in the Western US, Central America, and Hawai'i.

While this course sequence was originally designed for teacher education, we believe this approach will benefit other programs. Hence, we have submitted the sequence for consideration as fulfilling state-wide science requirements for non-science majors.

Session No. 124--Booth# 30

Geoscience Education (Posters)
Monday, 17 October 2005: 1:30 PM-5:30 PM
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 37, No. 7, p.280
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