1. No AP Courses in the Earth Sciences? ESOP Fills the Gap!
Dr. Jim Ebert, SUNY Oneonta
Steve Kluge, Fox Lane High School
Dan Brownstein, Hastings High School

2. Why no AP Geology, etc.? Enter Oneonta ESOP!
Nationwide effort led by American Geological Institute, American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America and others proposed AP Geology
“Not enough qualified teachers nationwide to justify cost of course and exam.” – College Board – There will be no AP in the Earth Sciences
Enter Oneonta ESOP!

3. Oneonta ESOP – Earth Science Outreach Program
SUNY Oneonta, Earth Sciences Department
Director: Dr. Jim Ebert
College Credit for Advanced Courses
taught in high schools by high school teachers
Student receive official Oneonta transcripts
ESOP Student Fee only – no tuition
Total Cost: $100!!!
Equivalent part-time tuition and fees: $

4. Proposing Courses for ESOP
Teacher must hold a Masters Degree
Course must be equivalent to an existing intro course in the Earth Sciences at Oneonta
Students must have taken Regents Earth Science before ESOP course
Ideally students are Juniors and Seniors

5. Materials Required for Approval
Teacher’s Vita
Outline/Syllabus for Course
Examples of Instructional Materials
Approval Letter from Principal or Superintendent
President to President Letter (handled by Oneonta)

6. Materials Required for Approval
Send
Vita
Outline/Syllabus for Course
Examples of Instructional Materials
Approval Letter from Principal or Superintendent
To: Dr. James R. Ebert Earth Sciences Department SUNY College at Oneonta Oneonta, New York
or materials to

7. Examples of Existing Earth Science Courses at Oneonta
GEOL 120 Planet Earth (Intro. Geology)
METR 110 Introduction to Meteorology
OCEA 110 Introduction to Oceanography
ESCI 100 Introduction to the Earth
ASTR 108 Descriptive Astronomy
ASTR 110 Introductory Astronomy
ASTR 115 Big Bang: the Creation and Evolution of the Universe

8. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Students receive Oneonta transcripts
ESOP courses look like all other Oneonta courses on transcripts
ESOP courses count as prerequisites for other courses at Oneonta
ESOP credit can be transferred to other colleges/universities
Many ESOP courses satisfy SUNY General Education requirements

9. ESOP Courses Taught 2004-2005 Fox Lane High School
Taught by Steve Kluge
Hastings High School
Taught by Dan Brownstein
54 Students at these schools earned college credit
Both schools are participating
Their stories follow!

11. History of Physical Geology
at Fox Lane
1982 – Proposal
1983 – First year, offered as “Earth Science II”
1986 – Students take “Regents College Exam”
Trip to the Catskills become part of the class
1995(?) – Regents College drops Geology
1999(?) – APES comes to FLHS
2004 – SUPA comes to FLHS
2005 – ESOP comes to FLHS

12. Course Content Mineralogy and Petrology Plate Tectonics
Typical of 1st year undergrad level intro Physical Geology course
Includes:
Planet Earth
Mineralogy and Petrology
Plate Tectonics
Earth Systems / Geomorphology
Geologic Time

13. Course Content
Luxury of time allows deeper examination of content, more lab work,
and a small research component.
A key component is a major field trip during first month of school

14. The Field Trip has a strong science component…
Sedimentary Processes
Glacial Processes

15. The Field Trip has a strong science component…
Some hydrology
…and a little structural geology

16. The Field Trip has a strong science component…
Stream Processes
Karst exploration

17. …and builds a sense of camaraderie, too
Dinner for 37
Ready for adventure

19. ESOP at Fox Lane High School
Introduced mid-year school year
100% of Geology class enrolled in
Strongly endorsed and supported by admin.
Strongly endorsed by parents
Strongly endorsed by kids

20. The Impact of ESOP on students
Provides credibility across the board
Creates a sense of parity with other courses
Gives a sense of purpose to the senior year
Is an incentive for students to work hard
Guaranteed SUNY credit, likely credit elsewhere
Looks good on the resume
The BEST bang for the buck!

21. The Impact of ESOP on teachers
Provides credibility to existing geoscience courses
Provides credibility to proposed new courses
Is an incentive to examine/upgrade existing courses.
Provides an good reason for schools to support field experiences
Is a resume builder for teachers, too!

22. Advanced Geology at Hastings High School
An Alternative Approach to Learning Introductory College Geology

23. History of the Course
Designed by Dan Brownstein and Implemented as an Elective in 2001
As of Spring 2005: Three College Credits Through SUNY Oneonta

24. Design of the Course: First 10 weeks: Local Geology
Focus on the geologic story of the Lower Hudson Valley and New York State
Begin with Grenville Orogeny and end with the Appalachian Orogeny

25. Foundation: Field Experiences
Four field trips throughout the semester
Two locally in Westchester County
One in New York City
One in Hudson Valley near New Paltz

26. Field Experiences Teach Introductory Concepts
Rocks and Minerals
Plate Tectonics
Weathering and Erosion
Local Geologic History

27. Second 10 Weeks Focus on Physiographic Provinces of the Western U.S.
More Complex Aspects of Glaciation, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Volcanism, Desert Processes, and Structural Geology are Covered

28. Assessment Major In-Class Projects Exams Labs Photography Project
Weekly Journal Entries

29. Offering Credit through SUNY Oneonta
Enrollment has Increased
Greater Enthusiasm for the Course
Majority of Students Enrolled Opted to Take the Course for College Credit
The Course is Taken More Seriously by Students
Viewed as a Viable Alternative to AP Courses

30. Let’s Talk About ESOP!
Dr. Jim Ebert at or call him at (607)