The Earth's Record of Climate: A focused-topic introductory course in paleoclimatology

In the department of geology at The University of St. Thomas (UST), faculty members have developed several introductory courses that focus on specific topics of interest to students while at the same time providing a core set of agreed-upon concepts that are critical for all students. I have developed an introductory course that explores the science of paleoclimatology and its relevance to studies of modern global climatic change. Although many geology departments offer a course on climatic change, very few are taught as an entry-level course that is accessible to non-majors. In part, this is because the focus on climate is something of a departure from the curriculum model followed in more traditional introductory geology courses. I have designed and taught this course with the overarching goal that by the end of the course students should be able to analyze and interpret a variety of datasets to make a thorough paleoclimatic reconstruction that comprises their final project. With this goal in mind, I use a combination of classroom exercises, homework, and laboratory activities that help the students to build the necessary skills by working with different forms of earth science data including oxygen isotopic data, and pollen, fossil, and sediment descriptions from lake cores. The course also has a strong emphasis on the interactions between earth systems and human influences that shape the climate system. Student assessment of the course over three years suggests that it both challenges them and increases their interest in earth science. Additionally, student evaluations of this course are higher than those for a more traditional physical geology course that I teach to a similar group.