Dr. N. Riggs TTh 9.35 – 10.50 Friar Hall, Room 223
GLG 101: PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
Office
hours:
Tuesday 2-3, W 10-11 or by
appointment Office: Geology Annex 205
Phone: 523-9362 e-mail: nancy.riggs@nau.edu
Class
website:
http://jan.nau.edu/~nrr/GLG100-101/glg101.html (be sure to pay attention to
lower and upper case letters)
Catalog
description: GLG 101 Physical Geology (3). Fundamental physical aspects
of the earthÕs crust; rocks and minerals, structures, landforms and their
origin. Co-requisite: GLG 103 [1 unit]
Course
description: Geology is
the study of the earth, including its composition, how it was formed, processes
that continue to change it, and surficial manifestations of those
processes. This course gives an
introduction to physical geology:
its basic materials and processes that form the earth, the application
of scientific methodology in understanding the earth, and the processes that
continue to shape and change the earth.
This class is intended for science/engineering majors, or those
interested in the Earth and Earth processes at more than a rudimentary level. Please see me immediately if you have
not fulfilled the prerequisite.
Course
goals: ÒCivilization exists by geologic
consent, subject to change without notice.Ó My goals for this class are for you to gain a basic
understanding of how the Earth works through an understanding of its
processes. By the end of the
class, for example, you should be able to recognize basic rock types and
structures that you see in a roadcut along a highway. You should have an appreciation for the Earth as a whole,
dynamic system. The American
Southwest is a dynamic place to live, and my goal is for you to understand the
geologic processes that make the Southwest unique and how they affect your
life. Lastly, you should be able
to read a newspaper or magazine account of a geologic event and be able to
assess how well the newspaper portrays what has happened: in other words, you will be able to
think critically about science.
Performance
Objectives: Upon
successful completion of GLG101, you will be able to:
1. Describe
basic kinds of rocks and explain how they form.
2. Describe
fundamental geological processes.
3. Describe,
analyze, and interpret different kinds of data to understand earthquakes, ocean
basins, flood potential, etc.
4. Use the
internet and other sources to discover resources related to Geology, Earth
Systems, and Earth history.
5.
Evaluate science as presented in public media
We will do a lot of active, student-based learning. You will NOT sit through 3 hours of
lecture every week. You will learn
through doing group projects, web-based projects, in-class individual
projects, presentations of your own research, AND the traditional
listen-to-lecture method.
HOW TO
SUCCEED IN GLG 101
The easiest way to do well in GLG101 is to (1) come to
class, (2) ask every question that occurs to you, however stupid you may
think it is, (3) study with at least one other person, (4) come to office hours
before and after every exam, and (5) NEVER preface a question with Òthis is a
stupid question, butÉÓ
TEXTBOOK: EARTH: An introduction to physical geology, 10th
edition, by Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Tasa. The back cover of the book has a few websites that you will
want to visit frequently. This is a fairly comprehensive geology textbook, but
no text covers all I want to cover, so you
will need to come to class to learn all the material and hence, to do well
in the class.
CLASS
POLICIES:
1. Speak up! I may randomly offer 1-2 points of
extra credit for a good, thoughtful question. If you have a question, the
chances are good that many of your peers have a similar question.
2. Attendance is a privilege that you, or your
parents, have paid for. If you
don't come to class, you cannot pass.
If you are more interested in chatting with your neighbor or reading the
paper than in participating, get in another class.
3. Assessment and grading: As the table below indicates, you will be assessed by the
work you do in groups and individually.
Three semester exams are scheduled (see detailed course outline). A letter from an NAU or Flagstaff
doctor will allow you to make up an exam missed for illness. You MUST let me know ahead of time if
you will not be at an exam for any reason.
The
course grade is computed using the following formula:
Quizzes (group or individual)*, 5 pts each 50 points
Semester exams**, 100 pts each 200
points
Final exam**, 100 pts 100
points
In-class or homework group assignments*, 10 pts each 50 points
Group projects*, 25 pts each 75 points
TOTAL
POINTS POSSIBLE 475
points
*All assignments will have firm due dates. You must turn in these assignments
before class begins. Late
assignments are not accepted.
**Exam dates during the semester may be changed. The final exam date is assigned by the
University and it is the student's responsibility to be sure that classes are
not scheduled with overlapping final exam times. Exams will usually consist of 50 points multiple choice,
5-10 points T/F or fill-in, 25 points short-answer, and 10-20 points
long-answer. Discussion of slides
will substitute for some of the points in the second and third exams. I will hold a review session before
every exam, but I will not hand out a study guide. Copies of old exams will be available on the class website. If you have >90% on all three hour
exams and attend every class, you will likely be excused from the final.
The minimum number of points needed for an A in the class is
425. The minimum points needed for
a B is 375. The minimum points
needed for a C is 330. The minimum
needed for a D is 280. You are
only competing against yourself – if 90% of the class gets an A grade,
thatÕs okay with me!
Extra credit for outside work on an individual basis is not
available. Do not consider
anticipate doing some non-class work to save your grade.
4. Special Needs - Students with physical or learning
disabilities who need to make special arrangements for class assignments or
exams should consult with Disability Support Services (http://www2.nau.edu/dss/) and with me as soon as
possible. I encourage all students
to come to me for help in understanding the readings, lectures and writing
assignments, or for other course-related assistance. All that I ask is that you respect office hours. If you cannot make my scheduled office
hours, we can make an appointment for another time. For example, you could make an appointment by calling or
speaking to me after or before class.
My telephone has Voice Mail, so you can always leave a message.
5. Cheating: ItÕs entertainingly obvious when a student is cheating. Cheating is in violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and will be treated as such. Baseball caps must be removed or worn backwards during exams.
6. ÒPortable electronic devicesÓ: Phones/iPads/whatevers are disruptive. Turn yours off before you come to class, or better yet, be a mature student and leave it home. If your phone rings, you and it are excused from class for the remainder of the period. No exceptions. Students who need to bring laptops for any reason need to let me know first, and need to sit at the front of the room.
7. Challenges to Assigned Grades - Challenges to
assigned grades on individual assignments are welcomed because they demonstrate
that you are seriously thinking about the material offered in the course. However, I will only consider
challenges presented in writing. A
written format provides you with the opportunity to present an articulate and
well-considered argument as well as providing a record of the grade challenge
process in case there are questions at a later time. Challenges must be submitted within one week of the return
of a graded assignment.
8. Incompletes - I will not assign a grade of
"incomplete" except in extreme circumstances that are beyond your
control. I will not give you an
"Incomplete" grade because you are dissatisfied with a final grade
and hope to complete additional post-course work to improve your grade.
9. Class Discipline - I cannot tolerate distracting behavior by students. In order to ensure a reasonable learning environment, talking or distracting behavior will result in a student being asked to leave the classroom.
10. Withdrawals - The last day to Drop/Delete this class
is 8 September 2011. The last day
to drop with a "W" (withdrawal; this stays on your record) is 28
October 2011. You will advised of
your mid-term grade before the drop-with-W deadline.
11. Class
begins at 9.35 AM and ends at 10.50 AM.
Please show respect for the class by arriving on time and staying until
we agree that class is over. If
you need to leave early, as a courtesy please inform me BEFORE class, and sit
where your departure will not be disruptive.
12. PIN: University/state/federal policy
dictates that your work must be anonymous to everyone but you and me. Therefore, I need you to assign
yourself a four-digit PIN. Any
combination of numbers and letters is okay, AS LONG AS the first digit is a
number. 1NRR is okay, but NRR1 is
not. Your PIN really shouldnÕt be
any part of your SSN or your initials with a number (as in the example
above). Please see next page for
how to let me know your PIN.
13. University policies: Please see the attached statements on university policies.
A FEW FINAL
THOUGHTS
á
You contribute to the diversity of our class. The various
cultural backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge of your peers in this course
will provide the basis for valuable and creative discussions.
á
Be respectful of your peers by arriving promptly and
remaining for the entire class (except in the case of illness).
á
Please do not hesitate to ask questions or raise issues
during class or seek my assistance during office hours. In addition, you should
take advantage of any office or student service including the Learning
Assistance Center. The Learning Assistance Center (LAC, phone 523-5524) offers
a number of excellent academic services for undergraduate students. First-year
students can take advantage of the reading and study skills workshops series.
In addition, individual and group tutoring is provided in computers, learning
strategies, and most aspects of academic studies.
E-mail
Accounts:
An e-mail account is required; I will commonly post
information and exam examples on the web and deliver specific information via
e-mail. You can earn 5 extra-credit points if you email me (see my address
above) with the following:
á
Your name
á
SSN or student ID. Example: Louie Lumberjack, 999-99-9999.
á
A statement indicating that you agree to abide by the
policies listed here. If you have
any issue with any policy, please use this opportunity to discuss it.
á
The 4-number PIN you will use to identify yourself on exams
and on any work I need to hand back in class.
To earn the 5 points, your message must be ÒpostmarkedÓ by
5:00 PM on September 1. After that time, the number of points earned is
prorated as follows:
September 2
by 5:00 pm - 4 points
September
5 by 5:00 pm - 3 points
September
6 by 5:00 pm - 2 points
No points earned after the last time and date listed.
World Wide
Web Site:
You will need to be able to access the GLG 101 web page on a
regular basis. The easiest way to find the page is by typing in the address
http://jan.nau.edu/~nrr/GLG100-101/glg101.html (be sure to pay attention to
lower case letters). I will remind
you as often as I remember, but it will be important to look at the web page at
least once a week.
A Note
about Cooperative Groups
We will use cooperative learning throughout this course to
improve your understanding and learning.
Each of you will has different perspectives about geology based on your
own experiences and background. By sharing ideas with your peers you can
improve your understanding of geology as well as approaches to understanding
geology. Importantly, a group
effort is more productive than an individual one IF everyone positively depends
on each other and has a personal responsibility and commitment to achieve the
group's goals. For your group to
succeed, you must make every effort to interact with each other so that you
function as effectively as possible.
Approximately 35% of the total points available in this
course can be earned by your group and the other 65% of total points available
are earned individually. In this
course, your accomplishments will depend upon your team as a whole as well as
the individual contributions of each team member. Those of you who plan to work in professions such as
business, engineering, geologic consulting, communications, health fields,
service industries, or legal fields will also be working in teams. Basically, team work is critical to
your success in almost any profession today.
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
POLICY
STATEMENTS
SAFE WORKING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT POLICY
NAUÕs Safe Working and Learning Environment Policy seeks to prohibit
discrimination and promote the safety of all individuals within the
university. The goal of this policy is to prevent the occurrence of
discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin,
religion, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status and to prevent
sexual harassment, sexual assault or retaliation by anyone at this university.
You
may obtain a copy of this policy from the college deanÕs office. If you
have concerns about this policy, it is important that you contact the
departmental chair, deanÕs office, the Office of Student Life (928-523-5181),
the academic ombudsperson (928-523-9368), or NAUÕs Office of Affirmative Action
(928-523-3312).
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by
contacting the office of Disability Support Services (DSS) at 928-523-8773
(voice), 928-523-6906 (TTY). In order for your individual needs to be met, you
are required to provide DSS with disability related documentation and are
encouraged to provide it at least eight weeks prior to the time you wish to
receive accommodations. You must register with DSS each semester you are
enrolled at NAU and wish to use accommodations.
Faculty
are not authorized to provide a student with disability related accommodations
without prior approval from DSS. Students who have registered with DSS are
encouraged to notify their instructors a minimum of two weeks in advance to
ensure accommodations. Otherwise, the provision of accommodations may be
delayed.
Concerns
or questions regarding disability related accommodations can be brought to the
attention of DSS or the Affirmative Action Office.
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD
Any study involving observation of or interaction with human subjects that
originates at NAU—including a course project, report, or research
paper—must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board
(IRB) for the protection of human subjects in research and research-related
activities.
The
IRB meets once each month. Proposals must be submitted for review at
least fifteen working days before the monthly meeting. You should consult
with your course instructor early in the course to ascertain if your project needs
to be reviewed by the IRB and/or to secure information or appropriate forms and
procedures for the IRB review. Your instructor and department chair or
college dean must sign the application for approval by the IRB. The IRB
categorizes projects into three levels depending on the nature of the
project: exempt from further review, expedited review, or full board
review. If the IRB certifies that a project is exempt from further
review, you need not resubmit the project for continuing IRB review as long as
there are no modifications in the exempted procedures.
A
copy of the IRB Policy and Procedures Manual is available in each departmentÕs
administrative office and each college deanÕs office. If you have
questions, contact Melanie Birck, Office of Grant and Contract Services, at
928-523-8288.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The university takes an extremely serious view of violations of academic
integrity. As members of the academic community, NAUÕs administration,
faculty, staff and students are dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of honesty
and are committed to maintaining the academic integrity essential to the
education process. Inherent in this commitment is the belief that
academic dishonesty in all forms violates the basic principles of integrity and
impedes learning. Students are therefore responsible for conducting
themselves in an academically honest manner.
Individual
students and faculty members are responsible for identifying instances of
academic dishonesty. Faculty members then recommend penalties to the
department chair or college dean in keeping with the severity of the
violation. The complete policy on academic integrity is in Appendix F of
NAUÕs Student Handbook.
ACADEMIC CONTACT HOUR POLICY
The Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook,
2-206, Academic Credit) states: Òan hour of work is the equivalent of 50
minutes of class timeÉat least 15 contact hours of recitation, lecture,
discussion, testing or evaluation, seminar, or colloquium as well as a minimum
of 30 hours of student homework is required for each unit of credit.Ó
The
reasonable interpretation of this policy is that for every credit hour, a
student should expect, on average, to do a minimum of two additional hours of
work per week; e.g., preparation, homework, studying.
Classroom Management Statement
Membership
in the academic community places a special obligation on all members to
preserve an atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive learning environment.
Part of that obligation implies the responsibility of each member of the NAU
community to maintain an environment in which the behavior of any individual is
not disruptive.
It
is the responsibility of each student to behave in a manner which does not
interrupt or disrupt the delivery of education by faculty members or receipt of
education by students, within or outside the classroom. The determination
of whether such interruption or disruption has occurred has to be made by the
faculty member at the time the behavior occurs. It becomes the
responsibility of the individual faculty member to maintain and enforce the
standards of behavior acceptable to preserving an atmosphere for teaching and
learning in accordance with University regulations and the course syllabus.
At
a minimum, students will be warned if their behavior is evaluated by the
faculty member as disruptive. Serious disruptions, as determined by the
faculty member, may result in immediate removal of the student from the
instructional environment. Significant and/or continued violations may
result in an administrative withdrawal from the class. Additional
responses by the faculty member to disruptive behavior may include a range of
actions from discussing the disruptive behavior with the student to referral to
the appropriate academic unit and/or the Office of Student Life for
administrative review, with a view to implement corrective action up to and
including suspension or expulsion.
The visual form of the topics we will cover:
The
chronologic, written form of topics we will cover:
LIST OF TOPICS
WEEK OF SUBJECT BOOK
CHAPTER
Aug. 29 Introduction
to earth systems & plate tectonics 1,
2
Sept. 5 Plate
tectonics; Intro to minerals and rocks 2,
3
GENERAL
TOPIC: THE EARTH SYSTEM/ROCKS
(different kinds, by what processes do they form?)1
Sept. 12 Igneous
rocks: volcanoes 5
Sept. 19 Igneous
rocks: plutons / FIRST HOUR EXAM 4
Sept. 26 Sedimentary
rocks 7
Oct. 3 Metamorphic
rocks 8
Oct. 10 Parallel
project/Geologic time 9
GENERAL
TOPIC: PROCESSES WITHIN THE EARTH
(how did the earth form, and what processes go on inside the earth, away from
direct observation?)1
Oct. 17 Rock
deformation /Formation of the earth 10,
11
Oct. 24 EarthÕs
interior/SECOND HOUR EXAM 12
Oct. 31 Divergent
plate boundaries 13
Nov. 7 Convergent
plate boundaries/Parallel project 14
GENERAL
TOPIC: SURFACE AND NEAR-SURFACE
PROCESSES (how is the earthÕs surface modified by geologic processes?)1
Nov. 14 Mass
wasting/rivers 15,
16
Nov. 21 Hydrology/THIRD
HOUR EXAM 17
Nov. 28 Glaciers
/ Wind and deserts 18,
19
Dec. 6 Climate
change 21
FINAL EXAM:
TUESDAY DEC. 13, 7.30-9.30 AM
1 Each group will research an aspect of three General Topics
through web exploration, Scientific American, or news media. These three topics are:
á
Rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) or minerals
(includes gems and volcanoes)
á
Processes within the earth: (earthquakes, plate tectonics, mountain building)
á
Surficial processes (rivers, deserts, oceans) or Geologic time (understanding complex
geologic relations)