DSST Introduction to Geology study plan
DSST Introduction to Geology · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Core knowledge
Define the three rock classes and list two diagnostic properties that separate each class from the other two
Sketch and label the rock cycle, naming at least two processes that convert each class into each other class
Identify the 12 most common rock-forming minerals from their physical properties (hardness, cleavage, luster, streak) without a reference sheet
Explain how Bowen's reaction series predicts which minerals crystallize first in a cooling magma and what that implies for melt composition
Build a one-page mineral-identification decision key that you can reconstruct from memory
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn rock cycle diagram plus a self-made mineral ID key, both scored against a textbook figure with every error corrected in a different color
Core knowledge
Distinguish intrusive from extrusive igneous textures and match each to its cooling history
Classify sedimentary rocks as clastic, chemical, or biochemical and give the grain-size terms for clastic varieties
Compare foliated and nonfoliated metamorphic rocks and rank four examples by increasing metamorphic grade
Interpret a simple stratigraphic column using superposition, cross-cutting relationships, and original horizontality
Explain the difference between relative and absolute dating and describe how radiometric decay provides ages
Your checkpoint
A 25-question self-written quiz covering rock classification and relative dating, with an answer key and a written explanation for each answer
Core knowledge & Surface processes
Describe mechanical and chemical weathering processes and predict which dominates in hot-wet versus cold-dry climates
Sequence the steps of soil formation and name the horizons in a mature soil profile
Trace the erosion, transport, and deposition path of sediment from hillslope to ocean basin
Explain how sorting, rounding, and grain size record transport distance and agent
Compare the erosional and depositional landforms produced by rivers, glaciers, wind, and waves
Your checkpoint
A comparative table of four erosional agents listing transport mode, typical deposit, and two landforms each, checked against course notes
Surface processes
Diagram the hydrologic cycle and quantify where the largest reservoirs of Earth's water sit
Explain drainage basin morphology, stream ordering, and how a hydrograph responds to a storm
Distinguish meandering from braided channels and predict where erosion and deposition occur in each
Describe groundwater flow through an aquifer and define porosity, permeability, water table, and cone of depression
Interpret a topographic map to compute gradient and locate a floodplain and a water divide
Your checkpoint
A worked topographic-map exercise: gradient calculation, drainage-basin outline, and a labeled stream cross-section, all with units shown
Tectonic earth processes
Label Earth's internal layers by composition and by physical behavior, and state the evidence for each boundary
Explain plate tectonics as the unifying theory and list the lines of evidence that supported continental drift before seafloor spreading
Compare divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries in terms of stress, fault type, and typical landforms
Relate the three plate boundary types to the location and depth of earthquakes and to volcanic style
Interpret a simple map of global earthquake and volcano belts to infer plate margins
Your checkpoint
An annotated plate-boundary map identifying each boundary type, its stress regime, its seismic signature, and one real example per type
Tectonic earth processes
Describe the elastic-rebound cycle and define focus, epicenter, and the difference between P, S, and surface waves
Explain how seismic station data locate an epicenter and how magnitude scales differ from intensity scales
Classify folds and faults by geometry and stress, and distinguish hanging wall from footwall
Sequence the formation of a mountain belt from sedimentation through collision and isostatic uplift
Summarize the mantle-convection and slab-pull mechanisms that drive plate motion and note their relative importance
Your checkpoint
A written 300-word explanation of how a single convergent margin produces earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains, with a labeled sketch, graded against a rubric you write first
Applications
Classify the major fossil fuel and mineral resources by origin and describe the geologic conditions that concentrate them
Explain how geologic maps and cross-sections are used to site wells, tunnels, and landfills
Assess two geohazards (earthquake shaking, landslides, flooding, or volcanic ash) in terms of risk factors and mitigation
Interpret basic geophysical and remote-sensing data as applied to resource exploration or hazard mapping
Describe how groundwater contamination moves through an aquifer and outline a remediation approach
Your checkpoint
A two-page applied case study choosing one region and one resource or hazard, integrating at least three geology concepts from earlier weeks
Core knowledge & Surface processes & Tectonic earth processes & Applications
Retrieve core definitions across all four domains from memory in a timed drill
Re-teach your three weakest topics aloud or in writing without notes
Work through missed questions from earlier weeks and record the underlying concept, not just the correct answer
Take two full-length timed practice tests and compare scores by domain
Finalize a one-page formula-and-terms sheet covering gradients, half-life, and key vocabulary
Your checkpoint
Two timed practice test scores logged by domain, plus a corrected error log showing the concept behind every miss
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 80% on your self-written rock classification and dating quiz, and correctly classify 10 unknown rock specimens or descriptions without notes
Week 4: Complete the topographic-map exercise with correct gradient units and a drainage divide drawn in the right place; explain in one paragraph why a storm hydrograph peaks later downstream
Week 6: Draw and label all three plate boundary types from memory, including stress, fault type, seismic signature, and one real-world example each, with no more than one error
Week 8: Reach at least 75% on both timed practice tests and show a written error log where every missed question is tied to a specific concept and a corrective action