MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH & SPACE SCIENCES
ESS 376 & 376L, ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY, SPRING 2016
INSTRUCTOR: S. K. Reid, 223 Lappin Hall
SECTION: 001, 2:00pm-3:50pm TTH
OFFICE HOURS: 1:00pm - 3:00pm M;1:00pm - 2:00pm W; 11:00am – 12:00pm TTH; or by appointment
CONTACT INFORMATION: Office Phone = 783-5293; E-mail =
GRADING CRITERIA: Your semester grade will be based on:
Exam 120%
Exam 220%
Final exam (cumulative)20%
Labs and problem sets40%
•Labs and Problem Sets: Labs and problems sets will be graded satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U). Incomplete work, even one question left blank, is an automatic U. Your semester lab/problem set grade will be calculated by dividing the number of S’s earned by the total number of these activities (e.g., 8 S’s out of 10 problems = 8/10 = 80%).Detailed feedback will be provided when I go over the activities in class/lab and during review sessions.
•Grades: Grading is based on the criteria listed above.
A = 90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69%; E < 60%
• Attendance: I do not take daily attendance. Understand, however, that students with poor attendance almost always get lower grades and often fail. Once either of those things happens, you might loose your scholarship or fail to get into a program you hoped to pursue. So be careful. If you choose to be irresponsible, you’ll have to live with the consequences. I will post the university excused absence policy on Blackboard. A valid excuse, as defined in the university policy, is required for rescheduling exams, make-ups and late assignments.
• Rescheduling of Exams: You must contact me 24 hours in advance to reschedule an exam. Permission will be granted if you present me with an official document (e.g., on letterhead from a doctor, coach, or judge) that justifies your need for special consideration. No exceptions!
• Make-ups: Make-ups of missed quizzes or lab/problem sets will not be granted unless you present me with an official document (e.g., on letterhead from a doctor, coach, or judge) that justifies your need for special consideration. Make-ups for missed exams will be granted for true emergencies only and then only if you contact me within 24 hours of the scheduled exam time and present me with documentation as described above. No exceptions!
• Late Assignments: Late work will not be accepted unless you meet the same conditions as described for make-ups.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): In compliance with the ADA, all students with a documented disability are entitled to reasonable accommodations and services to support their academic success and safety. Though a request for services may be made at any time, services are best applied when they are requested at or before the start of the semester. To receive accommodations and services the student should immediately contact the Disability Services Coordinator at: 204-E ADUC, 606-783-5188,or .
• Campus Safety Statement:Emergency response information will be discussed in class. Students should familiarize themselves with the nearest exit routes in the event evacuation becomes necessary. You should notify your instructor at the beginning of the semester if you have special needs or will require assistance during an emergency evacuation. Students should familiarize themselves with emergency response protocols at:
• Laptops, Cell Phones, PDAs, Pagers, iPods, Mp3 players, etc.: The ONLY electronic device you need for this class is a calculator (not your cell phone). Turn your cell phone off or set it to vibrate. See me at the beginning of class if you expect an EXTREMELY important call (e.g., your wife is about to give birth). See my policy on academic dishonesty for more information about electronic devices. If your phone rings and disrupts class or I catch you texting in class or you are listening to your iPod in class, I will change a labgrade to a zero!
• Academic Dishonesty: I will not tolerate any form of academic dishonesty.If I even see a laptop, cell phone or iPod during an exam or quiz, I will assume you are cheating. The same goes for open notes or books during exams or quizzes. At the very least, I will assign a failing grade for the exam or quiz. See Appendix A of the Student Handbook for more information about my and your options in the event I accuse you of academic dishonesty. The pdf for the handbook is at
Contingency Plan: In the event that Morehead State University is closed for an extended period or in the event that the instructor is unable to meet during scheduled hours for an extended period, the following course contingency plan will be implemented.
Through BlackBoard, students will have access to all assignments and course materials. Students will continue working on assignments, continue readings and engage in discussions on Blackboard as scheduled. Assignments will be due as scheduled. An alternate instructor will facilitate the Blackboard activities in the event that the instructor is unable to facilitate due to illness.
Students who are unable to complete the work because of illness must arrange a schedule with the instructor for completion of assignments. If a student is ill, they will communicate that to the instructor and if work cannot be made up by the time grades are due, the student and instructor will make arrangements for an"I".
LECTURE, LAB, AND EXAM SCHEDULE FOR ESS 376
WEEKTOPICREADINGS
Living and building on earth’s surface
1Skills review; use of published geologic informationLab Handout
2Review of weathering, erosion and soilsLab Handout
3Basic rock mechanicsLab Handout
4Basic soil mechanicsLab Handout
5Mass wastingLab Handout
6Mass wastingLab Handout, Field
EXAM 1: Thursday, February 25, 2016
Water
7 Groundwater (porous media, heads, gradients)Handouts
8Groundwater (Darcy’s Law, seepage velocity, etc.)Handouts
9Groundwater (wells, basic contaminant fate & transport)Handouts
10SPRING BREAK
11Fluvial (river) systems and floodingHandouts
12Surface water as a resourceHandouts
EXAM 2: Thursday, April 7, 2016
Selected problemsand field activities
13 Basic groundwater field workHandouts, PDFs
14 Measuring stream dischargeHandouts, PDFs
15 Living with karst (tentative)Handouts, PDFs
16Fossil fuel extraction (tentative)Handouts
17FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, May 10, 2016; 3:00pm-5:00pm