Course

History of the Earth

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Earth & Environmental Sciences
Course Code
EAES 1121
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
35
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Lab
Typically Offered
Fall
Winter
Summer

Overview

Course Description
This course is concerned with Earth history and the events that have shaped the development of the Earth. Topics include: the origin of the Earth, movement of Earth's tectonic plates over time, origin and evolution of life, mass extinction events, and ancient climates. Techniques used to date and interpret events of the past and reconstruct ancient environments will be discussed. The course includes practical hands-on labs. A field trip may be required.
Course Content
  • Origins: Origin of the solar system and planet Earth, origin of life, evolution.
  • Rocks and Minerals: Composition, texture/physical properties, classification and identification.
  • Sedimentary Rocks and Environments: Composition, texture, classification, identification, formation, weathering and erosion, soils, sedimentary processes and structures, depositional environments and erosional/transport agents.
  • Interior of the Earth: Structure of the Earth, plate tectonics, composition and structure of oceanic and
    continental crust, structural deformation (e.g., orogenies, rifting).
  • Time: Geologic time scale, relative and absolute dating.
  • Stratigraphy: Stratigraphic principles, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, lithofacies, biofacies, correlation.
  • Paleontology: Fossil observation, description, identification.
  • Ancient environments: Paleoenvironments, paleobiogeography, paleoclimate.
  • Major events of Earth history: Extinctions, supercontinents, glaciations, etc.
Learning Activities

2 hours per week lectures.

2 hours per week labs.

A field trip may be required.

Means of Assessment

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

 

Lecture and lab assignments, homework, project, term paper 10 - 30%
Lab exams, quizzes 20 - 40%
Midterm exam 20 - 25%
Final exam 30%
Learning Outcomes

After successfully completing EAES 1121, a student will be able to:

  • Describe the history of important events and people involved in the development of early geological concepts and the geologic time scale. Explain the difference between uniformitarianism, actualism and catastrophism.
  • Recite the geological time scale in terms of eons, eras, periods and Cenozoic epochs.
  • Describe, identify and classify the most common rocks and minerals. Explain the formation of sedimentary rocks and stratified and cross-cutting igneous rocks.
  • Describe the underlying principles of stratigraphy and fossil succession and apply them to sedimentary successions (stratigraphic sequences). Interpret stratigraphic sequences in terms of changes to paleoenvironment and paleolandscape. Correlate stratigraphic sequences.
  • Describe, identify and classify common fossil organisms (classification based on kingdom, phylum, class and order). Explain the basic principles of evolution and extinction.
  • Describe the theory of plate tectonics and how it relates to rock forming processes.
  • Recite and describe key climatic, tectonic and evolutionary events in Earth's history.
Textbook Materials

Students should consult the bookstore for the latest required course materials, including the textbook.

Levin, H.L., The Earth Through Time; Wiley Publishing, latest edition, or an equivalent text.

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

GEOL 1121

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see

Institution Transfer Details for EAES 1121
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX SOSC 1XX (3)
Athabasca University (AU) AU GEOL 2XX (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU SCEL 1XX (3)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR GEOL 106 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU GEOG 1XXX (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG GEOG 1XXX (3) or LANG GEOL 1XXX (3)
North Island College (NIC) NIC GEO 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU EASC 210 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU GEOL 2050 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW SCIE 1XX (3)
University Canada West (UCW) No credit
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO EESC_O 121 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV EOSC_V 116 (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC GEOG 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV GEOG 1XX (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) DOUG EAES 1120 (3) & DOUG EAES 1121 (3) = UVIC EOS 120 (1.5) & UVIC EOS 1XX (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU GEOL 112 (4)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum Seats
35
Currently Enrolled
3
Remaining Seats:
32
On Waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2100
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section Notes

EAES 1121 001 - Must ALSO register in LAB, EAES 1121 L01 or L02.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum Seats
35
Currently Enrolled
3
Remaining Seats:
32
On Waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S3805
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
Section Notes

EAES 1121 002 - Must ALSO register in LAB, EAES 1121 L03 or L04.