SYLLABUS
HISTORICAL GEOLOGY - GEOLOGY 1310
Spring 2006
Instructor: Dr.
Office hours: MW
E-mail: michael.grammer@wmich.edu
Lecture Meetings: MWF 3:00 - 3:50 p.m.
Rood Hall, Rm. 1118
Lab Periods: Tuesdays, Rood Hall, Rm. 1192
Texts: Earth System History, 2nd Edition, Steven M. Stanley, 2005,
W.H. Freeman and Company (Required)
Lab Manual: Interpreting Earth History, M.S. Petersen and J.K. Rigby, 6th
Edition, McGraw-Hill (Required)
Class format will be lectures and discussions utilizing the text as a primary
source with additional resources derived from other textbooks and the World
Wide Web.
Historical Geology is a
time-sequence analysis of the Earth'
GRADING STRUCTURE
|
3 Lecture Exams |
40% |
|
Final Exam |
10% |
|
Quizzes
(Lecture) |
10% |
|
Laboratory
Total |
40% |
GRADE DETERMINATION
|
PERCENTAGE |
GRADE |
GRADE
VALUE |
|
94 - 100% |
A |
(4.0) |
|
88 - 93.9% |
BA |
(3.5) |
|
82 - 87.9% |
B |
(3.0) |
|
76 - 81.9% |
CB |
(2.5) |
|
70 - 75.9% |
C |
(2.0) |
|
65 - 69.9% |
DC |
(1.5) |
|
60 - 64.9% |
D |
(1.0) |
|
< 60% |
E |
(0.0) |
There will be three (3)
one-hour lecture exams during the semester, each worth 20% (however, I will count
only two of them – therefore they are worth 40% of your grade). I will drop the lowest of the 3 lecture
exams, or one may be used in lieu of an exam that you are forced to miss due to
sickness, family issues, etc. – there will be
no other make-up exams offered (and no make-ups for quizzes). Exams will be based
about 80% on lecture material, which as stated above will come from the
principal text as well as other resources. It is, therefore,
to your advantage to attend all lectures.
Quizzes will be given (unannounced) approximately once
per week – the purpose of the quizzes is to make sure you are keeping up with
the lectures and reading, AS WELL AS to identify any questions or problems you
might have on the material. The quizzes
are worth 10% of your grade.
The final exam is mandatory and will be cumulative. It is worth 10% of your grade.
Academic Honesty: The issue of academic integrity is a very serious one. Please familiarize yourself with your responsibilities under the heading of Academic Honesty on pages 274-276 of the WMU 2003-2005 Undergraduate Catalog. You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures as listed in the Undergraduate Catalog that pertain to Academic Integrity. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.
|
DATE |
SUBJECT
MATTER |
TEXT
ASSIGNMENT |
|
|
Introduction to Earth History and Geologic Time |
Chapter 1 |
|
|
Review of Rocks and Minerals, Development of the Geologic
Time Scale |
Chapters 1, 2 and 6 |
|
|
Relative Dating, Absolute Dating and Stratigraphic
Methods |
Chapter 6 |
|
|
Sedimentary Rocks, Depositional Processes and Key
Environments |
Chapter 5 |
|
Feb. 10 |
Exam #1 |
|
|
|
Environments and Distribution of Life on Earth,
Fossilization |
Chapters 3 and 4 |
|
|
Evolution and the Fossil Record |
Chapters 3, 4 and 7 |
|
|
Plate Tectonics and |
Chapters 8 and 9 |
|
Mar. 17 |
Exam #2 |
|
|
|
Precambrian History – Archean and Proterozoic
Eons |
Chapters 11 and 12 |
|
|
Paleozoic Era |
Chapters 13-15 |
|
Apr. 10 |
Exam #3 |
|
|
|
Mesozoic Era |
Chapters 16 and 17 |
|
|
Cenozoic Era |
Chapters 18-20 |
|
April 27 |
Final Exam (Cumulative) |
|
LECTURE EXAM
DATES:
February 10
March 17
April 10
FINAL EXAM DATE:
April 27 from