|
Teaching Earth Sciences and Environmental
Studies using "North Carolina: People and Environments"
The North Carolina: People and Environment text deals comprehensively
with our state's varied physical and human environments. A major
focus is on the interfacing of these environments, i.e. 1. how
we are able to utilize our physical environments and their resources
for our settlements, economic exploitation, and leisure; 2. how
we cope with environmental hazards (like flooding, tornados, earth
quakes, hurricanes, and extended droughts), and 3. how in our
relationship with our physical environments we frequently cause
major problems leading to their gradual decline (natural habitats
like forests, wetlands, and beaches), to the accumulation of pollutants
in air and water, and to the exhaustion of particular natural
resources (aquifers, rare species of wildlife). We also have learned
to appreciate the need for the conservation of natural resources
and environments. The text provides many examples of these efforts,
as, for example, land trust movement, multi-government approaches
to the preservation of endangered species, area management acts,
stream buffer protection, farmland preservation, and smart growth
strategies which tend to protect the state's remaining large open
space areas. The text treats these conditions and issues in both
a systematic and a regional way, so that each of our four major
regions is considered in terms of its critical physical-human
environmental relationships. For the science teacher a noteworthy
contribution of this text is its detailed North Carolina exemplification
of physical environmental characteristics and processes on the
agenda in the 9th-12th grade earth/environmental curriculum. We
bring it home to the student.
 |
Competency
Goal #1: The learner will build an understanding of lithospheric materials, processes, changes, and uses with concerns for good stewardship.
|
 |
1.02 Classify the three major groups of rocks according to their origin, based on texture, mineral composition, and the processes responsible for their formation. The three major groups of rocks in terms of their distributional
characteristics in the state are discussed in chapter 1 (pp.5-9),
accompanied by maps and other illustrations (including a chart of
the geologic time table with reference to North Carolina geologic
events), with a color section of state geology and related photos
on pp. 62-72. The relevance of bedrock (geomorphic) features are
considered in greater detail within the regional chapters (10-13)
of the text.
1.03 Assess the importance of the economic development of earth's finite rock, mineral, fossil fuel and other natural resources to society and our daily lives:
Availability.
Geographic distribution.
Wise use.
Conservation.
Recycling.
Challenge of rehabilitation of previously disturbed lands.
Many references related to economic utilization and future
potential of minerals exist, especially in chapter 1; wise use,
conservation, and recycling of natural resources are covered in
chapter 8, while issues of rehabilitation (ex. Brownfields) are
also dealt with in the regional chapters;
1.04 Analyze the importance of soils:
Soil use and conservation.
Products from soil.
Relate land use capabilities and major soil types in North Carolina.
1.05 Evaluate geologic hazards and their relationship to geologic processes and materials:
Volcanoes.
Earthquakes.
Mass wasting.
Flooding.
Carolina earth quake activity is mapped and discussed on
page 4, mass wasting is on pages 294-295, while the problems of
flooding is covered in considerable detail, especially as exemplified
by hurricanes Dennis and Floyd (see color maps and photos pp. 217-220);
1.06 Interpret topographic, soil, geologic, and other maps and images for:
The location and identification of soils and rock types
The identification of erosional and depositional landforms.
The evaluation of landforms resulting from tectonic activity.
Chapters 1 and 3 with accompanying maps and photos comprehensively
treat soils and rock types, with exemplification of erosional and
depositional landforms;
|
Competency
Goal 2: The learner will develop an understanding of tectonic processes and their human impacts.
|
|
2.01 Analyze the evidence for the development of the Theory of Plate
Tectonics:
Propelling forces.
Plate boundary interactions.
Features of the sea floor.
Plate tectonics as related to North Carolina, p. 3; features
of the sea floor, especially with reference to oil exploration,
p. 355.
2.04 Analyze the nature, location of epicenters, and magnitude of earthquakes:
Folds.
Faults.
Level of seismic activity in North Carolina.
seismic activity, faults and folding treated in chapters
1 and 3, with regional references in chapters 10-13;
|
Competency
Goal 3: The learner will build an understanding of the origin and evolution of the earth system.
|
|
3.03 Evaluate the geologic history of North Carolina and the Appalachian orogen.
The geologic history of North Carolina is treated in chapters
1 and 3, with the geologic time table as related to North Carolina
events shown on page 10;
|
Competency
Goal 4: The learner will build an understanding of the hydrosphere and its interactions and influences on the lithosphere, the atmosphere, and environmental quality.
|
|
Water resources, their development, use and misuse, in North Carolina,
are comprehensively covered pp. 14-22, with very detailed exemplifications
notable in the regional chapters (Ch.10 emphasizing coastal erosion
problems and Tidewater wetlands conditions, Ch. 11 emphasizing Coastal
Plain flooding problems and recovery efforts, Ch. 12 emphasizing
problems of diminishing water resources for communities and industries
for a rapidly expanding population, and overuse of existing streams
and lakes with efforts to protect against water pollution and stream
erosion; Ch. 13 emphasizing erosion and flooding of a very bumpy
topography; in all cases discussion and analysis is accompanied
by extensive maps, diagrams, and photo coverage.
|
Competency
Goal 5: The learner will build an understanding of the dynamics and composition of the atmosphere and its local and global processes influencing climate and air quality.
|
|
Weather Systems and Climates of North Carolina; structure
of the atmosphere is covered in chapter 1 pp. 1-5, followed by an
entire chapter dealing in detail with the characteristics of North
Carolina's weather and climate; particular attention is given weather
hazards (tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, and droughts) and
their locational incidence; regional chapters (10-13) provide timely
assessment of their impacts in recent years.
The effects of human activities on atmospheric systems is
especially dealt with in chapter 8, with regional application provided
in chapters 10-13;
|
Competency
Goal 7: The learner will build an understanding of alternative choices facing human societies in their stewardship of the earth.
|
|
North Carolina implications of the human impact on physical environments
is thoroughly covered in this text, it is, in fact, a major objectives
of this 625 page volume. Impacts of expanding and enhanced technology,
whether asserted in agriculture, forestry, fishing, manufacturing,
recreation, population growth and urban sprawl, energy generation,
and other human activities, on physical environments is especially
well covered in chapters 8, 10-13. The text is replete with a large
number of particular human/environment conflict examples (e.g. eutrification
of rivers and sounds by surface runoff and municipal sewage plants,
wetlands conversion, hog farming, river basin development, the gradual
disappearance of the 'Green Heart' of the Piedmont Region, continued
invasion of 'old growth' forests, increasing automotive exhaust
and steam plant caused air pollution, landfills, NIMBY attitudes).
Choices that North Carolinians make that weigh economic outcomes
and environmental impacts are exemplified throughout the text.
Purchase Information
|
