EOSC 310 · The Earth and the Solar System

Building the Solid Earth
In Module 1, we will consider the broad-scale processes that provide context and an understanding of our place within the greater universe and the solar system. We will also focus on the fundamental materials our planet is composed of and how we can use those materials to tell Earth's story through time. Midterm 1 covers all components of Module 1. Module 1 is composed of 3 units;

• Unit 1: How did the universe, our solar system and our planet come into existence?
  In this unit, we will examine the broadest scale of space and time and how the early processes and events that formed the universe and solar system are critical to our understanding of the nature of the planet we live on today. Additional materials presented in each topic of unit 1 are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 1
• Unit 2: Earth Materials and Telling the Time
  In unit 2, we will focus on the materials that comprise the Earth and how we can use those materials to place geological features in the context of a story through time. The Additional Materials presented in each topic of Unit 2 are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 2.
• Unit 3: Online Lab 1: Reading Earth's Deep History
  In Lab 1, we will learn how to unravel the stories hidden in plain sight in the rocks all around us. The lab includes an upload and a test component.

Building a Home for Life
In Module 2, we take a look into Earth's deep interior. We also consider Earth's fractured surface in the context of the Grand Unifying Theory of Geology, Plate Tectonics. Midterm 2 covers all components of Module 2. Module 2 is composed of 3 units;

• Unit 4: The Earth From Inside Out
  Unit 4 will uncover the hidden depths of Planet Earth, from the crust to the core. In Activity 2, you use Earthquakes to peer into Earth's interior. Additional materials presented in each topic of Unit 4 are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 3.
• Unit 5: Earth's Tetconic Surface
  In this unit, we will see how plate tectonics accounts for our planet's diverse surface and explains the location of earthquakes and volcanoes. Additional materials presented in the Unit 5 topic are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 4.
• Unit 6: Online Lab 2: Activity at the Edges
  In Lab 2, we will use maps of tectonic activity to investigate the processes at plate margins.

Modern Earth & Beyond
In Module 3, we consider the Earth systems earliest origins and chart their possible near and long term future. The module will focus on the biosphere and consider the possibility of life on other planets.

• Unit 7: Early Earth Systems and Blooming of Life
  In unit 7, we will examine the origins of Earth's crust, oceans, atmosphere and biosphere. In particular, we will consider where life might have emerged and the characteristics of these early life forms. Additional materials presented in each topic of unit 7 are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 5.
• Unit 8: Online Lab 3: Evolution & Classifying Diversity
  In Lab 3, we will learn how to classify life and how to use fossils to chart the emergence of new species over time.
• Unit 9: Modern Earth & the Future
  In Unit 9, we will look at planet Earth's near and distant future prospects. In activity 3, we delve deeper into Earth System Science and explore the importance of feedback mechanisms. Additional materials presented in each topic of Unit 9 are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 6
• Unit 10: Search for Other Worlds
  In the concluding module, we pose a pivotal question: does Earth alone possess a biosphere? Expanding upon this inquiry, we probe the existence of planets analogous to Earth, contemplating whether life has blossomed elsewhere in the vast expanse of the universe. Additional materials presented in each topic of unit 10 are tested in Additional Materials Quiz 7.