GEOL 101: The study of the earth's composition and forces which affect it; minerals, rocks, weathering, erosion, volcanism, structure, earthquakes and plate tectonics. 3 lecture hours; 2 lab hours per week. IAI: P1 907L
Building 2 - Room 219
11:00 - 12:15 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
1:00 - 2:50 p.m. Tuesday Lab
Monday 1:00-3:00 p.m., Wednesday 3:00-4:00 p.m., Thursday 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Building 2, Rm 215, Tel. 309-796-5271. To arrange a meeting, talk to the instructor in class, lab or during office hours. E-mail: harwoodr@bhc.edu. Click here to see Richard Harwood's schedule.
| Date | Subject | Chapter | Lab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 25 | Introduction to Class: Outline, Expectations | 1 | 1 |
| Aug. 27 | Continental Drift | 4 | |
| Sept. 1 | Earth's Interior | 5 | 2 |
| Sept. 3 | Paleomagnetism & Seafloor Spreading | 4 | |
| Sept. 8 | Plate Tectonics & Plate Boundaries | 4 | 3 |
| Sept. 10 | Plate Motion-Driving Mechanisms | 4 | |
| Sept. 15 | Open Date | 4 | |
| Sept. 17 | Exam I | ||
| Sept. 22 | Minerals - Composition and Structure | 2 | Practical I |
| Sept. 24 | Class cancelled | ||
| Sept. 29 | Minerals - Physical Properties and Groups | 2 | |
| Oct. 1 | The Rock Cycle and Rock Formation | 3 | 5 |
| Oct. 6 | Igneous Rocks | 6 | |
| Oct. 8 | Plutonic Rocks | 6 | |
| Oct. 13 | Exam II | ||
| Oct. 15 | Volcanic Rocks | 6 | 8 |
| Oct. 20 | Volcanoes | 6 | 8 |
| Oct. 22 | Volcanoes | 6 | |
| Oct. 27 | Energy: Sources and Suppliers (in Room 1-306) | Practical II | |
| Oct. 29 | Weathering and Erosion | 7 | |
| Nov. 3 | Weathering and Erosion | 7 | |
| Nov. 5 | Sedimentary Rocks | 8 | 9 |
| Nov. 10 | Sedimentary Rocks | 8 | |
| Nov. 12 | Sedimentary Rocks | 8 | 10 |
| Nov. 17 | Exam III | 11 | |
| Nov. 19 | Metamorphic Rocks | 10 | |
| Nov. 24 | Metamorphic Rocks | 10 | 12 |
| Nov. 26 | Thanksgiving - No Classes | ||
| Dec. 1 | Earthquakes | 5 | Practical III |
| Dec. 3 | Crustal Deformation | 9 | |
| Dec. 8 | Crustal Deformation | 9 | |
| Dec. 10 | Open Date | ||
| Dec. 15 | FINAL EXAM - 10:00 a.m. |
The schedule is subject to changes during the semester. Students are responsible for keeping track of changes. The web page schedule will be updated when changes occur.
A detailed outline of each day's topics is available at the Lecture Material links on the course web page.
Visualizing Geology, by Murck, Skinner, and Mackenzie
Physical Geology 101 Lab Manual, by Richard Harwood
Mineral and Rock Identification Atlas, by Richard Harwood
Lecture outlines, study material, additional information, reading material and study guide questions may be found on the BHC Physical Geology Web Page under the Study Material link at the following URL:
http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/index.htm
NOTICE: It is strongly recommended that students access, print out and read the lecture notes prior to attending class.
WARNING: The web page lecture notes are intended to be used to enhance and assist students in acquiring and learning the material presented in the lectures. They are designed to allow students to follow along and contribute to lectures without the need to write everything down in notes. The web page lecture notes, however, do not contain all of the material presented in class. The web page lecture notes are not a substitute for coming to lecture - attendance is required for successful completion of the course. The web page lecture notes alone will not see you through this course without attending lecture.
Students may access the Internet at any of the open computer labs on campus. Computers are available in the Independent Learning Center, Library and the Science Resources Lab (Rm 2-210). Students do not need an account or login name to access the Internet in these labs. Assistance is available in the labs for students that have never accessed material on the World Wide Web.
Access to some of this material is password protected on myBlackHawk and WebCT. To access this material and other online resources, login to myBlackHawk at: http://myblackhawk.bhc.edu
Login information to myBlackHawk was provided to you when you enrolled at BHC. If you have forgotten this login information or have difficulties logging in to myBlackHawk follow the directions in the Secure Access Login box at the myBlackHawk homepage. Once into myBlackHawk go to My Courses and click on the Physical Geology course link.
There are four exams. Each exam will be comprehensive. The majority of questions, approximately 80%, will cover material from the most recent lectures, with additional questions covering major topics, concepts and definitions from the previous sections and exams. Exams may not be taken before the scheduled exam time - no exceptions.
Each exam may contain one or more of the following items: multiple choice questions, true/false statements, matching, fill-in-the-blank statements, short essay topics, and full length essay topics. Students should read the Essay Policy prior to taking an exam. This policy may be found at the following URL: http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/Essay.htm
Missed exams and lab practicals will be made up by class time the first day that the student returns to class - no exceptions. For example, let's say you miss the first exam on Thursday, Sept. 17th. You then come to the next class period on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd. You would be required to take the exam at that time, during the class period. Failure to take the exam at that time will result in a score of zero. All missed exams will be taken in the ILC's Testing Center. Students may arrange to take the exam prior to the next class period, and are encouraged to do so. Contact the ILC for Testing Room hours.
There are no extra credit assignments.
The final grade will be calculated according to the following percentages:
Exams and Practicals - 75%
Lab Assignments - 25%
Click here to use a Grade Calculator to figure out your grade in the course.
All grades will be assigned using the following scale:
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = <60%
No incompletes (I) will be given for any reason.
My policy on grades is that you will receive the grade that you earn. I do not "give" grades, you earn them. The grade that you earn will be based upon your knowledge of the required material, your skills in the required activities and your participation, performance and attitude.
Individual grades may be accessed through the BHC Physical Geology Web Page at:
http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/index.htm
Access to your grades is password protected. See the Web Page Study Materials section above for details on your access to this information.
Daily attendance is not taken in this course. However, if you miss four lecture or lab class hours, either consecutively or cumulatively, you may be officially withdrawn from the class for non-attendance. You will be checked off for attendance on a weekly basis during lab.
I am not interested in hearing excuses for missed classes. Whether you are in class or not, you are responsible for all material and announcements presented in the lecture and lab sections. It is your job to make sure you have all of the current information. Missed assignments must be turned in by class time the first day that the student returns to class - no exceptions. Missed exams and lab practicals will be made up by class time the first day that the student returns to class - no exceptions. Failure to take the exam at that time will result in a score of zero.
You are all adults and I expect you to have behavior appropriate to a college level class - this is not High School. The classroom environment should be professional and friendly. Anyone showing disruptive behavior will be asked to leave. Disruptive behavior includes but is not limited to: a) using profanities, b) intentionally damaging classroom or laboratory materials, c) using cellular phones (Cell phones are to be turned off during class, labs and exams), d) playing video games, surfing the internet or using a computer for anything other than class related activities while the instructor is addressing the class, e) placing feet on the lab table tops while class is in session, f) excessive talking while the instructor is addressing the class, and g) creating an environment that is not conducive to learning for others.
Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Copying another's work, plagiarism and cheating on tests may be punishable by a failing grade on that assignment or exam, or a failing grade for the course - depending on the severity of the incident.
I have no objection to your bringing food or drink into lecture or lab. However, it is your responsibility to clean up after yourself. Because other instructors and students use the classroom, don't leave your trash on the lab benches. Put all aluminum cans, plastic bottles and office paper in the proper recycling containers in the hall. Throw all other trash in the waste can in the classroom. If I find trash being left on the lab benches in lab or lecture I will ban all food and drink for everyone for the remainder of the semester.
You are responsible for knowing due dates and exam dates. They are on your syllabus, know them, even if they are not announced in class.
I expect you to have read the lecture assignments prior to coming to class. Be prepared to discuss the material. A discussion requires at least two people that have read the material and are prepared to examine that information. A discussion with only one participant is a lecture.
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1) Summarize the dynamics of Plate Tectonics.
2) Identify and discuss the formation and composition of common rocks and minerals.
3) Describe the processes of earthquakes, volcanism and crustal deformation.
4) Describe weathering and erosion surface processes.
5) Describe the current theories for the origin of the Universe and the Earth.
The following assessment methods, measures and techniques may be used during the semester to determine how well students are learning.
| Lab | Date | Subject | MRI Atlas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug. 25 | Lab Orientation - Scientific Method | |
| 2 | Sept. 1 | Metric System, Scientific Notation, Graphing and Graph Analysis | Appendix B |
| 3 | Sept. 8 | Topographic Maps | |
| 4 | Sept. 15 | Plate Tectonics | |
| Sept. 22 | Lab Practical I - covers Labs 1-4 | ||
| 5 | Sept. 29 | Mineral Physical Properties | 1 |
| 6 | Oct. 6 | Mineral Identification | 2 |
| 7 | Oct. 13 | Igneous Rock Identification | 3 |
| 8 | Oct. 20 | Volcanic Materials Identification | |
| Oct. 27 | Lab Practical II - covers Labs 5-8 | ||
| 9 | Nov. 3 | Mount St. Helens | |
| 10 | Nov. 10 | Sedimentary Rock Identification | 4 |
| 11 | Nov. 17 | Stream and Mass Wasting Field Trip | |
| 12 | Nov. 24 | Metamorphic Rock Identification | 5 |
| Dec. 1 | Lab Practical III - covers Labs 9-12 | ||
| Dec. 8 | No Lab (Make up date if needed) |
Lab exercises are to be completed during the lab period and turned in at the end of the lab. Students are expected to remain in lab for the full hour and fifty minutes, working on the lab assignment and studying past lab assignments.
Missed labs must be completed within one week of the date of the assigned lab. For example, if you miss Lab #2, it must be complete prior to Lab #3. Labs completed before the following week's lab will receive full credit for that lab. No credit will be given for labs completed after the one week grace period. However, it is to your advantage to complete all labs, even late labs, as you will be tested over the material on the lab practical. You are responsible for making arrangements to make up a lab.
There will be four lab practicals. These are equivalent to exams and will test your knowledge and skills on the lab material. Missed lab practicals will be made up by class time the first day that the student returns to class. Failure to take the lab practical at that time will result in a score of zero.
Each lab practical will be based directly on the activities in the lab exercises. For example, in the Mineral Identification lab you will be identifying 20 different minerals. On the Lab Practical, you can expect to identify minerals.
WARNING - For Lab Practicals II, III and IV students will be required to identify mineral physical properties, mineral names, rock textures, rock compositions and rock names. Identification charts and lists (as used during lab activities) will not be used during the Practicals. This means that you must know the proper terms and identifications from memory. This requires practice - lots of practice. This requires that you spend time with the rocks and minerals - more time than one viewing of the material during the lab activity. It is recommended that once you have completed a given week's lab activity, that you spend additional time in lab reviewing the previous week's materials. Failure to spend this additional time reviewing and studying the rocks and minerals will greatly increase your chances of failing the first two Lab Practicals.
The only materials that you will need to bring are your lab manual, and writing utensils. USE A PENCIL to complete each assignment. Errors will be made and are easier to correct in pencil than in pen. The lab manual, Mineral and Rock Identification Atlas, and textbook should be brought to lab as well. A calculator is recommended and necessary for the completion of some lab assignments. All other materials will be provided.
A full set of mineral and rock samples, and testing equipment (excluding HCl) is available at the BHC Library's Circulation Desk. This material may only be checked for use in the library. An additional set of minerals and rocks are available in Room 210 in Building 2.
Do your own work. You may work in groups or alone but you alone are responsible for knowing the material. Students often fail the lab portion of the course because they let someone else do the work. You will be tested as an individual on your knowledge and skills during the lab practical - you will not be tested as a group. Do your own work.
Lab assignments will be evaluated prior to the student being dismissed from lab. The instructor and student will go over the lab assignment together to check for errors and make corrections. Upon completion the lab will contain all the correct answers. The student will only receive credit for the lab once the instructor and student have gone over the lab assignment.
Additional lab activities can be found Online. These activities include identification of minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks. To find this material go to the URL below and click on Study Material.
http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/index.htm
