GEO 102 Section 001: The Earth Through Time
Fall, 2010
4 Credit Hours
Primary Instructor: Charles Andrus
Core Designation: Natural Science
Immediately after each lecture and by appointment. My door is usually open so please come by.
The purpose of this class is to introduce students to the major Earth processes and describe how they evolved through time. In doing this, the larger goal of demonstrating what science is and how it is performed today will be met. While these topics may superficially seem unrelated to modern life, they are in fact central to many major world issues, including energy production, climate and environmental change, and public views on evolution.
Course Outcomes: Students completing this class will be able to…
1) Explain the scientific method and how science is conducted.
2) Discriminate between reliable and less reliable scientific information.
3) Define basic earth systems and cycles, such as tectonic, sedimentary, water, and rock.
4) Conceptualize geologic time.
5) Identify key earth resources.
6) Understand the evolution of continents, oceans, climate, environment, and organisms.
Class Schedule: This is VERY tentative and WILL CHANGE:
Aug. 18: Class introduction Chapter 1
Aug. 20: Science, geology, and you. Chapter 1
Aug. 23: The practice of science and geology Chapter 1
Aug. 25: What is the Earth made of? Chapter 2
Aug. 27: What is the Earth made of? Chapter 2
Aug. 30: What is the Earth made of? Chapter 2
Sept. 1: Tectonics and major Earth systems Chapters 2 & 3
Sept 3: Tectonics and major Earth systems Chapters 2 & 3
Sept. 6: BREAK
Sept.8: Tectonics and major Earth systems Chapters 2 &3
Sept 10: Tectonics and major Earth systems Chapters 2 &3
Sept. 13: TEST
Sept. 15: Geologic Time Chapter 4
Sept. 17: Relative dating Chapters 4 & 5
Sept. 20: Absolute dating Chapters 4 & 5
Sept. 22: Sedimentary rocks and stratigraphy Chapters 4 - 6
Sept. 24: Sedimentary rocks and stratigraphy Chapters 4 - 6
Sept. 27: Fossils and fossilization Chapters 4 - 6
Sept. 29: Fossils and Evolution Chapters 4 - 7
Oct. 1: Evolution Chapter 7
Oct. 4: Evolution Chapter 7
Oct. 6: Evolution Chapter 7
Oct. 8: TEST
Oct. 11: The origin of the Earth Chapter 8
Oct 13: The origin of the Earth Chapter 8
Oct.15: Earliest life Chapter 8
Oct. 18: Earliest life Chapter 8
Oct. 20: Earliest life Chapter 8
Oct. 22: Archean Chapter 8
Oct. 25: Proterozoic Chapter 9
Oct. 27: Proterozoic Chapter 9
Oct .29: BREAK
Nov. 1: Early Paleozoic Chapters 10-13
Nov. 3: Paleozoic Chapters 10-13
Nov. 5: TEST
Nov. 8: Extinctions Chapters 10-13
Nov. 10: Mesozoic Chapters 14 & 15
Nov. 12: Mesozoic Chapters 14 & 15
Nov. 15: Cenozoic Chapters 16-18
Nov. 17: Cenozoic Chapters 16-18
Nov. 19: Quaternary Chapters 18 & 19
Nov. 22: Human evolution Chapters 18 & 19
Nov. 24-26: BREAK
Nov. 29: Earth history and modern issues: Energy Chapter 17
Dec. 1: Earth history and modern issues: Environment Chapter 17
Dec. 3: Earth history and modern issues: Climate Change Chapter 17
Wed. Dec. 8 FINAL EXAM: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Lab schedule:
Week 1: No Labs
Week 2: What is science (Critical analysis of scientific publications and practice)
Week 3: Minerals and Rocks (ID’ing minerals and rocks using physical properties)
Week 4: Tectonics and earth systems (A unifying theory in which you will link earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes, geography, and other phenomena)
Week 5: Time line (You will construct a multi-faceted history of the earth to use as a study guide)
Week 6: Sedimentary rock record (Reconstructing earth history using stratigraphic correlation)
Week 7: Lab mid-term
Week 8: BREAK
Week 9: Fossilization (Hand’s on examples of processes and ID's)
Week 10: Evolution (Exploration and evaluation of online and specimen-based data)
Week 11: Fossil faunas, index fossils, geologic time (Examination and analysis of online data and museum specimens in Smith Hall)
Week 12:
Week 13: Scavenger hunt (A field-based application and analysis of geologic concepts)
Week 14: Climate (Analysis of modern and ancient climate change)
Week 15: BREAK
Week 16: Lab final
See Outlline of Topics above.
Grades are based on the following:
3 tests (18%) and 1 final (21%) A+ = 97+ B+ = 87-89 C+ = 77-79 D+ = 67-69
Lab: 25% A = 93-97 B = 83-87 C = 73-77 D = 63-66
A- = 90-92 B- = 80-82 C- = 70-72 D- = 60-62
This is a 4 credit hour class F = Below 60
All students are expected to attend each class. Any projected absences should be cleared in advance. After the absence, only medical reasons, jury duty, military service, family tragedy, and reasons of similar importance will be accepted. Proof of the reason must be provided at the first possible opportunity. I will accommodate religious holidays at your advance request. Only after proof of the reasons for the absence has been offered and approved will I assist you in making up missed class work.
Lecture: Historical Geology Sixth Edition, Wicander and Monroe
Lab: Lab kit – no required text
-Outlines for lectures, additional readings and other information will be posted on eLearning.
-You must also purchase and register a Turning Technologies computer response card (clicker). These are available at the bookstore. Go to this class’s eLearning page to register (no cost).
All students in attendance at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student.
The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.
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