COURSE SYLLABUS AND LECTURE SCHEDULE
EESC 1010 The Dynamic Earth Summer I Intersession-2015
Room: 2127N Day:M-T 10:00AM-12:20 AM
E-mail: Instructor: Peter Matt
Office hours:Rm 4146, M-Th 3:30 p.m. by appointment
Text (recommended): Visualizing Geology, second edition, by Murck, Skinner and Mackenzie
Publisher: Wiley, ISBN-13: 978-0470-41947-2. Lectures are loosely based on this text, however any textbook on physical geology will be helpful in this course. Many recent used texts are available used for cheap, i.e. less than $20.
Text (required): Geology, The Science of Our World, Laboratory Manual, Leveson & Powell, eds., Publisher: Wiley Custom Services, ISBN-13:978-0-470-48575-0
Course Objective: Students will recognize how geology affects their daily lives as residents of New York City. They will understand that Earth is a complex physico-chemical system which ultimately controls all aspects of life, and which is sensitive to anthropogenic inputs. Students will acquire a fundamental grasp of Earth materials with particular attention to rocks and minerals. They will be able to explain plate tectonic theory and to describe the interior structure of the Earth. They will understand the use of different temporal and spatial scales. They will recognize how glaciers have shaped our region. Students will understand how scientific knowledge is distinct from other kinds of knowledge.
Grading:
Your grade combines both parts of this course, lecture and lab. The lecture part represents 70% of your total; the lab is 30%. Your lecture grade is determined by the formula below:
Attendance and classroom participation 5%
Quizzes 10%
Homework 15%
Exam 1 35%
Exam 2 35%
PowerPoint presentations from class and presenter notes will be available via links to the files. These links can be accessed at brooklyncollegegeology.com/core/petermatt
Quizzes are taken on line, using links on the website. Quizzes must be submitted within 48 hours of completion of the associated lecture. Homework assignments are brief (150 words) critiques of assigned readings. They must demonstrate command of the material, be grammatically correct and free of spelling errors.
CLASS DATE LECTURE TOPICS
Tue 5/26 Introduction, Earth Materials, text ch. 1 and 2
Mon 6/1 Finish lecture 1, begin lecture 9 (glaciers), text ch. 13. Homework assignment on NY Times article about Antarctic glaciers
Tue 6/2 Finish lecture 9, discuss article about Antarctic glaciers, begin lecture 2, Geologic Time and Plate Tectonics, text ch. 3 & 4
Mon 6/8 Finish lecture 2. Homework assignment on “Land Transformation by Humans.”
Tue 6/9 Discuss “Land Transformation.” Lecture 3, Earthquakes and Earth's Interior, text ch. 5
Mon 6/15 Midterm Exam
Tue 6/16 Prospect Park field trip, meet in the park, place TBA. Homework assignment is a field report on the trip
Mon 6/22 Lecture 4, Volcanoes and Igneous rocks, text ch. 6.
Tue 6/23 Palisades Virtual Field Trip; begin lecture 5, Weathering, sedimentary rocks, text ch. 7 and 8. Homework assignment, “Annals of Extinction, Part I”
Mon 6/29 Discuss “Annals of Extinction;” Finish lecture 5; Florida Virtual Field Trip
Tue 6/30 Lecture 6, Structural geology and metamorphic rocks, text ch.9 and 10
Thu 7/2 Final Exam
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