THIS IS A TWO-SEMESTER COURSE.

In this introductory course, students will learn the fundamentals of earth science, including the following topics:

• An introduction to earth science and the Earth’s spheres
• Layers and structure of the Earth
• Plate tectonics
• Earthquakes and volcanoes
• Earth’s rocks and minerals
• Weathering and erosion
• Earth’s oceans and fresh water
• The geological time scale and fossil records
• The atmosphere and weather
• Climate patterns
• Ecosystems and human populations
• Conservation and Earth’s resources
• The Earth, moon, and sun system

Class Meetings: Wednesdays, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Fall Semester: August 19 – December 16, 2026
Spring Semester: January 20 – May 12, 2027

Student Expectations: Optional activities, readings, and experiments will be provided for the students each week.

Student Support: The instructor is available by email.

Materials/Supplies: Students will need a notebook for notes and to complete assignments. Occasionally they will need certain easily obtainable materials that are available at most common local stores in order to complete the optional activities. In addition, students will need to purchase a printable Middle School Earth Science Packet, available here.

Prerequisites: None