Class prepares students for college-level work
Published in the March 2-15, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Cassondra Rocha
Cassondra Rocha
Photo courtesy Susan Paulsen
Students taking the Live Oak High School college-level geology course study in their classroom.
We use the science of geology a lot more in our daily life than we might think we do. Geology is definitely more than just rocks, which is the first thing most people think. It includes biology, physics, chemistry and astrophysics, and covers a range of topics, such as how the universe was made and the occurrence of earthquakes and how we can use science to help us implement safety measures to prepare for them.
I am a sophomore at Live Oak High School. I am a student in Susan Paulsen’s Honors Geology class, which is a new course that the Morgan Hill Unified School District is offering for high school students. The field trips are being funded through a special grant offered by the district called the MHiGrant.
The honors geology class is a dual-credit course provided in partnership with the California State University of Bakersfield. This course is a great academic introduction to geology. It is constructed in a way that allows the class to follow the university’s academic requirements just as if Live Oak students were attending CSUB and taking Geology 201. Along with the academic experience of taking an actual college course, Live Oak students who earn a “B” or better grade in the course will receive a transcript for five units of science credit which is transferable to any college.
The purpose of this dual credit honors geology class is so that students feel confident in their ability to take a science class at the university level. One way this is achieved is that this class is taught at a slower pace than at the university level. This allows for the students to develop an interest and understanding of the field of geology and gives the students the ability to build certainty in their capability to be successful in STEM related fields. The goal is that the student will be prepared and have the required skills and confidence to move into their senior year taking additional AP science classes such as AP environmental science, AP biology, or even AP physics.
So why is this class so important — and why geology? Well, not only does it prepare the students for college level academic work and gives us college credit for it, but it also introduces us to the many STEM-related fields that are available for us to pursue in our future careers. The growth mindset that develops during this class will show us that we can be successful in STEM and consider those professions for our career path. Geology is important because it’s essentially the study of the earth. Studying geology allows us to improve and build on our research and analysis skills.
“Geology is the understanding of the fundamental principles of Earth’s formation, and this spans many areas, such as mineral formation, water resources, climate factors,” Paulsen said “It also teaches plate tectonics, which play an important role in the Bay Area because Morgan Hill is located between two major transform faults that can affect millions of people.”
One of the ways we have studied plate tectonics and earthquakes is through geology-related field trips. The first was to Harvey Bear Ranch County Park in San Martin. At Harvey Bear we learned about local fault lines and how they shaped the mountains and formed the valley we call home. This was extremely interesting to learn and it did feel like we were on actual field assignments. We made observations, collected field notes on plate tectonics and the landforms created by these plates. Afterwards, we were able to share and analyze our findings, reflecting on what we had learned. Our second trip was to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. There, we further explored the science of earthquakes. We learned about local earthquakes that have impacted our area, and the kind of earthquake preparations we can do at home.
This class has been a great introduction to the field of geology. Sophomore student Kara Bass had this to say about her experience:
“Some of the science research skills I’ve acquired is how to identify different kinds of rocks, minerals, faults, and other geological objects found in everyday life. I’ve also gained some knowledge on how our world works, with lessons on events such as convection currents, what’s inside our world’s core, and phenomenon such as El Niño . I’ve learned many things to get set for a science career. For example, in this class we’ve learned how to properly analyze (science-related) articles. We do every two weeks for a grade — this week’s topic is medicine, disease, and research. I’ve also learned to read graphs, how to measure density, how to identify a mineral and which section they are organized into.”
The importance of this course is that it is an dual credit class that exceeds any AP class because it is transferable to any college, and it counts as science credit. This class allows students to develop an appreciation and understanding of the potential careers in STEM, and especially in the field of geology. The benefits a student can obtain by taking a college level class can make a larger impact than just getting a head start on college credits. This course is constructed to show students who have been intimidated by the STEM fields that they can achieve more than they thought they could in that line of work. This dual credit course will have students feeling positive in the knowledge of having taken a university level class and building their self-confidence in moving into their next years of science.
Cassondra Rocha is a sophomore student at Live Oak High School. She wrote this column for Morgan Hill Life.
