ES104 Earth System Science I
(Solid Earth and Lithosphere)

Class Syllabus (Adobe Acrobat Format)

ES104 Summer 2019 Class Syllabus (Updated June 25, 2019)

2018-2019 Finals Schedule

Bulletin Board **Check Here for Class News and Events**

ES104 Summer 2019 Grade Sheet (Updated July 16, 2019)

Class Announcements: Final Exam Thursday July 18; Lab Portfolio 3 Due Thursday July 18;
  • Click Here for Final Exam Study Guide Summer 2019
  • Click Here for Lab Portfolio 3 Checklist

    Extra Credit Reading Review (8 pts): 600-700 word summary of "Volcanic Hazards in Iceland" (Due by Friday July 19 2 PM, via email attachment to Taylor)

    Click Here to Go to Moodle and the ES104 Homework Page

    Week 1 Class Materials - Introduction / Tour of Solar System
    1. Introduction to Earth System Science

    3. Basic Science Review
  • Properties of Water (youtube video ~5 min)
  • Heat Transfer (youtube video ~5 min)
  • Water Phase Changes / Hydrologic Cycle (youtube video ~5 min)
  • Density Facts (youtube video ~3 min)

    4. The Earth in Context: Universe and Solar System
  • Video Exercise: Endless Voyage (part 1) - The Water Planet
  • Video Exercise: Solar Empire I - A Star is Born
  • Link to Moon Phase Animation (Youtube 3 min)
  • Link to Earth Seasons Animation (Youtube 2 min)


    Week 2 Class Materials - Plate Tectonics
    5. Plate Tectonics
  • Video Exercise: Birth of a Theory
  • Video Exercise: Earth Interior
  • Video Exercise: Plate Dynamics

    Lab 4 Link to Plate Tectonics Animation Website
  • Video: Rock Cycle (Youtube ~8 min)

  • Video Exercise: Intro to Radiometric Age Dating

  • Video: Overview of Earth Tectonic History (Pangaea) (Youtube, National Geographic ~4 min)

  • Intro to Plate Tectonics Part 1 (~1.5 min, Youtube)
  • Intro to Plate Tectonics Part 2 (~3 min, Youtube)
  • Seafloor Spreading and Magnetic Reversals (~3 min, Youtube)

    Additional Exercise: ES106 Dynamic Ocean Floor / Seafloor Spreading


    Week 3 Class Materials - Earthquakes and Volcanoes

    6. Earthquakes
  • Video Exercise: Earthquakes and Seismology

  • Overview of Rock Cycle (Youtube ~4 min)
  • Liquefaction Demo (Beeb Video)

    7. Earthquake Hazards in Oregon

    11. Volcanoes and Igeneous Activity
  • Video Exercise: Earth Revealed Volcanism
  • Video Exercise: Youtube - Earth's Volcanoes

  • Volcano Types Overview (Youtube ~3 min)
  • Volcano Types (Youtube ~4 min; silent movie)

    Additional Lab Exercise - Dynamic Ocean Floor / Paleomagnetism / Seafloor Spreading
  • Seafloor Spreading and Magnetic Reversals (~3 min, Youtube)
  • Seafloor Bathymetry and Echosounder Technique (~2 min, Youtube)
  • Seafloor Topography Animation (1.5 min, Youtube)


    Week 4 Class Materials - Minerals and Igneous Rocks
    8. Matter, Atoms, Compounds
    9. Minerals
  • Video Exercise: Minerals
    10. Igneous Rocks
  • Video Exercise: Igneous Rocks
    11. Volcanoes and Igeneous Activity
  • Video Exercise: Volcanism

    Mineral and Rock Study Resources
  • Introduction to Mineral Identification (Youtube Video ~8 min)
  • Mineral Identification Guide

  • Igneous Rock Identification Guide
  • Video: Rock Cycle (Youtube ~8 min)
  • Overview of Bowen's Reaction Series (Youtube Clip ~10 minutes)
  • Overview of Igneous Rock Classification (Youtube Clip ~8 minutes)

    Week 4 Assignment Checklist (To be completed by Thursday July 18)
  • Moodle Practice Quiz 7 Minerals
  • Moodle Practice Quiz 8 Igneous Rocks
  • Other Assignments TBD

    Study Guides
    ES104 Final Exam Study Guide

    ES104 Laboratory Resources
    ES104 Lab Manual Updated 2017-2018 (updated March2018)
  • Additional Exercise: ES106 Dynamic Ocean Floor / Seafloor Spreading

  • Summer 2019 Lab Schedule

  • English-Metric Conversion Factors

    Lab Answer Keys
  • Answer Key: Lab 1 Models and Systems (Updated Fall 2015, ACTIVE)
  • Answer Key: Lab 2 Solar System (Updated Fall 2015, ACTIVE)
  • Answer Key: Lab 4 Plate Tectonics (Updated Fall 2015) ACTIVE)
  • Answer Key: Seafloor Dynamics (ACTIVE)

  • Answer Key: Lab 5 Earthquakes (Updated Fall 2015) (ACTIVE)
  • Answer Key: Lab 6 Minerals (Updated Fall 2015) (ACTIVE)
  • Answer Key: Lab 7 Igneous Rocks (Updated Fall 2015) (ACTIVE)
  • Answer Key: Lab 8 Volcanoes (Updated Fall 2015) (ACTIVE)


    Click Here to Go to Moodle and the ES104 Homework Page

    Click Here for Cyber Thursday July 11 Instructions
  • Oregon Field Guide Video - Cascadia Seismic Hazards (download MPEG file)
  • Oregon Field Guide Video Review Questions
  • Reading 1: Cascadia Earthquake Preditions Outside Magazine
  • Reading 2: The Really Big One New Yorker Magazine

  • Click Here for Lab Portfolio 2 Checklist and Assignment Instructions (Due Monday July 15)
  • Click Here for Quiz 3 Study Guide


    Class Notes

    The class notes are organized according to their order of occurrence throughout the term. They are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) Format. Acrobat Reader is invoked as a plug-in within the web browser environment. It is available on most machines at WOU. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free by returning to Taylor's Home Page

    Exam study guides will be included as the term progresses. Please check future postings as exam time approaches

    1. Introduction to Earth System Science
    2. Basic Math Review
    3. Basic Science Review

    4. The Earth in Context: Universe and Solar System

  • Video Exercise: Solar Empire I - A Star is Born
  • Basics of Electromagnetic Spectrum (Youtube ~15 min)

    5. Plate Tectonics
  • Video Exercise: Birth of a Theory
  • Video Exercise: Earth Interior
  • Video Exercis: Plate Dynamics

    6. Earthquakes
  • Video Exercise: Earthquakes and Seismology

    7. Earthquake Hazards in Oregon
  • Video Exercise: Oregon Field Guide - Seismic Hazards of the Pacific Northwest
  • Reading Resource: New Yorker Magazine 2015 - The Really Big One in Pacific Northwest
  • Reading Resource: Outside Magazine 2011 - Rip 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake Predictions

    8. Matter, Atoms, Compounds
    9. Minerals
    10. Igneous Rocks
  • Link to Rock Cycle Animations
  • Video Exercise: Igneous Rocks

    11. Volcanoes and Igeneous Activity
  • Video Exercise: Volcanism

    Video Exercises

  • Video Exercise: Solar Empire I - A Star is Born
  • Video Exercise: Birth of a Theory
  • Video Exercise: Earth Interior
  • Video Exercis: Plate Dynamics
  • Video Exercise: Earthquakes and Seismology
  • Video Exercise: Oregon Field Guide - Seismic Hazards of the Pacific Northwest
  • Video Exercise: Minerals
  • Video Exercise: Igneous Rocks
  • Video Exercise: Volcanism

    Class Exercises

  • Metric-English Conversion Factors

  • Take-Home Exercise - Applications of Scientific Methods and Techniques

  • In-Class Quantitative Problem Set
  • Chemistry/Periodic Chart Homework


    Class Announcement - No Class Thursday July 5 - Cyber Thursday Video/Reading Assignment Due Monday July 9, 2018
    Cyber Thursday July 5 - Video/Reading Assignment
  • Video Exercise: Oregon Field Guide - Seismic Hazards of the Pacific Northwest
  • Reading Resource: New Yorker Magazine 2015 - The Really Big One in Pacific Northwest
  • Reading Resource: Outside Magazine 2011 - Rip 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake Predictions

    Figures / Overheads to Accompany Selected Class Notes

    Powerpoint Slide Shows to Accompany Class Notes

    Video Links

    AGI Faces of Earth Video Series: Building the Planet (You Tube)
    AGI Faces of Earth Video Series: Shaping the Planet (You Tube)
    AGI Faces of Earth Video Series: Assembling America (You Tube)
    AGI Faces of Earth Video Series: A Human World (You Tube)

    Online Homework Assignments

    Homework Instructions:

    (1) Clicking on the link at the end of this section will take you to a web-based class management system called "Moodle"
    (2) Once at the site, Login at the top of the page.
    (3) Enter your WOU student server username (the first letter of your first name + the first 6 letters of your last name).
    Use all lower case letters only!!!
    (4) Enter your username again for the password.
    Use all lower case letters only!!!
    (5) The class moodle site has news events, forums, due dates, and links to weekly homework/practice quizzes.
    (7) Click on the practice quiz assignment you wish to complete, and begin the online assignment.
    (8) You may stop and begin the assignment as many times as you wish, but only until you click "submit for grading".
    (9) Make sure you print a hard copy of your homework answers and/or save them as a digital file on your local drive!

    Note: Pay attention to the availability dates. You have unlimited time and an unlimited number of tries to correctly answer and submit the questions.

    Note: Print your questions and answers from the browser icon... this will be your written record of completing the assignment!!

    Click Here to Go to Moodle and the ES104 Homework Page

    ES104 Lab Resources (Taylor Lab Sections)

    Welcome to ES104 Lab with Dr. Taylor Summer 2018

    ES104 Lab Resources

  • Fall 2015: ES 104 Taylor Lab Syllabus

  • ES104 Lab Manual Updated 2017-2018 (updated March 2018)

  • Lab 1-2-3 (Astronomy) Practice Questions

    Take-Home Lab: Introduction to Quantitative Methods

    Introductory Quantitative Exercise / Unit Conversions
  • English-Metric Conversion Factors

  • Answer Key: Homework 1 Quantitative Exercise (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 1 - Models and Systems (Earth-Moon)

  • Link to Moon Phase Animation (Youtube 3 min)
  • Link to Earth Seasons Animation (Youtube 2 min)

  • Answer Key: Lab 1 Models and Systems (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 2 - Investigating the Solar System

  • Tour of Solar System (Youtube / NASA ~15 minutes)

  • Basics of Electromagnetic Spectrum (Youtube ~15 min)

  • Lab 2 (Solar System) Key Terms and Unit Conversions

  • Answer Key: Lab 2 Solar System (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 3 - Light and Electromagnetic Radiation

    PART A. - Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum (Youtube ~2:30 minutes)
  • Converting between micrometers and nanometers of length (Youtube 2:23 minutes)

  • PART A. - Black Body Radiation / Black Body Simulation using the PHET model (Youtube STOP VIDEO at 6:50 minutes)
  • PART A. - Link to PHET Black Body Radiation Simulator

  • PART B. - What is Fluorescence? (Youtube video 2:30 minutes)

  • PART C. - Spectrum of the Stars (Youtube video ~1 minute)
  • PART C. - Emission and Absorption Spectra - How it Works (Youtube video ~3:40 minutes)

  • Answer Key: Lab 3 Light and Electromagnetic Radiation (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 4 - Plate Tectonics

  • Lab 4 Link to Plate Tectonics Animation Website

  • Additional Lab Exercise - Dynamic Ocean Floor / Paleomagnetism / Seafloor Spreading

  • Answer Key: Lab 4 Plate Tectonics (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 5 - Earthquakes

  • Additional Lab Exercise: Pasco Seismometer Activity

  • Answer Key: Lab 5 Earthquakes (Updated Fall 2015)

  • Reading Resource: Outside Magazine 2011 - Rip 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake Predictions

    Lab 6 - Minerals

  • Introduction to Mineral Identification (Youtube Video ~8 min)

  • Mineral Identification Guide

  • Answer Key: Lab 6 Minerals (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 7 - Igneous Rocks

  • Igneous Rock Identification Guide
  • Video: Rock Cycle (Youtube ~8 min)

  • Overview of Bowen's Reaction Series (Youtube Clip ~10 minutes)
  • Overview of Igneous Rock Classification (Youtube Clip ~8 minutes)

  • Answer Key: Lab 7 Igneous Rocks (Updated Fall 2015)

    Lab 8 - Volcanoes

  • Volcano Types Overview (Youtube ~3 min)
  • Volcano Types (Youtube ~4 min; silent movie)

  • Week 9 Take-Home Assignment - Earth's Volcanoes Review Questions (Youtube ~44 min)
  • Click Here for Youtube Video Link (Earth's Volcanoes)

  • Answer Key: Lab 8 Volcanoes (Updated Fall 2015)

    Study Guides

    Click Here for Final Exam Study Guide Summer 2017

  • A General Guide For Studying Physical Science

  • Lab Quiz 1 Study Guide Fall 2015 (Updated Oct. 28)
  • Lab Quiz 2 Study Guide

  • Lab 1-2-3 (Astronomy) Practice Questions

  • Lecture Quiz 1 Study Guide
  • Lecture Mid-Term Study Guide
  • Lecture Quiz 2 Study Guide
  • Lecture Final Exam Study Guide