1300index.html

Earth Sciences

You can download and print a copy of a PDF-version of this syllabus if you'd like.

COURSE NUMBER: GEL/ESC 1300C
INSTRUCTOR: John Stimac
CLASS HOURS: MW 4 - 4:50 PM
LAB HOURS:
        Sec. 8: Tuesday 1600 - 1740
        Sec. 9: Thursday 1400-1540
        Sec. 10: Thursday 1600 - 1740

OFFICE LOCATION: Science 139
OFFICE HOURS: MW 5 - 6 PM, R 8 - 10 AM; often after class, and by appt. (581-7016 or cfjps@eiu.edu)

TEXT: Physical Geology, 3rd ed., Monroe and Wicander

Students with Disabilities (Whether learning, physical, hard of hearing, psychiatric, or sensory)
Eastern Illinois University promotes equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities. If you have a disability and may need any assistance, please notify your instructor and make an appointment immediately with the Office of Disability Services (Buzzard House, or call 581-6583)

OBJECTIVES:
During this course, I hope that you'll gain an appreciation of science and the world around us - specifically how geology can, and does, relate to your life and the community. Everyone should be able to discuss, and give examples of, geology's significance to our everyday life and why it's important. There are a number of geologically important issues that will affect the way you live the rest of your life, such as natural hazards, global warming, and life on other planets: I want you to be able to critically assess those issues, so you don't have to depend on Rush Limbaugh and Al Gore to do your thinking for you. You will also be able to identify the common rock-forming minerals and be able to identify rocks that are found locally and discuss their significance. Concepts covered will include geologic time, the Earth's structure and origin, common rocks and minerals, and plate tectonics. Finally, a number of you will use geology in your careers, and I want you to be prepared for that.

CURRENT GRADES
This is a link to your current grades as I have posted them to the web.

PRACTICE QUIZZES
Here are links to practice quizzes - remember, however, the actual quizzes will NOT be multiple choice, but will instead be short answer, completion, and draw or label the diagram.

Practice Quiz #1 - actual quiz is scheduled for 8 September.
Practice Quiz #2 - actual quiz is scheduled for 29 September.
Practice Quiz #3 - actual quiz is scheduled for Wednesday, 3 November.
Practice Quiz #4 - actual quiz is scheduled for Wednesday, 17 November.

FEEDBACK
During class on Wednesday, 20 October 1999, I asked the class for anonymous feedback as to how the course was going thus far and what they would like to see changed. Feedback that I have thus far is linked here.

I know these aren't students from my class before the
quiz. They're probably from another class - right?
(Sitting Duck 2 - Michael Bedard)

GRADING:
Grading will be based on merit; that is, you will be graded primarily against your fellow students. A tentative breakdown is as follows:

Questions of the Day	3 pts. each	66
Labs	10 pts. each	100
Quizzes	50 pts. each	200
Mid-term examination	150 pts.	150
Report	50 pts.	50
Lab final	100 pts.	100
Final examination	200 pts.	200
Total Points Available		866

Questions of the Day: 3 pts. each. The Questions of the Day will be handed out at the beginning of each class and are due at the end of class. The question will concern some aspect of that day's lecture. Total value: 66 pts.

Quizzes: 50 pts. each. Quizzes will primarily cover material taught since the previous quiz or examination, but may also include earlier material. Format will be short answer, label the diagram, and completion. Quizzes will last 30 minutes. Total value: 200 pts.

Labs: 10 pts. each. Labs will cover the rock-forming minerals, the three major rock types, structural geology and physics of the earth's interior. Labs will be approached in a hands-on type of atmosphere -- the same manner in which the Lab Final will be given. There will be ten (10 ) labs.

Mid-term Examination: 150 pts. The mid-term examination will have the same format as the quizzes and will cover everything up to, and including, metamorphic rocks and processes. The mid-term examination will last one hour. Total value: 150 pts.

Report: 50 pts. There will be one report due from each student. Topics can be anything covered in class or agreed upon with the instructor. Topics must be approved no later than October 13. Total value: 50 pts.

Grading of the reports, from the field trip or otherwise.

Content
grade	criteria	approximate grade
5	outstanding explanation with superior supporting information; unusual insights and flashes of brilliance; creative and original analyses and thoughts; goes well beyond minimum required for assignment.	98
4	good solid job on explanation with excellent support from examples, data figures, etc., excellent reasoning, or excellent explanations; goes beyond minimum required for assignment.	88
3	good solid job; does what the assignment asks; decent reasoning or explanations; decent support by data, examples, figures, etc.	78
2	decent explanation but too general or some inaccuracies or flaws in reasoning or coverage is accurate but cursory and does not meet the minimum required for a complete answer.	68
1	doesn't effectively address assignment; fails to support assertions with data or examples; unclear explanations; inadequate understanding; majors flaws in reasoning or explanations.	58
0	answer missing or does not answer the question.	0

Writing
grade	criteria	approximate grade
5	meets criteria for 4, but also has a sense of style, going beyond grammatical correctness to real readability.	100
4	excellent paper/paragraph organization, interesting sentences, good grammar, very few spelling errors, does not read like a first draft.	90
3	decent organization; serviceable prose; reads like a first draft; a paper with excellent writing will still earn a 3 if it contain many spelling errors and is clearly not proofread.	80
2	disorganized; awkward sentence structure; poor grammar; poor spelling.	70
1	similar problems to 2, but worse.	60

Lab Final: 100 pts. There will be a practical lab final. The final will test the student's ability to correctly identify hand specimens and solve basic geologic exercises using topographic and geologic maps. The lab final will last one hour. Total value: 100 pts.

Final Examination 200 pts. The final examination will have the same format as the mid-term examination and will cover the entire course. This may include ideas presented in lab. The final exam will last two hours. Total value: 200 pts.

MAKEUPS or LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
No makeups will be allowed for missed questions of the day or quizzes or labs; examination makeups will only be allowed for unusual circumstances that are discussed with the instructor, preferably ahead of time.

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is up to the student; however, roll will be taken during the first two weeks of class. CAUTION: It is unlikely that you will be successful in this class unless you attend regularly.

Class Schedule

Week	Dates	Topics	Assignment
1	August 23, 25	Introduction, Major features of the Earth; Earth's origin and structure	Intro., Chapt. 1 Chapt. 12
2	August 30 September 1	Minerals Minerals (to know) Discussion of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Atoms and bonding Lab: Introduction to rock-forming minerals	Chapt. 2 Lab 1
3	September 8	Quiz #1 (formation and minerals) Practice quiz #1 Lab: Introduction to igneous rocks	Chapt. 3
4	September 13, 15	Igneous rocks, volcanism Volcanic hazards Lab: igneous rocks (Igneous terms for review)	Chapt. 4 Lab 2
5	September 20, 22	Sedimentary rocks and process Lab: Sedimentary rocks	Chapt. 6 Lab 3
6	September 27 September 29	Geologic time scale Geologic principles Quiz #2 (igneous rocks and volcanism) Practice quiz #2 Lab: Geologic time	Chapt. 8 Lab 18
7	October 4, 6	Metamorphic rocks and processes Lab: Metamorphic rocks	Chapt. 7 Lab 4
8	October 11 October 13 October 13	Review and catch-up; Introduction to weathering Mid-term examination (comprehensive) Last day to approve report topics Lab: Introduction to weathering (lecture)	Chapt. 5
9	October 18, 21	Earthquakes and the interior of the Earth Lab: Earthquakes	Chapt. 9, 10 Lab 12
10	October 25, 27	Finish earthquakes and the interior of the Earth Topographic maps and cross-sections (in lab) Lab: Topographic maps and cross-sections	Appendix D Lab 5, 6
11	November 1, 3 November 3	Rock deformation Quiz #3 (earthquakes and topographic maps) Practice quiz #3 Lab: structural geology	Chapt. 13 Lab 14
11	November 8, 10	Mass wasting Lab: Mass wasting	Chapt. 14
13	November 15, 17 November 17	Running water, groundwater Quiz #4 (mass wasting and running water) Practice Quiz #4 Lab: aquifers and streams	Chapt. 15, 16 Lab 7, 8
	November 23, 25	Thanksgiving Break	Eat turkey Digest turkey
14	November 29 November 29 December 1	Desert processes All reports due (no exceptions) Deserts (continued), catch-up If time permits: Glaciers Glacial photos Labs: Desert (aeolian) processes	Chapt. 18 Lab 11
15	December 6 December 8	Review for lab final Review for Final Exam (Lab finals are held this week)
	December 13	FINAL EXAMINATION (1715 - 1915)	study!

Please direct comments about this page to John Stimac
URL http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfjps/1300/1300index.html
Revised 11/14/99
©1999 Eastern Illinois University