Geology 1110: Geology and Earth Systems Spring 2010

Lecture: M/W/F 2:00 – 2:50 pm, Life Science 175 Lab: Chem 206

Instructor: Dr. Karen Gran Office Hours: M 3-4; Th 9-10 or by appt.

726-7406, kgran@d.umn.edu Heller Hall 217

Texts (required): Physical Geology by Plummer and Carlson (e-book available on text website)

Laboratory Manual by UMD Geology Department

Text Website: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/007337671x/student_view0/

Class Website: Accessed through MyU portal: www.myu.umn.edu/

Accessed through ITSS: http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/etrg/webct/

Introduction:

Geology is the study of the Earth and the processes that act upon it and within it. It is far more than just studying rocks! The Earth is a dynamic system of interactions and feedbacks between rock, water, air, and life, operating over multiple time and spatial scales. Events that happened billions of years ago can have relevance to society now. Likewise, because the Earth is continuously changing, actions that we take can affect Earth systems now and into the future.

Humans play an integral role in Earth systems and our interactions with our planet are important. As informed citizenry, you should know the basics of how our planet operates, how materials cycle through it and around it, how we find and use our natural resources, how we are affected by natural hazards, and how we affect natural processes and systems.

Goals:

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1) Make informed decisions related to Earth Sciences as both an individual (Where should I buy a home to minimize my risk to natural hazards?) and as a member of society (How should we zone for development in floodplains?).

2) Predict topographic relationships, rock and mineral assemblages, and natural hazard risks in a location based on tectonic setting.

3) Put current anthropogenic perturbations to climate and surface processes into a deep time perspective. This involves an understanding of basic systems that cycle water, sediment/rock, and gas on our planet and how modern human activities are a part of those cycles.

Grading:

Your lab grade will compose 25% of your total grade, with the lecture component covering the other 75%. Attendance in lab is mandatory! If you miss 3 or more labs, you will receive zero credit for the lab portion of your grade.

25% Lab (lab grades will be standardized between TAs)

5% In-class Exercises

10% On-line quizzes (10 over the term)

12% Exam #1

14% Exam #2

16% Exam #3

18% Final Exam

Schedule:

Week	Date	Topic		Reading	Lab
1	1/20	Introduction; Formation of the Earth		Ch. 1, 1-27	No Lab
	1/22	Earth’s Interior		Ch. 17, 438-459
2	1/25	Geologic Time; Intro to Plate Tectonics	Quiz 1 Due 2pm	Ch. 19, 483-496	0. Plate Tectonics
	1/27	Plate Tectonics		Ch. 19, cont.
	1/29	Plate Tectonics; Plate Boundaries		Ch. 19, 496-517
3	2/1	Hazards: Earthquakes	Quiz 2 Due 2pm	Ch. 16, 405-435	1. Earth-quakes
	2/3	Earthquakes & Tsunamis		Ch. 16, cont.
	2/5	Tsunamis & Review		USGS Report
4	2/8	Exam #1			2. Minerals
	2/10	Minerals		Ch. 2, 29-53
	2/12	Rock Cycle; Igneous Rocks		Ch. 3, 55-79
5	2/15	Igneous Rocks & Volcanoes	Quiz 3 Due 2pm	Ch. 4, 81-111	3. Rocks of BWCA
	2/17	Volcanoes cont.
	2/19	Weathering		Ch. 5, 113-134
6	2/22	Mount Pinatubo	Quiz 4 Due 2pm		4. North Shore Rocks
	2/24	Sedimentary rocks & environments		Ch. 6, 137-164
	2/26	Sedimentary rocks/Meta Rx		Ch. 6 cont.
7	3/1	Metamorphic rocks	Quiz 5 Due 2pm	Ch. 7, 168-190	Lab Quiz 1
	3/3	Review and Catch-up
	3/5	Exam #2
8	3/8	Geologic Structures		Ch. 15, 382-402	Revisiting Plate Tectonics
	3/10	Geologic Structures & Geologic Time		Ch. 8, 192-216
	3/12	Geologic Time
	3/15-3/19	Spring Break
9	3/22	Earth’s Resources – energy		Ch. 21, 542-560	11. Carbon Cycle
	3/24	Earth’s Resources – ores		Ch. 21, 560-569
	3/26	Hydrologic Cycle & Rivers		Ch. 10, 246-272
10	3/29	Rivers cont.	Quiz 6 Due 2pm		12.Habitable Planet
	3/31	Hazards: Flooding		Ch. 10, 272-280
	4/2	Groundwater Resources		Ch. 11, 282-303
11	4/5	Review & Catch up			6. Topo maps and watersheds
	4/7	Exam #3
	4/9	Glaciers		Ch. 12, 306-335
12	4/12	Glaciers & Ice ages	Quiz 7 Due 2pm		7. MN’s Glacial Geology
	4/14	Oceans, coastlines		Ch. 14, 360-375
	4/16	Oceans, deep sea		Ch. 18, 460-479
13	4/19	Hillslopes & Hillslope Processes	Quiz 8 Due 2pm	Ch. 9, 220-244	8. Global Ice Caps
	4/21	Hazards: Mass movements
	4/23	Deserts & Wind Action		Ch. 13, 388-380
14	4/26	Climate change	Quiz 9 Due 2pm	IPCC report	13. Venus & Earth; Lab Quiz 2
	4/28	Climate change
	4/30	Geology in your backyard		TBD
15	5/3	Geology in your backyard	Quiz 10 Due 2pm		5. Field Trip to Leif Erickson Park
	5/5	Geology in your backyard
	5/7	Catch-up and review
Final	5/14	Final Exam, 2-3:55pm

Other useful information:

Liberal Education Content: This class fulfills the liberal education category 4 requirement (Physical and Biological Sciences with a lab).

Missed Assignments/Exams: It is your responsibility to attend class and lab. If you miss 3 or more lab sessions, you will receive zero credit for the lab portion of your grade. Make-up exams will not be given without prior instructor approval. Please contact the instructor at least two weeks prior to the scheduled exam for any anticipated absence that is excusable according to UMD policies. If you miss an exam without prior instructor approval, you will receive zero credit for that exam. If you miss an in-class exercise, you will receive zero credit for that assignment.

Disability Accommodations:

I want this course to be accessible to everyone. If you have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect your ability to perform in this class, please let me know at the start of the term. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the UMD Access Center at 726-8217 in KSC 258.

Academic Dishonesty:

Academic dishonesty tarnishes UMD's reputation and discredits the accomplishments of students. UMD is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit. This pledge can only be redeemed in an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. As a result, academic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense by all members of the academic community. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found at www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity. This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders. 
 
Student Conduct:
The instructor will enforce and students are expected to follow the University's Student Conduct Code (http://www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/code). Appropriate classroom conduct promotes an environment of academic achievement and integrity. Disruptive classroom behavior that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either the instructor's ability to teach, or student learning, is prohibited. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of technology in the classroom. Examples include ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, doing email, or surfing the Internet on your computer instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities.