DYNAMIC EARTH
Spring, 2008
SYLLABUS
DR. JAMES H. MEYERS
OFFICE: Pasteur Hall 126 'PHONE: 457-5266
jmeyers@winona.edu
www.winona.edu/geology/

Description

Course website

Warmups, Instructional Plan and Course Policies

Course Requirements

Testing and Grading

Academic Honesty Policy

Disabilities

Consultation

Guidelines for Surviving a large lecture class

Outline

Texts

About the Course

This class is an introduction to the way the Earth works. Through the term, we will investigate what the Earth is made of and how natural processes change both the surface and interior of the Earth through time. Major ideas and principles that govern the modern science of geology will be applied to solve basic geologic problems.

This course additionally qualifies as a University Studies course satisfying the outcomes of the Natural Science Category. If you successfully complete the course requirements, you will earn 4 credits toward completion of the Natural Science category of the University Studies Program, including the laboratory requirement.

University Studies Outcomes

The purpose of the Natural Science requirement in the University Studies program is to provide students with the tools to understand and be able to apply the methods by which scientific inquiry increases our understanding of the natural world.

These courses must include requirements and learning activities that promote students' abilities to...

a. understand how scientists approach and solve problems in the natural sciences;
b. apply those methods to solve problems that arise in the natural sciences;
c. use inductive reasoning, mathematics, or statistics to solve problems in natural science;
d. engage in independent and collaborative learning;
e. identify, find, and use the tools of information science as it relates to natural science;
f. critically evaluate both source and content of scientific information; and
g. recognize and correct scientific misconceptions.
Courses that satisfy the laboratory requirement in the Natural Sciences will additionally provide students the opportunity to practice scientific inquiry through hands-on investigations and to analyze and report the results of those investigations.

Course activities described throughout the remainder of this syllabus will be coded to the above list of outcomes by the corresponding letter. These outcomes will be integrated throughout course content-each new topic will be presented in a manner in which the student will be able to understand and apply the methods by which scientists approach and solve problems in the natural sciences, using inductive reasoning or mathematics (outcomes a-c). Common scientific misconceptions will be identified at the start of each topic, and class material will be directed toward correcting those misconceptions (outcome g). You will be asked to work collaboratively on certain in-class activities and laboratory exercises and independently on exams (outcome d). In-class assignments and work outside of class will require that you utilize the textbook, the textbook CD-ROM, and other sources to critically evaluate scientific information as it relates to geology (outcomes e, f). During lab, you will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on scientific investigation of geologic materials and data and will be required to analyze and report the results of your investigations (laboratory outcome).

Course Website

Course information, lecture and lab schedules, review sheets for exams, and interesting links related to geology are posted at:
http://winona.edu/geology/dynamicearth/index.html

You must consult this web site daily for important information and assignments related to dynamic earth.

Warmups, Instructional plan and Course Policies

For students enrolled in 120, the course will consist of three discussion/lecture sessions and one laboratory session each week. Discussion/lecture sessions will be supplemented with audio-visual materials in an effort to bring field examples into the classroom. Students enrolled in 121 will NOT have a laboratory section. In addition to formal lecture and lab meetings, there will be an optional discussion section meeting that will be directed by Brian Focht, the teaching assistant for our course.

Assignments and warmups

It is very important that you thoroughly read the assigned material in the text before each meeting in order to better understand and participate in the discussions and lectures. For many class periods, students will be assigned a "warm-up" exercise, to be completed and submitted through the course web page. There is a complete listing of assignments by date in our course web page.

Most warmups include one essay and two multiple-choice or multiple answer questions, and occasionally, true false questions. Students will receive credit for completing the "warm-ups", which will count 15% of the course grade. Each warm-up must be submitted by 8 a.m. the day of the class meeting for which it is assigned, or no credit will be given.

We will use D2L to complete and submit each warmup. If you have difficulties with D2L, please do NOT contact me. Instead, email elearning@winona.edu.

Warmups will indicate the main concepts or ideas that I am trying to get across in the lecture sessions. Completing them diligently will make the lectures more understandable, and will familiarize you with the style of questions that I often ask on exams.

In addition, all warm-ups will be read prior to our class meeting and I will then address misconceptions that emerge from the warm-ups in class. Remember that the warm-ups are your opportunity to influence the course of each classroom meeting. Read the section on warmups on our course web page for more information.

Regular assignments will be made in the laboratory manual and from supplementary handouts, and some of these will be turned in for evaluation. New texts have a code that you can use to access the publisher's interactive text web site. You should make regular use of the materials and exercises provided therein, especially including the self-testing sections.

Supplemental Instruction: We are very fortunate to have a supplemental instruction program as a part of this course. The "SI' this semester is Brian Focht (BWFocht6641@Winona.edu). Brian will hold two SI sessions each week, and the times and places of the meetings will be given in our announcements section of the course web page. In the past, we know that SI attendees average grades that are 11% higher than non attendees, and 8% higher than the overall class average. It is to your benefit to make use of these sessions on a regular basis.

Classroom policies:

I expect your full attention in our lecture and laboratory sessions. Don't bother to come to class if you aren't ready to learn. Don't waste my time and the time of your peers.

And I also expect that you will be courteous to me and to your peers. Consequently, talking out of turn, reading the newspaper or other materials, using your laptops to IM or to surf the web, and using cell phones for ANY purpose are strictly prohibited. If you persist in violating this principle, you will be asked to leave the lecture hall.

Cell Phones shall be turned off and stowed when you enter the lecture hall or laboratory. They may NOT be used for ANY reason while you are in class or lab.

Instant messaging and web surfing shall NOT take place during class or lab time. If I discover that you have been using IM or web surfing in class or lab, I will ask you to stop attending.

Course requirements

Prerequisites: This course is designed to stimulate your thinking (outcomes a, b, c, f, g), but there are no prerequisite courses. If you can balance your checkbook, you can do all the math that will be required (outcome c). I will expect you to understand and apply fundamental concepts (outcomes a, b, c, e, f, g), rather than to simply memorize information, on exams. You should strive to achieve as complete and sound a scientific interpretation as possible by trying to integrate information across discrete chapters of the text.

Study Groups: Because scientific understanding does not usually progress in a vacuum-it is through discussions and arguments with colleagues that most advances stem-I encourage you to work in groups and to discuss your ideas and to work through confusing concepts with your classmates. One of the best ways to study and understand and learn is to form a small study group-quiz one another. Make up questions that you think I'd ask on the , and be certain you can answer them. If you can accurately explain a concept to your peers, then you can feel comfortable that you understand it. If you're confused in doing this, you're likely to be confused about the material. (outcome d)

Attendance: Attendance at discussion/lecture sessions is essential for succeeding in the course. Warm-ups will be the focus of each meeting. While material in the warm-ups will be emphasized, students are responsible for the breadth and depth of the textbook reading when it comes to exams.

IMPORTANT!: Laboratory attendance is required for students enrolled in GEOS 120. No unexcused absences are permitted in laboratory without penalty. For each unexcused laboratory absence, the student's final grade will be reduced by 2%. Unexcused laboratory absences must be made up in order to pass the course. Students who accumulate three unexcused laboratory absences automatically fail the course.

Excused laboratory absences must be approved by the laboratory instructor prior to the session missed, or accompanied by a documentation from the WSU health services or another physician. All excused laboratory exercises must be completed to pass the course

Completion of all lecture exams, and laboratory exercises and laboratory exams is required in order to receive a passing grade.

Achievement of a passing grade for all course work is required to receive credit for the course.

Testing and grading

Four lecture exams and four lab exams will be given. The fourth lecture exam will be given during the final exam period and is comprehensive in scope, with an emphasis on material from the last part of the course that was previously untested.

All exam dates are already scheduled (see the course assignments section of our web page) and you are expected to take the exams at those times.

For students enrolled in GEOS 120:

Lecture exams will constitute 60% of the grade. Exams are weighted as follows: #1=10% #2=15% #3=15%, #4=20%. Lab exams, together with lab projects, will constitute 25% of the grade. Warm-ups will count 15% of the grade. The grading scale for the weighted course percentage is:

A >80
B 70-79
C 60-69
D 50-59
E <50

For students enrolled in GEOS 121:

Lecture exams will constitute 85% of the grade. Exams are weighted as follows: #1=15% #2=20% #3=22% #4=28% Warmups will count 15% of the grade. We will use the same grading scale as listed above.

For All Students

Exams are already scheduled, and students are obliged to take exams at these times. The obvious reason for the exam policy is fairness to the entire class. If you do not think you can abide by this policy, you should drop the course as soon as possible.

All lecture exams will be completed on narrow scantrons, which are available for purchase in the bookstore. Be certain to bring your scantron to the exam and do not fold it or rumple it in any way, otherwise it may not pass through the grading machine. Also, bring two sharp lead pencils and a GOOD eraser!

If you miss an exam, you are expected to take a make-up. Note that a penalty of 10% of the maximum points attainable per late day will be deducted from the score of those who miss an exam because of an unexcused absence. Examples of unexcused absences include but are not limited to: attendance at weddings, convenient rides home, oversleeping, and unpreparedness. Examples of excusable absences include verifiable illness and family emergency. For excused absences, prior notice must be given by contacting the instructor before the scheduled time of the examination. And written documentation verifying the necessity for the absence must be presented to the instructor before taking the makeup exam.

For excused absences, you must take the test the following weekday of the emergency day, or the deduction penalty goes into effect. If you are in doubt of the status of a pending absence, discuss the matter with the instructor prior to the examination date.

Dishonesty on an exam results in a zero and reporting to university authorities. During testing times, students are expected to sit as far from neighbors as possible and to keep their answers secure. Different versions of each exam will be distributed throughout the class to provide greater assurance of honest assessment.

Academic honesty policy:

Students who plagiarize warmups or laboratory work from other students or other sources, and students who are discovered cheating on exams are subject to the Academic Integrity Policy and Due Process Rights on pages 9-11 of

www.winona.edu/studentaffairs/conduct.htm.

Use of cell phones or IM or any other electronic devices including computers during an exam, no matter what your reason, will be considered cheating.

Disabilities

If you have a physical or cognitive disability, please come talk to me as soon as possible so that we can discuss how best to accommodate your needs.

Consultation

You are urged to consult with me concerning questions and/or problems dealing with the course. My office is PA 126 and hours are posted on the door and in our announcements section of the web page. If these hours are in conflict with your schedule, please see me for an appointment. Do not wait until the latter part of the course to get help!

Only if you get assistance early in the semester will I be able to assist you in maximizing your learning potential.

Here is some advice about how to achieve at your highest academic level in a large enrollment course.

• Class attendance is essential for success.
  • You are responsible for knowing what is covered and assigned in class regardless of whether or not you are present.
  • Assignments will not be accepted on papers torn out of notebooks; all assignments must be neat, legible, and on paper with clean edges.
  • I will not regurgitate a lecture during office hours simply because you chose not to attend class.
  • Videos shown in class will not be made available outside of class.
• Attendance and participation will affect the outcome of your final grade.
• Arrive on time! The first five minutes of class are often the most important part of the entire lecture. I usually use them to discuss how the day's topics fit into the broader goals of the course, and where the course is headed in the next few lectures. Important logistical information like homework assignments and items that will and won't be on exams, are often discussed here as well. Everyone is unavoidably late now and then, but my experience is that most students who consistently arrive a few minutes late for the lecture also receive a poor final grade in the course.
• Assignments- The course outline summarizes readings in the textbook. Assignments should be read before coming to class, so that more effective listening, individual and group participation, and note-taking can take place. Following class, notes should be reviewed together with careful re-reading of the assignments. If this is done on a regular basis, performance will be enhanced. Classroom sessions will be more meaningful and discussion will be possible. Assignments will not generally be announced. You are responsible for following the course outline.
• Warmups - complete the warmups diligently and learn from them. Do not simply answer the questions without regard to preparation or thought. Otherwise, the warmups will not help you one bit. If you do the warmups diligently, they will help you prepare for each topic. Notetaking will be made easier, and questions will come to mind that you may wish to ask in class
• Course Web Page - Consult the course web page daily. There you will find class announcements, assignments, links to web sites that provide additional study materials related to all aspects of the course, links to self-testing, and daily lessons for you to complete that illustrate the kinds of reasoning you are expected to achieve.
• Work in groups - form study groups Because scientific understanding does not usually progress in a vacuum-it is through discussions and arguments with colleagues that most advances stem-you are encouraged to
  • work in groups and to discuss your ideas and to work through confusing concepts with your classmates.
  • One of the best ways to study and understand and learn is to form a small study group-quiz one another. Make up questions that you think will be on the exam, and be certain you can answer them. If you can accurately explain a concept to your peers, then you can feel comfortable that you understand it. If you're confused in doing this, you're likely to be confused about the material. (outcome d)
• Use email often - Read it daily! Get access to it if you don't have it yet. I will communicate with you via your webmail account, so make certain it is up and running. Electronic mail has become the basic means of communication among scientists. You'll find that I answer most email messages and queries within minutes. Don't hesitate to ask questions this way. My email address is: jmeyers@vax2.winona.edu\
• Study for the exams mainly from your lecture notes - The lectures, labs, book and web site all cover somewhat different topics, at different levels of detail. It would be silly if it were otherwise: why do the same thing three times? My lectures excerpt those portions of the book and web site that I feel are most important for the course. The main purpose of the book is to allow you to hear things in a different voice, quietly, at your own pace, to help you figure out puzzling things from the classes. You will receive a handout that provides suggestions for good note-taking in this course. This handout is also on the course web site.
• Make frequent use of the course web site that accompanies your textbook. Here you will find various study aids, including study guides and self-testing.
• Consultation - I will be available for consultation throughout the semester and you are urged to keep in touch, especially if you are having difficulty. Office hours are posted on my door (PA 114-H) and are listed on the course web site. If these hours are in conflict with your schedule, please make other arrangements with me. My telephone extension is 5266 and e-mail is jmeyers@vax2.winona.edu

Course outline and reading assignments

I. Understanding Earth - Chapter I

A. Physical geology - scope

B. Dynamic Earth

1. Interaction between processes and materials ­ earth systems
2. Energy sources and cycles
3. Plate tectonics
4. Context of geologic time

C. Plate tectonics as a unifying theory
D. Plate tectonics and the rock cycle
E. Geologic time and uniformitarianism

II. Minerals - Ch. 3

A. Atoms, elements and bonding
B. Physical properties of minerals

1. Controlled by composition, structure and bonding
2. Description

C. Silicate minerals
D. Other important rock-forming minerals ­ carbonates
E. Origin of minerals
F. Mineral identification

III. Igneous rocks and intrusive igneous activity - Ch. 4

A. Composition, texture and viscosity of magmas and lavas
B. Origin and evolution of magma and lava
1. Plate tectonic settings
2. Bowen's Reaction Series
C. Crystallization - texture and composition of igneous rocks
D. Classification and identification of igneous rocks
E. Intrusive igneous bodies

IV. Volcanism-Ch. 5

A. Materials ­ Gas, lava and pyroclastic materials
B. Types of volcanic activity and related structures and landforms
C. Distribution of volcanoes relative to plate boundaries and relationship to type of activity and composition of resulting rocks

V. Mechanical and chemical weathering and soil - Ch. 6

A. Mechanical weathering
B. Chemical weathering
C. Influence of rock type and climate on rates of weathering - differential weathering
D. Soil profiles, types, and relationship to climate
E. Factors controlling soil formation

VI. Sediment and Sedimentary rocks - Ch. 7

A. Product of weathering, erosion, deposition and lithification
B. Terrigenous and chemical sedimentary rocks
C. Interpretation of sedimentary rocks, based upon composition, textures
and sedimentary structures
D. Sedimentary facies
E. Sedimentation and plate tectonics
F. Sedimentary rocks and natural resources

VII. Metamorphism and metamorphic rocks - Ch. 8

A. Agents and environments of metamorphism
B. Contact and regional metamorphism
C. Classification and identification of metamorphic rocks
D. Concept of metamorphic zones - use of mineral assemblages to interpret temperature and pressure (and hence depth) of formation
E. Relationship between metamorphic rocks, plate tectonics, and
mountain building

VIII. Geologic time and Earth history - Ch. 9

A. Early concepts and recognition of geologic time
B. Geologic time and its reckoning

1. relative dating and correlation
2. absolute dating
3. Geologic column and geologic time scale

IX. Earthquakes-Ch. 10

A. Earthquake waves and elastic rebound theory
B. Location of earthquakes - travel-time curves
C. Earthquake intensity and magnitude
D. Earthquakes and plate tectonics
E. Tsunamis
F. Earthquake prediction and control

X. Earth's interior ­ Ch. 11

A. Deduced from earthquake waves and meteorites
B. Core, mantle and seismic tomography, crust, lithosphere and asthenosphere
C. Earth's internal heat
D. Isostasy
E. Earth's magnetic field

XI. The Ocean Floor ­ Ch. 12

A. Continental margins
B. Deep-ocean basins
C. Deep-sea sedimentation
D. Structure and composition of ocean crust

XII. Plate tectonics: a Unifying Theory ­ Ch. 2

A. Continental drift
B. Sea-floor spreading

1. Magnetic reversal evidence
2. Sea-floor sediment evidence
3. Sea-floor topography evidence

D. Plate tectonics

1. Types of plate boundaries
2. Plate motion and its causes

XIII. Deformation, Mountain Building and the Evolution of Continents ­ Ch. 13

A. Deformation

1. Folds
2. Joints
3. Faults

B. Mountains and mountain building and relationship to plate boundaries
C. Microplates and mountain building
D. Origin and evolution of continents

XIV. Mass movement - Ch. 14

A. Forces
B. Initiation (and prevention) of mass wasting
C. Classification and types of mass wasting based upon rate of movement and mechanics of movement
D. Prevention of mass wasting

XV. Running Water ­ Ch. 15

A. Hydrologic cycle
B. Controls on surface runoff
C. Sheet flow and channel flow
D. Hydraulics of stream flow and the question of the graded stream
E. Stream erosion

1. bed load, suspended load and dissolved load
2. landforms

F. Stream deposition
G. Streams and the landscape

1. drainage basins and drainage patterns
2. forms associated with stream valleys
3. cycle of erosion and concept of base level

XVI. Groundwater systems - Ch. 16

A. Porosity and permeability
B. Storage and flow of groundwater - concept of water table
C. Movement of ground water
D. Aquifers, springs and wells
E. Landscapes associated with groundwater solution
F. Modifications of the groundwater system and their effects
G. Hot springs and geysers

XVII. Glacial systems - Ch. 17

A. Origin of glaciers and history of glaciation
B. Glacial budget and ice movement
C. Types of glaciers
D. Glacial erosion and deposition - associated landforms
1. Alpine landscapes
2. Landscapes associated with continental glaciation
E. Regional, continental and global effects of glaciation
F. Glaciers and isostasy
G. Causes of glaciation

Texts

Monroe, J.S., Wicander, R., and Hazlett, R. W., 2007, Physical Geology (sixth edition): Thompson/Brooks Cole, 690 p., including supplement on Geology of the Upper Mississippi Valley and Western Superior Basin (Meyers and Miller, 2007)

Laboratory exercises, Winona State University, Spring, 2008