SCI 3410
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SCIENCE
a.k.a. ŇThe One They Warned You AboutÓ
Dr. Ben Waggoner
020 Lewis Science Center
Cell phone: 472-2854
Department phone: 450-3146
Department FAX: 450-5914
E-mail: ediacara@cyberback.com
Lecture: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:25-10:40 AM: LSC 025
Lab: Thursday, 2:40-5:20 PM: LSC 025
Office Hours: Monday, 2:00-5:00 PM: Tuesday, 2:40-5:20; or by appointment
Course Web Page: http://faculty.uca.edu/~benw/sci3410/
Prerequisites: Biology 1400 (Biology for General Education); Physics 1400 (Physical Science for General Education)
Optional Textbook: Edward J. Tarbuck and Frederick K. Lutgens. Earth Science. 12th edition. (The 11th edition is also acceptable.)
Other Books: You will select three books on earth science topics and write reports on them during the semester. See the list at the end of this syllabus.
You are encouraged to familiarize yourselves thoroughly with all policies listed in the Student Handbook, including but not limited to:
Harassment: Sexual harassment of any faculty member, staff member, or student, by any faculty member, staff member, or student, is a violation of both law and university policy and will not be tolerated at the University of Central Arkansas. Sexual harassment of employees is prohibited under Section 703 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual harassment of students may constitute discrimination under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
As far as I, the professor, am concerned, non-sexual harassment based on race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, social class, or age also falls into this category, and I will treat it in an equivalent fashion.
The UniversityŐs official definitions of sexual harassment, and the steps that one should take in the event of harassment, are available on-line at http://www.uca.edu/divisions/admin/board/policies/511.html. Any incidents should be reported to the professor in charge of the class, to the department head or academic dean, or directly to the University's General Counsel (Tom Courtway: tcourtway@uca.edu; 207 Wingo; 501-852-2659) or the Affirmative Action officer (Jack Gillean: jgillean@uca.edu; 205 Wingo; 450-5077).
Disabled students: The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this Act due to a disability, contact the UCA Disability Support Services office in suite 212 of the Student Health Center, by phone at 450-3613, by FAX at 450-5664, on the Web at http://www.uca.edu/divisions/student/disability/ , or by e-mail to the director, Crystal Hill, at crystalh@uca.edu.
Statement on academic misconduct: The University defines academic misconduct as follows:
1. In connection with the taking of, or in contemplation of the taking of any examination, any student who (a) knowingly discovers or attempts to discover the contents of an examination before the contents are revealed by the instructor; (b) obtains, uses, attempts to obtain or use any material or device dishonestly; or (c) supplies or attempts to supply to any other person any material or device dishonestly; or (d) during the course of an examination obtains or attempts to obtain unauthorized information from another student or from another studentŐs test materials.
2. Any misrepresentation of academic work by a student as the product of their own study and efforts.
3. The unauthorized possession, taking, or copying of solutions manuals or computerized solutions for homework or research problems assigned by a professor and/or instructor.
In the event an instructor determines that a student has engaged in academic misconduct, the instructor will meet with the student and inform him/her of the action or sanction the instructor deems appropriate. In this course, that will generally be a grade of zero on any assignments involved in the offense.
Inclement Weather Policy: If the weather is bad on a scheduled class day, check the UCA main website (http://www.uca.edu/) or KUCA (91.3 FM) radio, or local TV for announcements. If the campus is officially closed, classes will of course be canceled. If the campus isn't closed, then classes will be held as normal, but use your own judgment in deciding whether to attend. Some students have to commute a long way and may not be able to reach campus safely. I expect everyone to make a reasonable effort to show up—but don't risk your life, health, or property to get here! Severe weather counts as an excusable reason for absence; assignments that you miss due to bad weather may be prorated, postponed, or canceled at the instructor's discretion (see below).
Scholarships: Students who are on academic scholarships should be aware that most schoolarships require full-time enrollment (at least 12 hours). Some individual scholarships require that students complete a total of 15 hours each semester in order for the scholarship to be renewed. If you are on scholarship, please keep your scholarship requirements in mind when setting or making changes to your schedule. Most scholarships also require that you maintain a set grade point average. For more specific information, see http://www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/undergradstudies/scholarships/, or contact the Division of Undergraduate Studies.at (501) 450-3125.
Attendance: Attendance will not be taken after the first few meetings. You are presumed to be adults, responsible for the consequences of your own actions, and able to cope with the results of missing any fraction of this course. You cannot make up missed labs or exams in this course, but if you miss a lab or exam because of a medical or personal emergency, your grade will be prorated. Barring truly extraordinary circumstances, such an absence must be documented—by an official note on letterhead, or other documentation as appropriate, from your doctor, dentist, car mechanic, arresting officer, parole board, etc. as the case may be.
Exams: There will be two midterm exams (100 pts.) and a final exam (200 pts.) The final exam will be cumulative, but will focus mostly on material from the second half of the course. Exam format will include mostly fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and short essay questions. The textbook readings are intended to reinforce and clarify the lecture material—but lectures will be the primary source for everything on the exams.
Labs: Handouts for each lab will be provided to you several days in advance. Most of the labs will have instructions for completing the accompanying lab write-up that you will turn in for a grade. Each will be worth ten or twenty points, for a total of 200 points.
Trips: Three of our labs will be scheduled as field trips to points of geological interest in the Conway and Little Rock areas. The trips will depart from UCA at the beginning of the lab period, and will be timed to return everyone to UCA by the end of the lab period. One Saturday field trip is also on the schedule; this will depart the UCA campus early in the morning and return by mid-afternoon. Participation in these trips is mandatory, and the usual absence policy applies. Transportation will be arranged for students who do not have their own; however, we cannot transport every student, and many will need to carpool in their own vehicles.
Book Reports: At the end of this syllabus you will find three lists of books on earth science topics. I have not ordered any of these books through the campus bookstore, but they should be easy to find—in local bookstores, on Amazon.com or other online retailers, or even in the UCA or public libraries. You are to pick one book from each list, read it, and write a report on it. Each report is worth 50 points.
Internet Resources: I use the World Wide Web (WWW) extensively in this course. The course WWW page is http://faculty.uca.edu/~benw/sci3410/ Electronic versions of course handouts will be available here, including this syllabus. Printable versions of the PowerPoint electronic slide presentations that I use will also be here; this will enable you to review my slides at your own pace, as often as you like.
Grading:
Midterm exam 1 100 pts.
Midterm exam 2 100 pts.
Final exam 200 pts.
Labs 200 pts.
Book reports 150 pts.
TOTAL: 750 pts.
Letter grades will be assigned in 10% increments: thus a score of 90-100% is an A, 80-89.9% is a B; 70-79.9% is a C, 60-69.9% is a D, and anything under 60% is a grade of F. There will not be a curve. No extra credit or bonus points will be given. Except in the case of an arithmetic or accounting error on the professorŐs part, final grades will not be changed for any reason after the end of the course. DonŐt ask.
|
DATES
|
LECTURE TOPICS |
LABS
|
READINGS
|
|
Aug 20 |
Intro, getting acquainted |
NONE |
Ch. 1 |
|
Aug 25, 27 |
Mineralogy |
Mineral ID |
Ch. 2 |
|
Sep 1, 3 |
Petrology |
Rock ID |
Ch. 3 |
|
Sep 8, 10 |
Plate Tectonics |
IN-LAB TRIP: Igneous Rocks |
Ch. 8 |
|
Sep 15, 17 |
Volcanoes |
Volcanoes |
Chs. 9, 10 |
|
Sep 22, 24 |
|
Map Reading |
Ch. 7 |
|
Sep 29, Oct 1 |
|
IN-LAB TRIP: Sedimentary Rocks |
Ch. 11 |
|
Oct 6, 8 |
|
Fossil Interpretation |
Ch. 11 |
|
Oct 13 |
Geologic Time |
NONE – Fall Break |
|
|
Oct 20, 22 |
Coal, Oil and Gas |
Structural Geology |
Ch. 11, 12 |
|
Oct 27, 29 |
Resources. EXAM 2 |
Fossils. DAY FIELD TRIP OCT. 31. |
none |
|
Nov 3, 5 |
Water and hydrology |
Stream Tray |
Ch. 5 |
|
Nov 10, 12 |
Oceans |
IN-LAB TRIP: Ark. Geol. Comm. |
Chs. 13, 15 |
|
Nov 17, 19 |
Atmosphere and Weather |
Ionospherics |
Ch. 4 |
|
Nov 24 |
Erosion and Landforms |
NONE - Thanksgiving |
Ch. 6 |
|
Dec 1, 3 |
Global Climate |
Ancient Climates |
Ch. 19 |
OTHER KEY DATES
August 25, Tuesday: Change-of-course period ends. Last date to register, add classes, change from credit to audit or audit to credit
September 7, Monday: Labor Day Holiday
September 18, Friday: Final date to make degree application for December graduation
October 15 - 16, Thursday – Friday: Fall Break
October 30, Friday: Final date to officially withdraw from a Aug 20 - Dec 11 course or the university with a W grade
November 2 – 24: Advance Registration
November 30, Monday: Final date to officially withdraw from a Aug 20 - Dec 11 course or the university with a WP or WF grade. Recommended date to make degree application for December 2010 graduation.
November 25 - 27, Wednesday – Friday: Thanksgiving Holiday
December 4, Friday: Study Day
December 12, Saturday: Winter Commencement
December 14, Monday – NOON: Final grades report date
BOOK REPORTS
Every student in this class is required to select one book from each of the following three lists. Your report on your book from list 1 is due on the same day as the first exam; your report on your from list 2 is due on the same day as the second exam; and your report on your book from list 3 is due on the same day as the final. Each report is worth fifty points.
CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO BOOK REPORTS.
LIST 1:
Feldman, Jay. When the Mississippi Ran Backwards: Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes.
McPhee, John. Basin and Range.
McPhee, John. Assembling California.
McPhee, John. Rising from the Plains.
McPhee, John. In Suspect Terrain.
Nield, Ted. Supercontinent: Ten Billion Years in the Life of Our Planet.
Officer, Charles and Page, Jake. The Big One: The Earthquake That Rocked Early America and Helped Create a Science.
Oreskes, Naomi. Plate Tectonics: An InsiderŐs History of the Modern Theory of the Earth.
Winchester, Simon. Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883.
Winchester, Simon. A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906.
LIST 2:
Benton, Michael. When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time.
Cutler, Alan. The Seashell on the Mountaintop: A Story of Science, Sainthood, and the Humble Genius Who Discovered a New History of the Earth.
Erwin, Doug. Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago.
Gould, Stephen J. Wonderful Life.
Knoll, Andrew. Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth.
Lewis, Cherry. The Dating Game: One Man's Search for the Age of the Earth.
Prothero, Donald R. Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs: Evolution, Extinction, and the Future of our Planet.
Repcheck, Jack. The Man Who Found Time: James Hutton and the Discovery of Earth's Antiquity.
Shubin, Neil. Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body.
Winchester, Simon. The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology.
LIST 3:
Alley, Richard B. The Two-Mile Time Machine: Ice Cores, Abrupt Climate Change, and Our Future.
de Villiers, Marc. Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource.
Deffeyes, Kenneth. Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak.
Deffeyes, Kenneth. Hubbert's Peak: The Impending World Oil Shortage.
Flannery, Tim. The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth.
Kolbert, Elizabeth. Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change.
MacDougall, Doug. Frozen Earth: The Once and Future Story of Ice Ages.
McPhee, John. The Control of Nature.
Nash, J. Madeleine. El Nino: Unlocking the Secrets of the Master Weather-Maker.