9:00-9:50 & 10:00-10:50 MWF, SC 120

Instructor: Michelle Cooper Fleck
Office: Science Building 127D
Hours: 8:30-9:00 & 11-12 MWF
10-11:30 Tue & Thurs
1-2:30 Tue & Wed
Phone: 613-5286. Voice mail can be used at any time.
E-mail: mfleck@ceu. edu

Required Materials

Text - Essentials of Geology by Reed and Wicander. West Publishing Co.
#2 pencils
5 scantron forms
note paper, folder for keeping notes, handouts, assignments and exams
ruler, pocket knife, magnifying glass (optional)

Course Description

This is a three credit class which fills the Earth Science General Education (ESGE) requirement for the Associate Degree. There are no prerequisite classes for Geology 1010, although the student should be able to read and write on the college level. This course will introduce the study of the earth, its surface and subterranean features, the development of land forms and mineral deposits, and a brief account of the earth's history.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should:

1. Know the geologic time chart
2. Understand the basic concepts of plate tectonic theory
3. Be able to recognize ~25 common minerals
4. Be able to recognize 10 common igneous rocks and know how each formed
5. Understand the processes of volcanism
6. Understand the processes of weathering and erosion
7. Recognize 10 common sedimentary rocks and 10 common metamorphic rocks and understand the     processes by which each formed
8. Understand the basic concepts of how and why earthquakes occur
9. Recognize the common types of faults and folds found in rocks
10. Understand the processes of slope failure
11. Understand the ways in which water has shaped the earth's surface
12. Understand the concepts of relative and absolute dating
13. Know the highlights of each of the major eras of geologic time

Attendance and Late Policies

We will meet for 150 minutes weekly. Students are expected to attend all classes and are responsible for getting their own copies of class notes on days when a class was missed. Attendance is mandatory on exam days & video days.

Make-up exams will be essay format.

Assignments and papers handed in late will be penalized 4 points per day late. After the graded assignments have been returned to the class, papers received late will be worth a maximum of half-credit.

Video worksheets may not be handed in late.

Classroom Manners

Although I encourage questions, comments, and discussion regarding the course work, other talking and conversations during class will not be tolerated. Disruptive behavior will be documented and, if necessary, will be reported to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action.

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

Although it is acceptable for students to work together on assignments, each student must do his/her own work on exams, on quizzes, and on the term paper. Cheating will not be tolerated. Students suspected of dishonesty on exams or quizzes will be first asked to discuss the matter with the instructor, and possibly re-take the exam or quiz. The Dean of Students will be notified of all students suspected of cheating. The term paper must be in the student's own words. Be aware that copying another person's writing without giving that person credit is dishonest.

Term Paper/Project

Students are required to write one report for the course. It may be a library research paper, a field trip report, or a service-learning project. The grading criteria for each type of report are listed below. Students may choose to write a second paper for 20 extra credit points.

Library Report Grading Criteria

20 points -- Paper handed in by February 26. (Penalty = 4 points per day late)

20 points -- Three literature references. Hand in a photocopy of the first page of each article or book used as a reference. One of the references must be a periodical published since January 1998. Only one reference may be from the Internet. Print the first page of an Internet source and hand it in along with your report. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, or our textbook are not suitable literature references. Students should refer to the sources in the text of the report. Writing must be in the student's own words.

20 points -- Paper must be 800-1000 words, typed.

Please do not put your report in a folder.

20 points -- Choice of a topic applicable to this class.

20 points -- Grammar, punctuation and spelling. One-half point per error.

Field Trip Report Grading Criteria

20 points - Report handed in by April 16. (Penalty = 4 points per day late)

20 points -- Two literature references. List title, author, and date. Include a photocopy of the first page of each article or book. Refer to your sources in the text of your report.

20 points -- 500-700 words, typed.

20 points -- Grammar, punctuation and spelling. One-half point per error.

20 points -- Description of the area visited. Include the type of rocks, name and age of the formations, and geologic processes which have affected the area. Include evidence that you visited the area sometime during this Semester. This may include photos, rock collections, video tapes, or gate receipts. Rocks and photos must be completely labeled and referenced in the report.

Remember, it is ILLEGAL to collect rocks in National Parks!

Writing must be in the student's own words.

Service-Learning Project — Please make an appointment with the instructor if you are interested in this project. Grading criteria are to be arranged.

 

Outcomes Assessment and Grading

Students' progress in the course will be monitored by exams, assignments, and papers.  Letter grades for the course will be calculated by adding the points earned from each of these sources:

400 points -- four exams @ 100 points
100 points -- comprehensive Final Exam
100 points -- four assignments @ 25 points 50 points -- video worksheets @ 5 points
100 points — term paper or project

The sum will be divided by 750. The resulting percentage will determine the letter grade, which will be based on the following scale:

A 90-100% B 80-89 C 65-79 D 50-64 E below 50%

Withdrawals

Shortly before the last day to drop a class, the instructor will provide students with their current grade status. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw from the class by submitting completed add/drop form to the Registrar's Office.

Incomplete Grades

Letter grades of "I" (incomplete") will be given only to students who are passing the class and have extenuating personal circumstances. Students who wish to be given an "incomplete" must submit a written request to the instructor.

Weekly Schedule

Week 1 - January 13 & 15 Introduction & Syllabus
Chapter 1
Geologic Time Chart

Week 2 - Jan. 20 & 22
Chapter 2 - Plate Tectonics
Video 1 - "The Living Machine"

Week 3 - Jan. 25, 27, 29
Chapter 3 - Minerals
Video 2 - "Minerals"
Assignment #1

Week 4 - Feb 1,3,5 Ch. 4 - Igneous Rocks
Assignment #2
Video 3 "Plutonic Rocks"
Exam #1 - Chapters 1,2,3

Week 5 - Feb. 8, 10, 12 Ch. 5 - Volcanoes
Videos 4 & 5 - volcanoes

Week 6 - Feb. 17 & 19
Ch. 6 - Weathering
Ch. 7- Sedimentary Rocks
Assignment #3

Week 7 - Feb. 22,24,26 Library Reports are due Feb. 26.
Sedimentary Rocks
Ch. 8 - Metamorphic Rocks
Exam #2 - Ch. 4,5,6,7

Week 8 -March 1, 3, 5 Ch. 9 - Earthquakes
"Video 6 "Earthquakes

Week 9 - March 8, 10, 12
Ch. 10 - Strike and dip
Folds and faults

Week 10 - March 22,24,26
Ch. 11 - Mass wasting
Exam #3 - Ch. 8, 9, 10, 11

Week 11 - March 29 & 31 Ch. 12 - Streams
Video 7 - Streams

Week 12 - April 5, 7, 9
Ch. 13 - Groundwater
Video 8 - Groundwater
Ch. 14 - Glaciers

Week 13 - April 12, 14, 16. Field Trip Reports are due April 16
Video 9 - Glaciers
Ch. 17 - Geologic time
Exam #3 - Chapters 12, 13, 14

Week 14 - April 19, 21, 23
Video 10 - Geologic Time
Ch. 18 - Earth History
Video 11 - Earth History

Week 15 - April 26, 28, 30
Ch. 19 -Life History
Videos 12 & 13

Final Exam Week - April 4,5,6,7
Exam #5 - Material from Ch. 17, 18,19 and material from Exams 1-4