Dynamic Earth

Dynamic Earth is a Baby CTY course in which students learn about Geology and Earth Science. Its course code is DYNE. This course is only offered at Palo Alto and is available for both sessions.

Course Description

From the CTY Summer Catalog:

What is happening miles beneath your feet right now? How did Earth become a habitable place for us, and how does it continue to change? In this course, students explore the long and complex history of Earth.

Students begin by examining the universe in which our sun is only one of billions of stars and our planet is a tiny speck. Students then zoom in on Earth—its climate, geologic structures, and plate tectonics. From this perspective students look at cataclysmic events, including volcanic eruptions, avalanches, and earthquakes. Students also focus on gradual alterations of Earth’s surface through erosion, weathering, and other forces. In labs and field work, students differentiate among Earth’s movements using seismographs, test multiple factors affecting rates of erosion, and simulate sediment transport and deposition.

The class concludes by focusing on basic matter, studying the atom in terms of structure, periodicity, and reactivity, and exploring acid/base characteristics of elements. Field trips may include visits to a fault zone, glacier deposit, or local geologic structure in order to learn more about the earth’s processes, and further study the interactions between land, water, atmosphere, and human influence. By understanding Earth from its place in the universe to its molecular makeup, students gain a greater appreciation of the constant motion that makes ours a living, changing planet.

Lab and Field Trip Fee: $95

Students must have completed grades: 5 or 6