Interpreting Earth history. A manual in historical geology / Интерпретация Земной истории. Руководство по исторической геологии

Interpreting Earth History was written to provide deeper learning activities for historical geology students at the college and university level. Material is organized in much the same sequence as chapters in most popular historical geology textbooks and it is expected that students will use the explanatory text to augment, not replace, textbook content. The purpose of the manual is to provide students the opportunity to engage with geological data from a variety of sources (maps, fossils, rocks, etc.) and at a variety of scales to discern and explain geological patterns.
Of special concern to instructors is the number of exercises, time, and resources required for each lab, and sequence of topics. Each lab is written as a stand-alone activity so that it can be assigned in concert with the sequence of topics adopted by individual instructors. Some exercises can be done outside of the lab as homework assignments. Others require access to rock and fossil specimens provided by the instructor and are best done in a laboratory setting. Most courses will not have time to include all of the exercises contained in this manual. The intent is to provide a wide selection of exercises from which instructors may choose depending upon their teaching style, availability of materials, and other course needs.
The eighth edition of Interpreting Earth History includes many of the exercises incorporated in previous editions, but is now in full color. Color images enhance the student’s ability to see and recognize geological patterns. It also makes it easier to see compositional (anatomical) and textural attributes of rocks and fossils. Selected chapters have been expanded to provide additional deeper learning. Two exercises (14 and 17) are new to this edition. Exercise 14 provides students an overview of the Precambrian history of the Canadian Shield as well as insights into the development of the stable platform. Similarly, exercise 17 provides a framework for understanding the stratigraphic, structural, and depositional history of North America during the Phanerozoic Eon.
The modifications and improvements to this edition of Interpreting Earth History reflect critiques by students and instructors who have found this manual to be a valuable companion to the study of historical geology. We are appreciative to all who have adopted this manual in their courses and who continue to provide constructive feedback. <...>