Course

History of the Earth

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Earth & Environmental Sciences
Course code
EAES 1121
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
Fall
Winter
Summer

Overview

Course description
This course covers events in Earth’s history that have shaped its development. Topics include: the origin of the Earth, evolution of continents and ocean basins through time, the origin and evolution of life, mass extinction events and ancient climates. Techniques used to date and interpret events of the past and reconstruct ancient environments are discussed. The course includes practical hands-on labs. Field trips may be required. These field trips may take place outside of scheduled class hours.
Course content
  • Origin of the solar system and the Earth
  • Origin of life and evolution of life on Earth
  • Mineral and rock composition, texture/physical properties, classification and identification
  • The formation of sedimentary rocks, including weathering and erosion, erosional/transport agents, formation of soils, sedimentary processes, structures and formation of depositional environments
  • The structure of Earth's interior, plate tectonics, composition and structure of oceanic and continental crust and deformation (e.g., orogenies, rifting)
  • Geologic time scale
  • Relative and absolute dating
  • Stratigraphic principles, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, lithofacies, biofacies and correlation
  • Fossil observation, description and identification
  • Paleoenvironments, paleobiogeography and paleoclimate
  • Major events of Earth history, including mass extinctions, the formation of supercontinents, glaciations, etc.
Learning activities

This course will be presented using lectures and laboratories that illustrate the practical aspects of the lecture material. A field trip may be required.

Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Participation and/or Attendance: 0-10%

Lecture Assignments and Quizzes: 0-15%

Term Project: 0-15%

Laboratory Assignments: 9-15%

Laboratory Tests: 20-30%

Term Test(s): 20-30%

Final Exam: 25-30%

Total: 100%

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • describe the history of important events and people involved in the development of early geological concepts and the geologic time scale;
  • explain the difference between uniformitarianism, actualism and catastrophism;
  • state the geological time scale in terms of eons, eras, periods and Cenozoic epochs;
  • describe, identify and classify common rocks and minerals;
  • explain the formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, with an emphasis on sedimentary rock forming processes and depositional environments;
  • describe the underlying principles of stratigraphy and fossil succession and apply them to sedimentary successions (stratigraphic sequences);
  • interpret stratigraphic sequences in terms of changes to paleoenvironment and paleolandscape;
  • correlate stratigraphic sequences;
  • describe, identify and classify common organisms in the fossil record;
  • explain the basic principles of evolution and extinction;
  • describe the theory of plate tectonics and how it relates to rock forming processes;
  • state and describe key climatic, tectonic and evolutionary events in Earth's history.
Textbook materials

Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:

Levin, H.L. (Current Edition). The Earth Through Time. Wiley Publishing.

Requisites

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for EAES 1121
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX SOSC 1XX (3)
Athabasca University (AU) AU GEOL 2XX (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU SCEL 1XX (3)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR GEOL 106 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU GEOG 1XXX (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG GEOG 1XXX (3) or LANG GEOL 1XXX (3)
North Island College (NIC) NIC GEO 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU EASC 210 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU GEOL 2050 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW SCIE 1XX (3)
University Canada West (UCW) No credit
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO EESC_O 121 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV EOSC_V 116 (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC GEOG 1XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV GEOG 1XX (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC EOS 1XX (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU GEOL 112 (4)

Course Offerings

Fall 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
6
Remaining seats:
29
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S3805
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section notes

EAES 1121 001 - Must FIRST register in LAB section, EAES 1121 L01 or L02

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
7
Remaining seats:
28
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S3805
Times:
Start Time
10:30
-
End Time
12:20
Section notes

EAES 1121 002 - Must FIRST register in LAB section, EAES 1121 L03 or L04