GEOSCIENCE
Historical Geology GEOS
116
SYLLABUS - Spring 2007
Description
and Objectives
This course will survey
the Earth's 4.6 billion years of history (in 15 short weeks!) and, more
importantly, review the basic principles and techniques geoscientists use to
reconstruct that history.
Consequently, the course material is divided up into two, roughly equal
parts: a section on "tools and concepts", where the fundamental principles
will be reviewed; and a section entitled "the march through time",
where major events in both the physical history of the earth and the evolution
of life will be covered. After the
semester has ended and you quickly forget the 'nasty' little facts and details,
you will retain an appreciation of how a historical science is pursued and have
the background to function as a beginning geological historian.
Course Information
Instructor: Dr. Karl W. Leonard
Office: King 204
Lab: King 116
Phone: (218) 477-2682
e-mail: leonardk@mnstate.edu
url: http://web.mnstate.edu/leonard
office
hours:
MWF 1:00-3:00 pm, TTh 2:00-4:00 pm,
or whenever IÕm in my office
Textbooks: D. R. Prothero and R. H. Dott, Jr., Evolution
of the Earth (Seventh Edition). http://www.mhhe.com/prothero6
Lab
Book:
Brice, Levin, and Smith, Laboratory Studies in Earth History (Eighth Edition).
Class
web page can be found on: http://web.mnstate.edu/leonard
Building and Room #: King Hall 216
Conceptual Framework
This course helps students achieve the conceptual
framework of the educational unit.
Standards of
Effective Practice
This
course complies with the standards of effective academic practice which can be
found at: http://cfl.state.mn.us/teachbrd/8710_2000.html, and INTASC
Standards: http://www.ccsso.org/intasc.html
Instructional
Strategies:
This
course will be presented in a short-lecture format mixed with small and large
group activities and discussions.
Course Requirements
There
are two primary components of this class. 1) Participation includes attendance
and daily questions, work in discussion groups, lab exercises, and reports 2)
Tests of knowledge include two quizzes and a final exam.
Evaluation/Grading
The total
grade is calculated from a standard 100% scale. The grade will be determined
from:
lecture
quizzes (54%):
There will be 2 lecture quizzes, each worth 17% of the lecture grade. Students will take a comprehensive
final exam worth 20% of the total grade.
No make-up exams will be offered.
field
trips (5%):
1 to 2 field trips will make up 5% of the total grade – will occur in
Late April
daily
questions (5%): Each class will begin with a short
answer question
in class exercises and discussions (36%): Short exercise and discussion reports
will comprise 6% of the grade, and lab activity reports will be worth 30% of
the total grade.
Policies
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all
class meetings.
Special Accommodations: Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in
this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability
Services at 477-5859 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), CMU 114 as soon as
possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Academic Honesty: (See MSUM Student Absence Policy,
Student Handbook: http://web.mnstate.edu/sthandbook/
(under bookmark Student Policy Info).
Lecture Schedule (Tentative)
Week Topic Reading
1 T
– Introduction
P&D
Ch. 1
Jan. 9 Th
– Time and Rates of Change
2 T
– Science and Historical Geology P&D
Ch. 2
Jan. 16 Th
– Lab 1 - Sedimentary Rocks B,
L, & S Ch. 1
3 T
– Evolution P&D
Ch. 3
Jan. 23 Th
– Lab 2 - Interpreting Ancient Environments B,
L, & S Ch. 2-4
4 T
– Relative Time and Stratigraphy P&D
Ch. 4
Jan. 30 Th
– Lab 3 – Age Relations and Unconformities B,
L, & S Ch. 7
5 T
– Numerical Dating of Earth P&D
Ch. 5
Feb. 6 Th
– Lab 4 - Rock Units and Time-Rock Units B,
L, & S Ch. 8
6 T
– Mountain Building and Drifting Continents P&D
Ch. 7
Feb. 13 Th
– Lab 5 – Plate Tectonics B,
L, & S Ch. 6
7 T
– Mountain Building and Drifting Continents II P&D
Ch. 7
Feb. 20 Th
– Exam 1 – Feb. 22
8 T
– Origin and Evolution of Earth P&D
Ch. 6
Feb. 27 Th
- Origin and Evolution of Earth II P&D
Ch. 8
9 T
– Early Life P&D
Ch. 9
Mar. 6 Th
– Lab 6 Fossils I - Preservation B,
L, & S Ch. 10
March
12-16 Spring Break
10 T
- Early Paleozoic P&D
Ch. 10
Mar. 20 Th
– Lab 7 Fossils II B,
L, & S Ch. 10
11 T
– Early Paleozoic P&D
Ch. 11
March 27 Th
– Lab 8 Fossils III B,
L, & S Ch. 11
12 T
– Middle Paleozoic P&D
Ch. 12
April 3 Th
– Lab 9 Fossils and Time B,
L, & S Ch 12
13 T
– no class
April 10 Th
- Late Paleozoic P&D
Ch. 13
14 T
– Lab 10 Fossils and
Environments B,
L, & S Ch. 12
April 17 Th
– The Mesozoic P&D
Ch. 14
15 T
– The Mesozoic P&D
Ch. 14
April 24 Th
– Exam 2 – April 26
16 T
– The Cenozoic P&D
Ch. 16
May 1
Final Exam –
Monday May 7th – 9 am