Dynamic Earth
Assignments, Fall, 2007

Week 1

August 27 M - Introduction to the course - review the syllabus and discuss use of warmups and study groups as learning tools; Text, chapter 1: Introduction to earth materials and processes and earth systems; energy sources, dynamic equilibrium; plate tectonics and the rock cycle

29 W - Text, Chapter 1 and 2, continue rock cycle; plate tectonics (we will revisit chapter 2 later in the course and consider it in more detail)

31 F - Text, Chapter 3 - minerals - definition, emphasize structure and composition; atoms, ions, bonding

LABORATORY - Minerals - physical properties (be certain to read in Chapter 2 in the text and in your lab manual on "minerals" to prepare for physical properties of minerals. Also, be certain to bring your textbooks to lab for this exercise. If you don't finish in the lab session, this must be completed soon after, because you need the information to complete next week's lab work.)

Week 2

September 3 M - NO CLASS - Labor Day

5 W - Text, Chapter 2 - Text, Chapter 3 - Silicate minerals - silica tetrahedron, sharing oxygens, arrangements of tetrahedra in different silicate groups; place in context of magmas

7 F - Text, chapter 3 - silicates, emphasize what happens to the Si/O ratio as the structure becomes more complex. How is this reflected in the occurrence of ferromagnesian and non-ferromagnesian silicate minerals?

LABORATORY - Mineral Identification - (be certain to read in Chapter 2 in the text and in your lab manual on "minerals" to prepare for identification of minerals.) Also, be certain to bring your textbooks to lab for this exercise. You must also look up the compositional formulas for all the minerals you identify in lab. If you don't finish in the lab session, this must be completed soon after, because you need the information for next week's exam.)

Week 3

10 M - Text, Chapter 4 - crystallization of magmas; formation and composition of igneous rocks; Bowen's sequence of crystallization

12 W - Text, Chapter 4 - composition, texture and classification of igneous rocks; occurrence of igneous rocks

14 F - Text, Chapter 5 - finish igneous rocks of Minnesota; volcanism - geologic occurence of volcanic eruptions; types of activity, materials erupted, and associated landforms

LABORATORY EXAMINATION 1 - Physical properties and identification of Minerals

Identification of Igneous Rocks

Week 4

17 M - Text, Chapter 5 - volcanism - geologic occurence of volcanic eruptions; types of activity, materials erupted, and associated landforms

19 W - Text, Chapter 5 - finish volcanism _ Hawaiian (quiet) type volcanism

21 F - EXAMINATION 1 - Introduction through volcanism (Chapters 1-5)

LABORATORY - Finish Igneous Rocks - Volcanism - Mt. St. Helens

Week 5

24 M - Text, Chapter 6 - weathering - Weathering; chemical weathering contrasted with mechanical or physical weathering; chemical processes; controls on weathering: rock type, topography and tim

26 W - Text, Chapter 6 - Weathering - finish chemical weathering; differential weathering; return to controls on weathering; soils; begin Text, Chapter 7 - Sedimentary rocks

28 F - Text, Chapter 7 - Sedimentary rocks

NO LABORATORY

Week 6

October 1 M - Text, Chapter 7, Finish sedimentary rocks

3 W - Text, Chapter 8 - Metamorphism and metamorphic rocks;

5 F - Text, Chapter 9 - Relative time; assign geologic cross section of the Lake Superior region

LABORATORY - Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks

Week 7

8 M - Text, Chapter 9 - Relative time - North Shore of Lake superior Exercise; Absolute time; geologic time scale

10 W - EXAMNATION 2 - Weathering through Geologic Time (Chapters 6-9)

12 F - NO CLASS - FALL BREAK DAY

LABORATORY EXAMINATION #2 - Igneous rocks, Volcanism, Sedimentary Rocks, Metamorphic Rocks

15 M - Text, Chapter 10, Earthqukes: Elastic rebound theory; earthquake scales, earthquake hazard maps; quakes in Minnesota

17 W - Text, Chapter 10 - Earthquakes; San Andreas Fault system and plate movements; earthquake prediction

19 F - Text, Chapter 11 - Internal structure of the earth and isostasy

LABORATORY - Earthquakes

Week 10

22 M - NO CLASS - optional Supplemental Learning session will be held in SL 120

24 W - NO CLASS - optional Supplemental Learning session will be held in SL 120

26 F - NO CLASS - optional Supplemental Learning session will be held in SL 120

NO LAB

Week 11 -

29M optional Supplemental Learning session will be held in SL 120

31 W - Text, Chapter 2 and 12 - The sea floor and Plate Tectonics

November 2 F - Text, Chapter 2 - Plate Tectonics

LABORATORY - Plate Tectonics I

Week 12

5 M - Text, Chapter 2 - Finish Plate Tectonics

7 W - Text, Chapter 13 - Deformation of the crust and mountain building

9 F - EXAMINATION 3 - Earthquakes through Plate Tectonics (Chapters 10-13, and 2)

LABORATORY - Plate Tectonics II

Week 13

12 M - NO CLASS - Veterans' Day

14 W - Text, Chapter 14 - Mass wasting

16 F - Text, Chapter 14 - Finish Mass Wasting

LABORATORY EXAMINATION 3 - EARTHQUAKES AND PLATE TECTONICS

Week 14

19 M - Text, Chapter 15: Running Water: emphasis on surface runoff and stream flow; equilibrium between variables of flow; flow and sediment transport

21 W - NO CLASS Thanksgiving

23 F - NO CLASS Thanksgiving

LABORATORY - Topographic Maps I

Week 15

26 M - Text, Chapter 15 - continue stream flow; effects of stream erosion on landscapes

28 W - Text, Chapter 15 - finish streams and the landscape; begin groundwater, chapter 16 - A web reading assignment on groundwater is available here

30 F - Text, Chapter 16 - groundwater (also complete web reading assignment)

LABORATORY - Topographic Maps II

5 W - Text, Chapter 17 - Glaciers and glaciation (web reading assignment)

7 F - Text, Chapter 17 - Glaciers and glaciation (web reading assignment) A powerpoint on alpine glaciation is available here

LABORATORY EXAMINATION 4 - TOPOGRAPHC MAPS