Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: describe basic scientific concepts including the scientific method, periodic table, experimental design, key principals of elements and matter, and the metric system; differentiate between catastrophism and uniformitarianism, numerical and relative dating, and the principles of relative dating and radioactive dating; analyze the internal and external forces that shape Earth through looking at the four spheres of Earth, the mechanism of plate tectonics and continental drift, causes and types of volcanoes, and the cause of earthquakes; compare and contrast the physical properties of minerals and rocks, including sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks; discuss mechanical weathering, chemical weathering, rates of weathering rock, types of erosion and wasting and deformation causes, stages and byproducts; outline the water cycle, distribution of water, drainage basins, stream flow, groundwater systems, and the effect of erosion and deposition on land forms; categorize types of glaciers, glacier movement, glacier budget, erosion, deposition, glaciation and causes of glaciation; relate continental margins, ocean basins, properties of ocean water, marine organisms, coastal hazards, tsunamis and shoreline erosion; investigate atmosphere composition and weather through looking at atmosphere structure, solar radiation, temperature, clouds, wind, humidity, air pressure, types of storms and heat transfer; and evaluate the weather by studying wind, air pressure, atmospheric circulation, air masses, weather fronts, tornadoes, thunderstorms, cyclones.