Shoreline Community College
Winter Quarter, 2006
Geology 101

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Instructor:  Linda M. Khandro, MAT
Contact:  lindakhandro@earthlink.net; web site: www.lindakhandro.com
Text:  How Does Earth Work?  Smith & Pun

Lab Manual:  Laboratory Manual for Physical Geology; Baer et al, 2nd Edition

Office hours/location:  Room 2813, M-Th, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

 

Overview of this course:

This course provides you with an introduction to the ever-changing geology of planet Earth.  We will study the major components of geology, including minerals and rocks, geologic time, plate tectonics, seismicity, volcanism, and the evolution of oceanic and continental crust.  We’ll also investigate some of the agents of earth change such as erosion, mass wasting, water, and wind, and explore shoreline and glacial systems. The course is designed to be thorough enough to prepare you for more advanced work, while presenting the concepts to non-science majors in a way that is meaningful and not overwhelming.  You will be responsible for reading and assimilating all the chapters in the textbook, although some segments may be omitted or reduced in scope, and some materials not covered in the text will be presented for study as well.  You will also be responsible for timely submission of weekly lab assignments.  There will be three exams, spaced approximately every three weeks.  Please see the grade point and evaluation table below for details.

 

Field Trip: One optional field trip will take place during a regular lab time, and the field trip report will comprise one lab exercise.  Details will be forthcoming.

 

SCC Policies:

Human Rights:  All students shall be treated equally regardless of sex, race, beliefs or ability. Failure to respect the rights of other (including the right to a safe chemical environment) may lead to student dismissal from the course.

Absence and Make-ups:  It is the student’s responsibility to acquire notes from missed lectures and labs.

Class Cancellation:  Closure of SCC due to weather will be announced on KING, KIRO, and KOMO radio/television.  PLEASE NOTE:  We are Shoreline Community College, NOT the Shoreline School District.

Plagiarism/Cheating:  Irrefutable evidence of cheating or plagiarism will result in a 0 grade for the course as school policy.  In addition, students who provide information unethically are just as responsible as those who receive it and are subject to the same penalties.

Withdrawal:  Withdrawal from any course must be done in an official manner in accordance with school policy.  The last day a student may drop or change the credit status for classes is usually four weeks into the quarter.  Check your student handbook for the exact date for this quarter.

 

Grades:

The following approved equivalency grading system will be used for this course

Percentage                               Point Grade                              Percentage                               Point Grade

95 - 100                                   4.0                                           70                                            1.5

90                                            3.5                                           65                                            1.0

85                                            3.0                                           61-63                                       0.8

80                                            2.5                                           60                                            0.7

75                                            2.0                                           0-59                                         0.0

 

Student Responsibilities and Evaluation:  total possible = 500 points

3 chapter test, approximately one every 3 weeks:    300

Labs                                        100 (10 @ 20 points)  200

 

Labs:  Lab assignments are to be completed by the end of the lab class.  All lab exercises in the manual should be read before coming to the lab class!  Each lab has a set of Pre-Lab questions that MUST be completed before the lab class!  Please note the emphasis here…we have a limited amount of time for our labs and you must be prepared ahead of time. 

 

Note 1: Homework (textbook chapter questions, list attached) is recommended but not assigned or graded.  It is entirely up to you whether or not you do this work.  However, doing so will create your test study guide; there will be no additional study guide available for the tests!

 

Note 2:  Good attendance and class participation can improve your final grade!

 

Class Outline (subject to minor changes as the course proceeds)

 

Week 1: 1/9- 13

Ch 2                Minerals:  Building Blocks of the Planet

Lab 3.1                        The Physical Properties of Minerals (Pre-Lab 3.1 and Lab 3.1)

 

Week 2: 1/16 – 20 (No class Monday, 1/16) 

Ch 3                Rocks and Rock Forming Processes

Ch 4                Formation of Magma and Igneous Rocks

Lab 3.2                        Common Rock-Forming Minerals (Pre-Lab 3.2 and Lab 3.2)

 

Week 3: 1/23 - 27

Ch 4                continued

Lab 4.1                        Igneous Rock Properties (Pre-Lab 4.1 and Lab 4.1)

Lab 4.2                        Igneous Rock Identification (Pre-Lab 4.2 and Lab 4.2)

 

Week 4:  1/30 – 2/3

Ch 5                Formation of Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks

Lab 7               Sedimentary Rocks (Pre-Lab 7, Lab 7.1, Lab 7.2)

Test # 1:           Ch 2, 3, 4, 5

 

Week 5:  2/6 – 10

Ch 6                Formation of Metamorphic Rocks

Lab 8               Metamorphic Rocks

 

Week 6:  2/13 - 17

Ch 7                Earth Materials as Time Keepers

Ch 8                Journey to the Center of Earth

Lab 2.1                        Dating Rocks (Pre-Lab 2.1 and Cross Sections 1, 3, & 4 of Lab 2.1)

Lab 2.2                        Dating Rocks (Pre-Lab 2.2 and Problem Sets 1 and 2 of Lab 2.2)

 

Week 7:  2/20 - 24 (No class Monday, 2/20)

Ch 10              Motion Inside Earth

Ch 11              Deformation of Rocks

No lab this week.  However, class will meet as usual.

 

Week 8:  2/27 – 3/3

Ch 12              Global Tectonics:  Plates and Plumes

Lab 9               Earthquakes

Test # 2:           Ch 6, 7, 8, 10, 11

 

Week 9:  3/6 - 10

Ch 13              Tectonics and Surface Relief

Ch 15              Mass Movements: Landscapes in Motion

Lab 5               Topographic Maps (Pre-Lab 5.1, Lab 5.1, Pre-Lab 5.2 Part A only)

 

Week 10:  3/13 - 17

Ch 16              Streams: Flowing Water Shapes the Landscape

Ch 18              Glaciers: Cold Climate Sculptors of Continents OR

Ch 19              Shorelines:  Changing Landscapes Where Land Meets Sea

Lab 6 etc          Sands (Pre-Lab 6, Sands and handout questions from the Khandro Collection)

 

Week 11: 3/20 – 24 (Last class day, Monday, 3/20)

Test # 3:           Ch 12, 13, 15, 16, 18 OR 19 (Friday, 3/24, 10:30 – 12:30)