No AP Coursesin the Earth Sciences?

ESOP Fills the Gap!Dr. Jim Ebert, SUNY Oneonta

Steve Kluge, Fox Lane High SchoolDan Brownstein, Hastings High School

Why no AP Geology, etc.?

• Nationwide effort led by American Geological Institute, American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America and others proposed AP Geology

• “Not enough qualified teachers nationwide to justify cost of course and exam.” – College Board – There will be no AP in the Earth Sciences

• Enter Oneonta ESOP!

Oneonta ESOP –

Earth Science Outreach Program

• SUNY Oneonta, Earth Sciences Department• Director: Dr. Jim Ebert• College Credit for Advanced Courses

– taught in high schools by high school teachers

• Student receive official Oneonta transcripts• ESOP Student Fee only – no tuition

• Total Cost: $100!!!• Equivalent part-time tuition and fees: $ 568.00

Proposing Courses for ESOP

• Teacher must hold a Masters Degree

• Course must be equivalent to an existing intro course in the Earth Sciences at Oneonta

• Students must have taken Regents Earth Science before ESOP course

• Ideally students are Juniors and Seniors

Materials Required for Approval• Teacher’s Vita• Outline/Syllabus for

Course• Examples of

Instructional Materials• Approval Letter from

Principal or Superintendent

• President to President Letter (handled by Oneonta)

Materials Required for Approval• Send

– Vita– Outline/Syllabus for Course– Examples of Instructional Materials– Approval Letter from Principal or

Superintendent

• To: Dr. James R. Ebert Earth Sciences Department SUNY College at Oneonta Oneonta, New York 13820-4015

• or E-mail materials to Ebertjr@oneonta.edu

Examples of Existing Earth Science Courses at Oneonta

• GEOL 120 Planet Earth (Intro. Geology)

• METR 110 Introduction to Meteorology

• OCEA 110 Introduction to Oceanography

• ESCI 100 Introduction to the Earth

• ASTR 108 Descriptive Astronomy

• ASTR 110 Introductory Astronomy

• ASTR 115 Big Bang: the Creation and Evolution of the Universe

Answers toFrequently Asked Questions

• Students receive Oneonta transcripts• ESOP courses look like all other Oneonta

courses on transcripts• ESOP courses count as prerequisites for

other courses at Oneonta• ESOP credit can be transferred to other

colleges/universities• Many ESOP courses satisfy SUNY

General Education requirements

ESOP Courses Taught 2004-2005

• Fox Lane High School– Taught by Steve Kluge

• Hastings High School– Taught by Dan Brownstein

• 54 Students at these schools earned college credit

• Both schools are participating 2005-2006

• Their stories follow!

History of Physical Geologyat Fox Lane

1982 – Proposal

1983 – First year, offered as “Earth Science II”

1986 – Students take “Regents College Exam” Trip to the Catskills become part of the class

1995(?) – Regents College drops Geology

1999(?) – APES comes to FLHS

2004 – SUPA comes to FLHS

2005 – ESOP comes to FLHS

Course ContentCourse ContentTypical of 1Typical of 1stst year undergrad level intro Physical Geology course year undergrad level intro Physical Geology course

Includes:Includes:

Planet EarthPlanet Earth

Mineralogy and Petrology Mineralogy and Petrology

Plate TectonicsPlate Tectonics

Earth Systems / Geomorphology Earth Systems / Geomorphology

Geologic TimeGeologic Time

Course ContentCourse ContentLuxury of time allows deeper examination of content, more lab Luxury of time allows deeper examination of content, more lab

work,work,

and a small research component.and a small research component.A key component is a major field trip during first month of schoolA key component is a major field trip during first month of school

The Field Trip has a strong science component…The Field Trip has a strong science component…

Sedimentary Processes

Glacial Processes

The Field Trip has a strong science component…The Field Trip has a strong science component…

Some hydrology

…and a little structural geology

The Field Trip has a strong science component…The Field Trip has a strong science component…

Karst exploration

Stream Processes

……and builds a sense of camaraderie, tooand builds a sense of camaraderie, too

Dinner for 37

Ready for adventure

ESOP at Fox Lane High School

Introduced mid-year 2004-05 school year

100% of Geology class enrolled in 2005-06

Strongly endorsed and supported by admin.

Strongly endorsed by parents

Strongly endorsed by kids

The Impact of ESOPon students

Provides credibility across the board

Creates a sense of parity with other courses

Gives a sense of purpose to the senior year

Is an incentive for students to work hard

Guaranteed SUNY credit, likely credit elsewhere

Looks good on the resume

The BEST bang for the buck!

The Impact of ESOPon teachers

Provides credibility to existing geoscience courses

Provides credibility to proposed new courses

Is an incentive to examine/upgrade existing courses.

Provides an good reason for schools to support field experiences

Is a resume builder for teachers, too!

Advanced Geology at Hastings High School

An Alternative Approach to Learning Introductory College

Geology

History of the Course

• Designed by Dan Brownstein and Implemented as an Elective in 2001

• As of Spring 2005: Three College Credits Through SUNY Oneonta

Design of the Course:First 10 weeks: Local Geology

• Focus on the geologic story of the Lower Hudson Valley and New York State

• Begin with Grenville Orogeny and end with the Appalachian Orogeny

Foundation: Field Experiences

• Four field trips throughout the semester

• Two locally in Westchester County

• One in New York City

• One in Hudson Valley near New Paltz

Field Experiences Teach Introductory Concepts

• Rocks and Minerals• Plate Tectonics• Weathering and Erosion• Local Geologic History

Second 10 Weeks

• Focus on Physiographic Provinces of the Western U.S.

• More Complex Aspects of Glaciation, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Volcanism, Desert Processes, and Structural Geology are Covered

Assessment

• Major In-Class Projects

• Exams

• Labs

• Photography Project

• Weekly Journal Entries

Offering Credit throughSUNY Oneonta

• Enrollment has Increased

• Greater Enthusiasm for the Course

• Majority of Students Enrolled Opted to Take the Course for College Credit

• The Course is Taken More Seriously by Students

• Viewed as a Viable Alternative to AP Courses

Let’s Talk About ESOP!

E-mail Dr. Jim Ebert at Ebertjr@oneonta.edu or call him at (607) 436-3065