Geological Resources of Iowa for Teachers, 2026 Theme FOSSILS :-)
Syllabus - Spring 2026
Learning objectives
A. Discover Iowa’s diverse geology & the benefits of their subsequent natural resources, while obtaining a basic proficiency in their identification
B. Develop your own mineral, rock and fossil classroom collections
C. Focus on the significance of these items in understanding and interpreting Earth’s history and the geology of Iowa.
D. Using the National Generation Science Standards and Iowa Core Curriculum explore effective pathways of addressing Earth and Environmental Science standards.
E. Learn the various economic and environmental aspects of Iowa geology.
Session 1 (March 31, 2026) Session 1 Slides, Recording (whole session) , Rock cycle video with Energy. Links for further exploration - Sci. Method UnderstandingScience.org , Understanding and Teaching Evolution , Earth Science Literacy 'Big Ideas'
Session 2 (April 7, 2026) Iowa's Bedrock , Part 1 slides+ (likely more than we will get to this week!), Recording (whole session)
Session 3 (April 21, 2026) Devonian to Present Slides Iowa's Bedrock and Fossils Part 2, Recording (whole session) here is a cool video about the K-T Mass Extinction
Homework (HW) - Try to upload your homework to the shared google drive folders, if that does not work send them to my e-mail chad.heinzel@uni.edu , if you cannot make that deadline, just let me know, I know you are all busy, but try to stay up to date
PreQuiz HW- Due on or before March 31, 2026 ideally before our first session
Session 1 -Homework #1 Due on or before April 6.
Session 2 - Homework #2 , Due on or before April 17.
Session 3 - Homework #3, Due on or before May 5.
News/comments/answers
Plate tectonics
Blog series about our developing understanding of plate tectonics, interesting
NY Times - Animated Pangea Video http://nyti.ms/1vSxPq6
Evolution and deep time
Science, Evolution and Creationism (National Academy of Sciences)
Here is another link for helping people understand the accuracy of radiometric dating http://ncse.com/cej/3/2/answers-to-creationist-attacks-carbon-14-dating
One of my favorite podcasts, that outlines my personal outlook on science and religion, Link to the Krista Tippett interview of Xavier Le Pichon You can download the podcast here
Links
National Center for Science Education (NCSE) - Defedning the Teaching of Evolution and Climate Science
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Climate Change 2013 - The Physical Science Basis)
This website is excellent too, please check it out !!! www.understandingscience.org