On our first day back from Spring Break, we began by reviewing the scores on the geology test that was completed the day before break.  The average scores were higher than on the previous test (average among all freshman:  71%) but many students did poorly on the “phases of the moon” portion of the test.  All students are being given a chance to retake this portion of the test to make up lost points.  The make-up must be completed tomorrow either before school (7:55-8:10) or after school (3:10-3:25).

We then discussed the theories of uniformitarianism and catastrophism today in class. These differing theories on how the Earth’s landforms have been shaped over time were up for much debate in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today, scientific evidence clearly indicates that uniformitarianism is the overriding theme of the geologic environment - that is, that most geologic change occurs very gradually over long periods of time. That does not exclude catastrophes from taking place, however. Earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis still cause rare, sudden, and dramatic changes in the landscape around the world.

Tomorrow we’ll continue this discussion by bringing another scientist into the mix: Charles Lyell. Following the conclusion of those notes, we’ll begin discussing the debate poster project that will continue through Wednesday (due on Monday).