Geology 110: Earth and Space Science (3 Credits)

Spring 2013

Instructor: Kevin Marty

Office Hours: M,T,W from 5:15-6:16 pm and Th from 12:15-1:15 pm.  Office hours held in Room 2776, new science building.

email- kevin.marty@imperial.edu    Office Phone: 760-355-5761

Spring Geology 110 courses: CRN 20049 and 20050 on Tuesday from 6:30-9:40 pm in room 2734; CRN 20247 on Wednesday from 1:30-4:40 pm in room 2733.

Class Text Book:  The Good Earth Introduction to Earth Science, 2nd edition, David McConnell (and others); ISBN: 978-0-07-336936-5

"You need your book right away"

Course Description: This introductory earth and space science course covers basic principles from the fields of geology, astronomy, oceanography and meteorology.  Minerals and rocks, natural processes acting at the Earth’s surface and within the Earth, plate tectonics, geologic time and dating, composition and motions of the Earth, the solar system, phases of the moon, origin and life cycles of stars, galaxies, water movements, ocean floor, weather and climate, along with other related topics, will be studied. 

Course Objective: By the end of this course, students will gain a better understanding and appreciation of their physical environment and the knowledge of how the Earth’s systems (hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere) work and interact.  Students will also gain an understanding of the planets.   

Note: you will need to bring a 100 question (50 on each side) SCANTRON for each test...thank you! 

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Below are links for further explanation on methods, concepts, etc., that may help you with the material in this class; links to Backgrounders and the climate change assignment.

Please Note: Not all chapters in the text book are assigned and not all chapters (that are assigned) will be covered in their entirety; furthermore, as the class progresses, assignments may be altered.  There may be reading or written assignments to replace or supplement the text material or to learn about current events (so it is important to show up to class; you are responsible for knowing any changes made that will be announced during class hours.  If you miss a class, please find out from me or a classmate if any changes were made, including new assignments or a change in due dates, etc).

I want to emphasize, it is important to show up to class and do your own work (even while working with others) and ask questions if you do not understand any concepts.

Assignments and Notebooks: the assignments are assigned each week (see syllabus table for due dates) over approximately 12 chapters (assignments are linked to the syllabus table above).  There will be time to work on the assignments in class as a group exercise (but don't wait to begin your assignments on the day they are due; class time is to complete questions you need help with; also, i may collect and evaluate assignments at the beginning of class periods)...I will provide the first two Assignments, but after the first two PLEASE PRINT OUT AND BRING THE ASSIGNMENT TO BE WORKED ON TO CLASS WITH YOU EACH WEEK...You should keep your assignments in a notebook and bring it to class every period.  As mentioned above, I may collect and evaluate your homework during any given week.  These are your study guides for the Mid-term and Final tests (along with the online quizzes), so you will want to complete and understand (and ask questions if you don't) the concepts presented in your assignments.  Please keep your notebooks neat and organized, I will collect these during the Mid term (Notebook 1 containing assignments 1-6) and during the Final (Notebook 2 containing assignments 7-12).  Provide the questions on the assignments with your answers, and your answers must be HANDWRITTEN (and make sure I can read your writing, so write as neatly as you can).  It would be best to print out the assignments with adequate space to provide your handwritten answers; again, the assignments are linked to the syllabus table above...Keep your notebooks and assignments organized, and please just place them in a folder when turning them in during the Mid term and Final.

There are extra credit questions available in your assignments: if you do an extra credit question, please turn those in with your notebook. 

Note (one more time!): Please keep your assignments updated and bring them to lecture period every week.  Do not begin these assignments during the class period they are due (or you could lose credit which could drop your overall score down one grade). Your notebooks, which will contain these assignments, will be collected during the Mid term and Final Tests.  

Tests/Quizzes: Two tests (a Midterm and non-comprehensive Final) will be given during the semester (see syllabus table for test dates).  You will be tested over material from your textbook that we will cover in class (and many of the questions will be directly related to your assignments and quizzes, discussed above).  PowerPoints for the lectures are available by clicking on the chapter links in the syllabus table.  If you read the chapters and complete your assignments on time and ask questions on concepts you don't understand, you should do well on the tests.   It is important to do the assignments on your own (you can work with others, but don't copy their work) in order to understand the material.  Their are also weekly quizzes scheduled (you will do these quizzes online through Blackboard).  The quizzes are related to the material being covered that week.  Assignments in Blackboard will contain material to read prior to taking each quiz (the material is from your textbook but narrowed down to help you with the quizzes-in other words, study these learning modules to answer the questions on the quizzes).  You may also find some of the quiz questions on your mid term and final tests.  We will go over how to access this website in class.      

The Mid-term and Final will consist of approximately 80-90 questions (mostly multiple choice with some short answer/diagrams/etc., as found in your homework)...many of your homework questions (which are not multiple choice) will be presented in multiple choice format...please do not just memorize your homework answers: strive to understand the concepts since the test questions will cover similar material but changed to evaluate your understanding of the subject.

Current Events Assignment: to be discussed in class, this assignment is given is two parts.  Part I helps you find disaster information on the internet.  Part II is a natural disaster tracking assignment which benefits from Part I (e.g., disaster tracking techniques, websites and several of the questions presented in Part I will help you with Part II).  See syllabus for links and due dates.  65 points total for both parts of this assignment.  

Blackboard: We will be using blackboard to enhance this course.  You will have quizzes and several posts due through blackboard and can obtain your syllabus, announcements, current grade and other information through this system.  This is new to me also, I am learning blackboard so we will discuss this in class as the semester moves on, and new posts may be added during the semester.  

Grading: All work will be weighted equally (e.g., assignments, tests, other homework).  There are approximately 400 total points possible in this course: 275 points from tests and quizzes and posts (70% of your grade); 65 points from the Current Events Assignment (15% of your grade); 60 points from weekly assignments that are kept in your notebook (15% of your grade). Therefore, I will add up your total points and determine where you are percentage-wise to the total points possible.  The grading scale is as follows: 90-100%=A; 79-89%=B; 68-78%=C; 57-67%=D;  there may be a slight curve at the end of the semester for final grades.

Field Trips: there will be one optional (extra credit) field trip…we will work out the details of this trip in class.

Attendance: Regular class attendance is important for students to accomplish the work necessary to successfully complete this course.  You are responsible for all material presented in class even if you miss for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, family emergency, etc.).  Please notify me in advance if you cannot attend, and arrange to get class notes from another student.  In-class assignments, as well as scheduled quizzes, labs and field trips cannot be made up if missed (except by legitimate reasons, which are few).  With this being said, students are expected to attend every class session. Any student who misses the first class will be dropped. Students may be dropped at instructor discretion if they miss more than a week of class hours continuously.

Cell Phones: use not allowed while you are in the classroom.  If an emergency comes up, please step out of the room to use your cell phone (and not disrupt the class).  If you use your cell phone for any reason in the classroom during class hours you will be asked to leave the room (and not come back that day).

Computers: Computer use not allowed during lectures.  Computer use is allowed in the classroom when you are working in groups or during breaks, etc., but not while the lecture is going on.

Disruptive Students: Most of you are here to learn, but some students are not serious. To preserve a productive learning environment, students who disrupt or interfere with a class may be sent out of the room and told to meet with Sergio Lopez, Dean of Student Affairs and Campus Disciplinary Officer, before returning to continue with coursework. Mr. Lopez will follow disciplinary procedures as outlined in the General Catalog.

Cheating and Plagiarism: IVC expects honesty and integrity from all students. A student found to have cheated on any assignment or plagiarized will receive a zero for the assignment and sent to Disciplinary Officer Sergio Lopez. A second occurrence of cheating or plagiarism may result in dismissal from class and expulsion from IVC as outlined in the General Catalog.

Disabled Student Programs and Services: Any student with a documented disability who may need educational accommodations should notify the instructor or the Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSP&S) office as soon as possible.  DSP&S is located in room 2117 of the Health Sciences Building, phone (760) 355-6312. Please let me know if you have a disability and need special arrangements in class.

SEMESTER TASK SUMMARY:

Mid term Test: 100 pts (25%)

Final Test: 100 pts (25%)

Notebook 1 (will be collected): 30 points (7.5%) (this includes possible weekly checks of notebook assignments)

Notebook 2 (may or may not be collected): 30 points (7.5%) (this includes possible weekly checks of notebook assignments)

Twelve Quizzes and one or more Posts: 75 points (20%)

Current Events Assignment Part 1: 25 points (5%)

Current Events Assignment Part 2: 40 points (10%)

Total Points: ~400

Institutional Student Learning Outcomes: ISLO 1= communication skills; ISLO 2= critical thinking skills; ISLO 3= personal responsibility; ISLO 4= information literacy; ISLO 5= global awareness.

Course Student Learning Outcomes: ISLO 2: critical thinking skills.

Syllabus ends here...below if leftover material not applicable to your class......................................

climate change Group ASSIGNMENT; Click Here NOTE: this assignment still being worked on

Through various chapters you have learned about Earth's processes such as plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that are driven by Earth's internal heat (and gravity is also involved as an energy source)...we also discussed impacts with space objects as an energy source that fuels Earth's processes (very significant when Earth formed); and you have learned about Earth's processes such as weather systems, climate and oceanography that are driven by an external source (the Sun). 

For this assignment, I would like you to research a natural disaster of the past (fueled by Earth's internal processes, space objects or by the Sun) and submit a (not less than 3 page; double spaced) investigative paper on this disaster.  Keep in mind, a geological phenomenon is not a natural disaster unless it affects people.

Your paper must cover the following aspects of the natural disaster you investigated:

1. Discuss in detail the geologic process(es) that caused the event (I want to know what you have learned about formation or cause of geologic events that can result in natural disasters; so if you pick a disaster related to a volcano, discuss how this particular volcano formed, why it is so explosive, etc.).  Also, discuss what the major natural or geologic hazards (a bridge falling on someone is not a natural hazard) were associated with your disaster (such as high winds, pyroclastic flows, etc.).

2. How were people affected by this disaster?  Discuss in detail how people were affected and if it changed civilization of that time period.  Bring up anything that interests you about the disaster's affect on people (myths, etc).

3. Is there a chance of this same type of disaster occurring in the same area?  Why or why not?  Have we learned from the past?  Have measures been taken to prepare for future natural hazards in the same area?

NOTE: you cannot do this investigative paper on Hurricane Katrina, Krakatoa, or the Tsunami of 2004!  I have too many papers on this already (and I don't want you to just use the videos viewed for this class)!  Thank you...

You must submit your references and use at least three references for your paper.  You must also submit one hand drawn diagram (e.g., table, chart, etc.) or your own photograph as an attachment to your research paper (make sure to reference or describe the attachment in the main body of your paper and provide a caption for the attachment; and keep in mind this does not count as one of the 3 pages required for your write up).  DO NOT copy and paste information from a website as your own (that is illegal and is plagiarism)...you must submit the write up in your own words!  If you do quote something directly, put it in quotations and cite your quote...you will not get credit if you do not follow these guidelines....finally, DO NOT use Wikipedia as a reference!  You will be marked down for this, especially if you use this as a main source...ONE MORE TIME, keep in mind the 3 pages required for this paper does not include your reference page and any diagrams you submit (those are submitted as attachments).  

When you put together your paper, please use three subheadings titled 1. Geologic Processes; 2. How people were affected; and 3. Future outlook.   The grade for this paper will be weighted as follows: 15 points possible for your section on geologic processes; 10 points possible for your section on how people were affected; and 5 points possible for your section on future outlook (for a total of 30 points possible).  

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Katrina Assignment     Hurricane Morphology    Climate Change

Discuss: Chapter 17 (Global Climate)

Activity (click here) will cover concepts from  Chapter 2 (Minerals) and Chapter 3  (Rocks)/and Chapter 5   (Geologic Resources)

PLEASE NOTE: choose between Geologic Resources, and Volcanoes : Earthquake Monitoring Click Here; first plot due in two weeks.

Silicate Structure  Assign: mostly online Oceanography Assignment

Three Rock Specimens *Due: Earthquake Monitoring Plot and Volcano Plot (one of each) due now here is your assignment (click here) due no later then final's week.

: Geologic Resources,  or  National Park Tour or Volcanoes

OLW09110 CH1

Discuss: Chapter 11 (Streams and Floods)Assignment 9 (due in one week)***

 ...a definition for scoring terms is as follows (scores are based on comparison to other student's work in your class):

    Excellent: superior (accurate, good reasoning, complete, few spelling/grammar errors, well-organized)   

    Good: above average (accurate to mostly accurate, complete to mostly complete, mostly well-organized, some        spelling/grammar errors)

    Fair: average (mostly to somewhat accurate, mostly to somewhat complete, mostly well-organized, some spelling/grammar errors)

    Poor: below average (inaccurate, incomplete, needs better organization, many spelling/grammar errors)

click here for in class assignment (question 11 chapter 5 eq rubric)

Climate Change Assignment; Click Here

GROUP ASSIGNMENTS THIS WEEK: for Presentations.

Ad campaign and Commercial Project: Real Estate of the Solar System: Students develop an advertising campaign, including a commercial, to sell property (or a house) to the public.  The property, or house, is located on another planet or moon in our Solar System (so you will need to investigate several factors about the planet or moon so a potential buyer knows the natural/environmental conditions).  The ad campaign and commercial are presented in class. Due after Spring Break, begin presentation on April 18 and finish on April 25.  This presentation is worth 30 points.

*Due: Group presentations on real estate of the Solar System

Click Here for grading requirements

Group Work: you will be assigned to a group the week after the Mid term test.  Groups will consist of 4 people (no more!).  You will complete one group project/presentation together over real estate of the Solar System that is worth 30 points.