Course Syllabus

WSU Department Name

Geoscience

WSU Course Number & Listing

GEO 1110: Dynamic Earth: Physical Geology

High School: Utah Military Academy
WSU Concurrent Adjunct Instructor: Elise Childs

High School Course Name: Geology CE

2018-2019

Concurrent Adjunct Instructor’s Office Hours

330-430 Wednesday and Thursday

Concurrent Adjunct Instructor’s phone and email

801-689-3013            

echilds@utahmilitaryacademy.org

elisechilds@weber.edu

WSU Course Description:

This course examines the fundamental principles of geology, emphasizing physical aspects of the Earth including earth materials, plate tectonics, and the effects of water, wind and ice on the Earth’s surface. Useful for all students, and recommended as the first geology course for students with majors/minors in geosciences, science teaching, archaeology, and pre-engineering. Includes a field trip to observe local geologic features.

WSU Course Objectives:

1.)  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the physical aspects of Earth, including its structure and materials, plate tectonics, and the effects of wind, water, and ice on Earth’s surface.

2.)  Students will use this knowledge to analyze geologic units and interpret how the units formed and changed over time.

WSU Required Textbook & Materials:

Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology Plus MasteringGeology with eText -- Access Card Package (11th Edition), Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Tasa, ISBN- 978-0321813930

Class: Class will consist of lectures, assignments, assessments, and a large term project. Any changes to our schedule will be announced in class, and posted on the course website.

Allocated Time: You should anticipate spending three hours of study per week for each credit hour of a university course.

Homework and Term Projects: Homework is to be submitted for grading on the date specified in the schedule. It is HIGHLY recommended that you complete the assigned homework since the course final project and exam are based on the material learned within the assigned chapters.

Cheating: Cheating on any assignment will not be tolerated. This includes any form of copying without documenting the source, copying answers on a test, copying text without documenting, and all other forms of plagiarism and unethical academic behavior. If a student is caught cheating, the student will be subject to academic discipline including a score of zero on the assignment and the imposition of the University sanctions (i.e., given an E for the course and possible expulsion from the University).  A description of cheating and possible sanctions may be found in the Student Code. The Student Code can be found on the web at http://www.weber.edu/ppm/Policies/6-22_StudentCode.html

WSU Grading:

 Category

Total 

 Unit Assignments

 15%

 Hands-on Activities (Labs)                     

 25%

 Final Term Project

 30%

 Assessments

 30%

 

Standard grading will apply:
   A   100-94        C+  79-77        D-  63-60
   A-  93-90          C    76-74        E   59 or below
   B+ 89-87          C-  73-70
   B   86-84          D+  69-67
   B-  83-80          D    66-64

Late Work:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date. Any assignment more than two school days late will receive a 25% penalty. Any assignment more than one week will receive a 50% penalty. No assignments will be accepted more than two weeks late. Exceptions to this policy will only be granted in advance, and with justification.

Cheating:

I have zero tolerance for cheating, and it will not be tolerated under any circumstance. Students are expected to maintain academic ethics and integrity in regard to performing their own work. The WSU Student Code clarifies cheating.
Cheating, which includes but is not limited to:

  1. Copying from another student’s test paper;
  2. Using materials during a test not authorized by the person giving the test;
  3. Collaborating with any other person during a test without authority; Knowingly obtaining, using, buying, selling, transporting, or soliciting in whole or in part the contents of any test, without authorization of the appropriate official;
  4. Bribing any other person to obtain any test;
  5. Soliciting or receiving unauthorized information about any test;
  6. Substituting for another student or permitting any other person to substitute for oneself to take a test;
  7. Plagiarism, which is the unacknowledged (uncited) use of any other person of group’s ideas or work. This includes purchased or borrowed papers;
  8. Collusion, which is the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit;
  9. Falsification, which is the intentional and unauthorized altering or inventing of any information of citation in an academic exercise, activity, or record-keeping process;
  10. Giving, selling or receiving unauthorized course or test information;
  11. Using any unauthorized resource or aid in the preparation or completion of any course work, exercise or activity;
  12. Infringing on the copyright law of the United States which prohibits the making of reproductions of copyrighted material except under certain specified conditions; 

The University affords you certain rights, including the right to challenge the accusation of cheating. The Dean of Students will explain these rights if you are accused of cheating.

WSU Course Evaluation:
As a concurrent student, you are given the privilege of evaluating this course.  This is an anonymous evaluation which allows you an opportunity to express your opinions of the course and the instructor. 

WSU Student Code of Conduct

Download the WSU Student Code of Conduct at:

www.weber.edu/concurrent/students/CodeOfConduct.asp

CALENDAR (*Dates may be subject to change)

DATE

DAY

MATERIAL

Aug 20

M

Intro to Course, Lab Safety

Aug 22

W

Sci Method Review

Aug 27

M

Intro to Science (Matter)

Aug 29

W

Intro to Geology (Ch 1)

Sept 5

W

Formation of the Earth, Solar System, Universe

Sept 10-12

MW

Mineral Properties (Ch 3)

Sept 17

M

Mineral Identification Lab

Sept 19

W

Magmas and intrusions (Ch 4)

Sept 24-26

MW

Igneous Rocks (Ch 4)

Oct 1

M

Igneous Rock Identification Lab

Oct 3

W

Volcanoes (Ch 5)

Oct 8

M

Quarter 1 Term Project

Oct 10-15

WM

Weathering and transport (Ch 6)

Oct 17

W

Fall Recess—No Class

Oct 22-24

MW

Sedimentary environments (Ch 7)

Oct 29-31

MW

Sedimentary Rocks (Ch 7)

Nov 5

M

Sedimentary Rock Identification Lab

Nov 7-12

WM

Metamorphic Rocks (Ch 8)

Nov 14

W

Metamorphic Rock Identification Lab

Nov 19-21

MW

Thanksgiving Break—No class

Nov 26

M

Review

Nov 28

W

Rock Exam

Dec 3

M

Geologic Time (Ch 9)

Dec 5

W

Relative and radiometric dating

Dec 10-12

MW

Folding and faulting (Ch 10)

Dec 17-31

MWMWM

Winter Break—No class

Jan 2

W

Quarter 2 Term Project

Jan 7

M

Fold/ Fault Lab

Jan 9

R

NWEA Testing

Jan 14

M

Earthquakes (Ch 11) *Online reading: Utah hazards

Jan 16

W

Earth’s Interior structure and magnetic field (Ch 12)

Jan 21

M

Martin Luther King Jr Day—No Class

Jan 23

W

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonic Theory (Ch 2)

Jan 28

M

Plate Tectonic Lab

Jan 30

W

Divergent and Transform Boundaries (Ch 13)

Feb 4

M

Boundaries and evolution of the ocean floor (Ch 13)

Feb 6

W

Convergent Boundaries (Ch 14)

Feb 11

M

Plate Boundaries Lab

Feb 13

W

Hot Spots and Mantle Plumes

Feb 19

T

Mapping Plates Activity

Feb 25

M

Review

Feb 27

W

Plate Tectonics Exam

Mar 4-6

MW

Mass Wasting (Ch 15)

Mar 11

M

Mass Wasting Lab

Mar 13

W

Third Quarter Term Project

Mar 18-20

MW

Surface Water (Ch 16)

Mar 25

M

Surface Erosion Lab

Mar 27

W

Ground Water (Ch 17)

Apr 1-4

MW

Spring Break—No class

Apr 8

M

Groundwater cont.

Apr 10

W

Infiltration Lab

Apr 15

M

Glaciation (Ch 18)

Apr 17

W

Glacier Lab

Apr 22-24

MW

Wind Erosion (Ch 19)

Apr 29

M

Climate Change (Ch 21)

May 1

W

NWEA Testing

May 6

M

Review

May 8

W

Final Exam

May 13-15

MW

Final Project

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due