Geology 130
Spring 2020
Introduction
This course is designed to introduce you to basic concepts in Geology using National Parks as examples. We’ll learn about the large-scale structure of the Earth, formation of mountains, explosive processes like volcanoes, earthquakes, and how water, glaciers, and mass wasting can shape the landscape.Learning goals
Much of your success in this course will be measured on your ability to think like a scientist rather than your ability to recall facts (although a moderate amount of recollection of concepts and terms is necessary, too). At the end of the course, you'll be ready to visit a new National Park, interpret its geology, and explain it to your friends and family.Text
s Reynolds, Johnson, Kelly, Morin & Carter, 2008. Exploring Geology, McGraw Hill.Grading
This is the breakdown for grading. For more information about each category, continue reading below this list.- 40% - Exams
- 10% - Homework and class participation
- 20% - Laboratory exercises
- 10% - Park report
- 20% - Visual journal
Academic Integrity
Standard rules of academic integrity apply to all assignments. Namely, your work should be your own. If you solve problems with other students, please list their names and explain the nature of your collaboration. Please review the College webpage about plagiarism.Technology guidelines
- Note taking: Please take notes on paper rather than on a laptop - I make a lot of drawings on the board. Talk to me in person if you really want to use a device. No photographs of the board are allowed unless you ask permission.
- Calculators: It would be better if you used a real calculator rather than your phone. Exceptions may be made for in-class work but be sure to have an app with trig functions.
- Phones: Phones will not be permitted in lab, period.
Exams
There will be two exams. The first will probably be during week 5 and the second during week 9 or 10.Homework and class participation, labs etc.
I may assign short homework exercises based on the reading and/or course material. These are designed to allow exploration of important concepts in geology or current geology events in the news. There may be unannounced in-class quizzes about the reading material. Class participation (and obviously attendance) is expected for all class and lab meetings. If you are too ill to come to class, please let me know via email ASAP (preferably prior to class).Laboratory exercises
Labs are often collaborative and lab activities may be turned in as a group. Please be neat. Labs will either be due at the end of lab, or at the start of lab the following week.Park report
Each week, students will have short (~5-minute) presentations about a non-major National Park. Because this is a graded presentation, use your group as a way to practice your talk. Arrive early the day of your presentation to get your slides ready. Make sure you can transition quickly from one talk to the next. (Better yet, combine your slide shows?)Here are a few more specific requirements and tips:
1. Show us a location map for the park. Point out relevant features on the map (topography, rivers, etc.). You may also show us a geologic map later in your presentation.
2. Tell us about the geology of the park--this probably will include a description of the type of rocks, how old the rocks are, as well some discussion of landforms. This NPS website might help you get started.
3. Be sure to explain some aspects of the geology, especially those that we might not have covered in class yet. For example, if the park has a caldera, then tell us a bit more about calderas. (This is a good spot for explanatory diagrams.)
4. Remember to talk about the images that you put in your presentation. Use the laser pointer to indicate important features in each diagram that your audience should be looking at.
5. A good rule of thumb is that you should spend about one minute per slide. If you spend multiple minutes per slide, then you probably should find more images that illustrate what you're talking about to keep your audience listening.
6. Be sure to have attribution for the sources of information and/or images on each of your slide. This can be in a small font in the lower right.
7. Give this talk without notes (either on paper or hidden as text in your version of the slides). This will probably mean that you will have to practice multiple times. When you practice, have your group give you honest feedback--do you say "umm...", is your laser pointer really wobbly, do the diagrams and explanations make sense, etc.