HISTORICAL GEOLOGY ON-CAMPUS LECTURE
GEOL 1122-100

Georgia Perimeter College
Spring Semester 2009

Instructor: Dr. Pamela J. W. Gore, Professor of Geology
E-mail address: Pamela.Gore@gpc.edu
Dr. Gore's Home Page: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/gore.htm
Office phone: (678) 891-3754
Clarkston Campus Science Department Secretary (for emergencies): (678) 891-3766
Office room number:  CC-2161 (Clarkston Campus)   
Mailing address:
     Dr. Pamela Gore
     Dept of Geology
     Georgia Perimeter College
     555 North Indian Creek Drive
     Clarkston, GA 30021

Office hours on Clarkston Campus: MWF 1-4 pm, TuTh 2-4 pm
The instructor may be available at other times by e-mail, phone, or by appointment.

Regular communication is a very important part of this course. Please feel free to ask questions at any time, either in class at the appropriate time, by e-mail, by phone during office hours, or in person during office hours (call first to be sure I am not in a meeting or on another campus).

Weekly Lecture Schedule:

The Weekly Lecture Schedule lists assignments, quizzes, exams, and required readings.
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lecture/historical-lecture-schedule-spring2009

This schedule is tentative and may change. All changes will be announced in class. There will be homework assignments. There may be additional quizzes.

Reasons you should take the Geology Lab:

It is strongly recommended that students take the Historical Geology Laboratory to accompany this course.  The reasons for taking lab include:

  1. All students are required to take at least one science course with a lab to fulfill core curriculum requirements.  If you haven't taken lab yet, do it now and get the requirement completed.  Students may take two lab science courses.

  2. Students who take lab with their science lecture tend to perform better in their lecture course than students who do not take the lab.

  3. If you are already taking a full load (12 credit hours or more of campus-based classes), there is no additional charge to take the lab.  If you are not taking 12 or more hours, you will need to be sure to pay within 24 hours or before the deadline or you could be purged from all of your courses.)

  4. If you transfer to Georgia State University, and you have completed your Core Curriculum at GPC, and if you do not change your major, then they will accept your 2 science lecture courses and one science lab course from GPC.  However, IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE YOUR CORE CURRICULUM, or IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MAJOR, you will fall under the more strict GSU Core Curriculum requirements of a TWO-COURSE LAB-SCIENCE-SEQUENCE, plus a third science class (if you are a non-science major).  A complication here is that the Intro. Geology courses at GSU are 4-credit courses.  Georgia State will not accept a science lecture course for transfer as part of the lab science sequence, without the accompanying lab.
    If you do not take the lab at GPC, you will have to either:
    (a) come back to GPC later to take the GEOL lab (inconvenient), or
    (b) you will have to have to take retake the science lecture course with a lab at Georgia State (or take an additional science lecture and lab course) because your science course does not transfer to GSU without the lab (inconvenient and expensive).

If you decide to take the Geology lab, please see the Department Chair, Dr. McAllister, or the Department Secretary, Ms. Walkes, and they will be glad to add you into the lab class.  Or you can call the Science Department office at 678-891-3768 or 678-891-3766 by Thursday and they can add you into the lab.

Catalog description:

Historical Geology is the study of the history of Earth and life through time. It provides an overview of evolution, fossils, dinosaurs, geologic time, radiometric dating, origin of the Earth, environments, and geologic history of North America. Optional field trip may be offered.

Prerequisites:

Exit or exemption from all Learning Support and ESL (English as a Second Language) requirements.
There is no Geology prerequisite for this course.

Teaching Objectives:

Teaching Objectives for this course are available at: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lecture/historical-objectives.html.
Teaching Objectives are a list of the minimum basic objectives for this course, as set forth by the Geology Curriculum Committee.  Additional topics may be presented in the course, as deemed appropriate by the individual instructor. Exams and quizzes are designed to address the Teaching Objectives.

Required textbook and items for lecture:

Note: The textbook may not cover all of the material presented in this course.

Class schedule, rules, and information:

Schedule:  Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm
Room:  CC-1220

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to attend class regularly.  Attend all classes and be on time for class.

Students who never attend a class by the end of the first two weeks of the term will be reported to the Registrar for non-attendance.  Students who are reported for non-attendance will be dropped from the course. If you are dropped from the class for non-attendance, you will lose your financial aid.

You MUST sign the attendance sheet at each class.  If you don’t sign the sheet you may accidentally be removed from the class as a NO SHOW, and if this happens you will lose your financial aid. 

If you go by more than one name in college records (such as a maiden name and a married name, with one name in SIS and another name in iCollege), please be sure that your instructor knows who you are (both names) so that you are not accidentally dropped from the course for non-attendance.  Check with the instructor again around the end of the second week to be sure that you have not been dropped for non-attendance.

If you miss a class, YOU are responsible for ALL the material and assignments associated with that particular lecture. Check with the instructor or a classmate about the class material you missed.

One point will be deducted from your final exam grade for each time you are late, and for each unexcused absence.

You will be officially counted late if you arrive after the roll has been taken.

If you choose to stop attending class and/or logging in to iCollege, you must complete the withdrawal process through the Registrar's Office by the specified dates, or you will receive an "F" for the course.

If you must be away for a certain period of time, please let the instructor know in advance.

Students’ academic success is the major priority of the College. Because regular participation enhances the learning process, students are expected to adhere to the attendance policy set forth by the College and individual faculty members. Differences in content and teaching styles exist among courses, which can impact students’ learning. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to attend all classes to better prepare them for assignments, tests, and other course-related activities. Students are accountable for assignments and material covered during an absence.

Withdrawal Policy:

The midpoint of the semester is Tuesday March 17, 2009 .

A student who officially withdraws by the midpoint of the course will receive a grade of "W". A student who withdraws after the midpoint of the quarter will receive a "WF" unless approval as a hardship withdrawal is received from the Dean. The instructor cannot withdraw students.

Students who never attend a class (and never "log-in" for a distance learning class) by the end of the first two weeks of the term will be reported to the Registrar for non-attendance. Students who do not drop a class during the schedule adjustment period and are reported for non-attendance will be automatically dropped from that course. If you are dropped from the class for non-attendance, you will lose your financial aid.

If you choose to stop attending class and/or logging in to WebCT, you must complete the withdrawal process through the Registrar's Office by the specified dates, or you will receive an "F" for the course.

iCollege (formerly WebCT) Information:

This class uses iCollege (formerly WebCT) to enhance the on-campus course.  iCollege is an online course management system that runs with a web browser. Some of your quizzes and exams will be given online in iCollege (formerly WebCT).  iCollege supplies a Discussion area, internal class e-mail, quizzes, and course materials.

For basic information, see the GPC iCollege page at the following address: http://www.gpc.edu/icollege    

Browser Check:

You must check your web browser with the University System of Georgia Browser Checker http://www.usg.edu/usgweb/browserchecker/to determine whether your computer and web browser will function properly with iCollege, the course management software. 

Online iCollege Orientation:

You must also work through the iCollege Student Orientation, which will introduce you to iCollege. The link to the Orientation is on the iCollege page, or go directly to http://www.gpc.edu/icollege/orientation/.

Obtaining your iCollege password:

On or around the first day of classes, go to http://www.gpc.edu/getmylogin and follow the directions on the screen. You will need to enter your name, last 4 digits of social security number, GPC student number (900 number) and birth date. Read and agree to the computer usage policies.  Click submit. Please write down your user name and password for your iCollege course(s). You may access this information 5 times, and after that you will have to call the Educational Technologies helpdesk for assistance at (678) 891-3460.

iCollege IDs may not be available before the first day of classes.

Accessing your course notes using iCollege:

The class is to be accessed through the following password-protected web page:  http://www.gpc.edu/icollege

Technical Assistance:

For technical assistance, please visit http://www.gpc.edu/icollege/help.html.

Logging Out of iCollege:

Be sure you log out or close all copies of your web browser, so that others using the computer after you will not have access to your password-protected files. If you do not exit ALL copies of your web browser, someone using the computer after you could post messages to the e-mail and bulletin board under your identity!!

Exams and Quizzes:

Some quizzes and exams will be done on scantrons in class, or on the wireless laptops. Be sure you know your student number and iCollege login and password.  Some quizzes will be given online, and you may take them at home on your own time, before the deadline.  Online quizzes that you take at home may be taken up to three times, to help you master the material. Students are not to give or receive help on the quizzes.  All quizzes are closed book, closed note quizzes.

Additional practice quizzes, written by your instructor, are available on the textbook publisher's website.  http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=resource&bcsId=2757&itemId=0471697435&resourceId=8637

If you leave the classroom during a quiz or exam, your quiz or exam will be collected, and you will not be permitted to continue with it.

The Geologic Time Chart Quiz may be taken until student achieves a score of 90% or above. Students must score 90% or above on this quiz prior to taking the Final Exam.

There will be two in-class exams (a Midterm and a Final).  A limited number of laptops will be available for loan during the exam.  Students should bring their own laptops to these exams if they have one available.  If laptops are not available for everyone, the class may be divided into two groups for testing. These groups may be in different rooms or at different times.

GREEN Scantron sheets are required for any exams or in-class quizzes that are not taken on laptops. (Form 882-E or 882-ES.) Red scantrons will be used for the final exam, as per Science Division policy.  Scantrons are available in the Bookstore or in the machine in the Student Center.

The Midterm exam is Thursday Thursday March 5, 2009.

The Final Exam is Tuesday May 12, 1:00-3:00 pm.

THE FINAL EXAM IS CUMULATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE

Basis of Grading:

33% Midterm Exam

33% Final Exam

33% Quizzes, homework assignments, reports, projects, etc.

The lecture grade is separate from the lab grade, if the student is enrolled in a lab.

Grading scale:

90-100% A

80-90% B

70-80% C

60-70% D

below 60% F

A note about the final: If you score less than 70% on the final exam, you will not receive an A for a final course grade, and similarly, if you score less than 60% on the final exam, you will not will not receive a B for a final grade, regardless of your overall average plus any extra credit.

If you fail one or both proctored exams, but do well on any unproctored quizzes, you may be asked to retake the quizzes in a proctored setting after a conference with your instructor, before your grades are turned in. This may necessitate a return to campus after final exams. If the student is unable to take the quizzes in a proctored setting before final grades are due, the quiz grades may be dropped from the calculation of the final grade.

Extra Credit - Teaching in the Schools Project

Up to five earned extra credit points can be applied to your final class average.  You can work with your instructor and a K-12 teacher to plan and deliver a standards-based science lesson to a group of pK-12 students (preferable elementary school students).  The lesson must be based on the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS).  Lesson topics will be dictated by the GPS for the particular grade that the student will teach.  This course option follows the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative and the University System of Georgia "Work in the Schools" policy.  Submit your ideas for extra credit by e-mail to your instructor for approval of topics.  All extra credit must be typed. 

School placement can be done by the student with the assistance of the faculty member, based on the needs of teachers in local schools, and on existing partnerships. 

Students will report on all phases of the activity following the format at: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/STEM/TeachingProjectChecklist.doc,
Task Template, and Rubric.

Criminal background checks are required of all students working with K-12 students.  This requirement is already in place for Education majors.  Background checks will be managed in cooperation of the Georgia Perimeter College Protective Services office.  Students must complete the form and have it notarized.

There will be opportunities for extra credit projects or papers during the semester. Up to five earned extra credit points can be applied to your final class average. Submit your ideas for extra credit by e-mail to your instructor for approval of topics. Extra credit exercises must be done independently from other students. All extra credit must be typed.

Other extra credit projects (one point each) may be available:

    1. Attend optional field trip.  Type notes.
    2. Attend public geology lectures in the community, such as Atlanta Geological Society meetings at Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA http://www.atlantageologists.org/ and take notes to turn in. Type.
    3. Visit a historical geology-related museum in the area (such as Tellus, The Northwest Georgia Science Museum in Cartersville, GA). TAKE DETAILED NOTES! TYPE.

Reporting of Grades

Grades will no longer be mailed to students' home addresses at the end of the semester. Reports of student grades are available via Web (http://sis.gpc.edu).

Do not contact the instructor via email or phone for grades. Graded assignments and tests will be returned to all students at the same time and final grades will be posted on the GPC iCollege website at the same time for all students.

Communicating with the Instructor:

All students must provide the instructor with your private (not shared with anyone) e-mail address, phone numbers and address.

Regular communication is a very important part of this course. Please feel free to ask questions at any time, either in class at the appropriate time, by e-mail, by phone during office hours, or in person during office hours (call first to be sure I am not in a meeting or on another campus).

E-mail response time:

I will generally reply to your e-mail within 24 hours unless I am out of town (which I will announce in class). I may or may not check e-mail on weekends, depending on my schedule, so do not expect a prompt reply if you post Friday afternoon or Friday night. I may not see your message until Monday morning. I check e-mail frequently during office hours.  If you do not receive a prompt reply, please email me again.

Policy on Academic Honesty:

Academic dishonesty (cheating and plagiarism) will not be tolerated. Students should read the sections on cheating and plagiarism in the Georgia Perimeter College Student Handbook and Georgia Perimeter College Catalog.

Cheating includes (among other things), use of unauthorized papers (or a cell phone or pager) during a quiz or exam (no matter what the content), looking at any notes or books or other materials during an unproctored online quiz, talking with someone about the quiz material during an unproctored online quiz, telling a student who has not taken the quiz or exam about the quiz or exam after you have taken it, copying from another student's paper during a test, allowing another student to copy from your paper during a test, unauthorized access to old exams or to an exam given to the class if you are taking it late for some reason, copying another student's homework assignments, using or turning in a photocopy of another student's assigned work, paying someone to write a paper or do an assignment for you, buying or downloading a term paper, or leaving the room during a test without permission or before turning in your paper. Cheating also includes giving a false excuse to the instructor in order to get the instructor to give extended time, an incomplete, or other consideration relating to a grade.

With online testing, it is particularly important to pay strict attention to academic honesty. Do not access a test online before you are ready to take it. Do not look at a printout of the test before you take it. Do not look at your books or notes or other papers while taking an online test. Do not have another person take the test for you. Do not have another person tell you answers to the test.

Plagiarism includes copying any phrases, sentence, or sentences verbatim from the reference source without using quotation marks and without providing a complete reference (author, date, source of material, volume, pages, etc.), or printing out an article directly from a computer database (such as Wikipedia or off the web) and turning it in as your own work. Students must read, synthesize, and write their own original sentences; learn to paraphrase. Even when paraphrasing, a complete reference must be provided to the paraphrased sentences. NEVER steal words directly from any source and present them as your own.

Students are responsible for doing their own work, even if they "work together". If two papers are turned in that show great similarity such that the instructor interprets it as evidence of cheating or plagiarism, both will be penalized.

A report will be filed with the Campus Dean of Student Affairs for any alleged cheating or plagiarism incident. (See procedure in College Catalog.) The case will be heard by the College Court. Penalties may include suspension or expulsion.

The faculty member is free to assign the grade he or she thinks is appropriate for the assignment or quiz, or exam, or for the semester (regardless of any outcome from College Court).

Any student found by the instructor to have represented someone else's work as his/her own, will receive a zero for that quiz, exam, or assignment for the first offense. The second offense will result in the assignment of a grade of "F" for the course. (If several papers are turned in together or at the same time, and each contains evidence of cheating or plagiarism, they will be considered as separate offenses, and will result in immediate assignment of a grade of "F" for the course.) This policy applies to cheating or plagiarism on extra credit work as well.

Cheating on an exam will jeopardize your grade; if you receive a zero on an exam it will be extremely difficult to receive a passing grade for the course.

Statement of Non-discrimination:

Georgia Perimeter College supports the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order #11246, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of the college.

Any individual with a grievance related to the enforcement of any of the above provisions should contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources, Ombudsperson.

Americans with Disabilities Act Statement:

If you are a student who is disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and require assistance of support services, please seek assistance through the Center for Disability Services. A CDS Counselor will coordinate those services.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

No person shall, on the basis of age, race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of Georgia Perimeter College.

Affirmative Action Statement:

Georgia Perimeter College adheres to affirmative action policies designed to promote diversity and equal opportunity for all faculty and students.

You are expected to read and abide by the general policies of Georgia Perimeter College, as stated in the College Student Handbook, and in the College Catalog.
 

Expected Educational Results:

As a result of completing this course the student will be able to:

1. Understand and apply the major Geological Principles of Historical Geology.
2. Recognize and apply the methods of scientific Problem-solving and critical thinking.
3. Understand and discuss the interrelationships between the physical and biological history of the Earth.
4. Understand and apply the ways in which geologic materials are dated.
5. Understand the Geologic evidence for evolution.
6. Understand and know the classification of the major fossil groups.
7. Understand and apply data related to environments in which sedimentary materials are deposited.
8. Understand and discuss the origin of the Universe, Solar System, and the Earth.
9. Understand and discuss the origin of life and the various evidences from the fossil record the origin of life.

General Education Outcomes:

I. This course addresses the general education outcome relating to communications as follows:

A. Students develop their reading comprehension skills by reading the textbook and handout materials.
B. Students develop their listening skills through lecture and group problem solving. Lecture material is presented that is not included in the textbook or handout material and is included as part of the exams or tests.
C. Students develop their writing skills through a variety of homework assignments, tests, and quizzes.
D. Students develop their speaking skills through class discussions, by asking questions in class as well as interactions with their peer in and out of class.

II. This course addresses the general education outcomes of recognition and application of scientific inquiry as follows:

A. Students must apply the geological principles to explain various observed natural phenomena that occur on the earth's surface as well as in the interior of the earth.
B. Students will develop their observation skill to be able to recognize the various geological features and life that lived on the earth through its history.
C. Students will develop the skills of inquiry by use of the scientific method to experience, evaluate, and synthesize data as applied to various geological problems.

III. This course addresses the general education outcomes of identification and evaluation of basic global, economic, and geographic forces as pertains to geology as well as to analyze how these forces shape the present and future, and possibly the past.

A. The study of Historical Geology will address the issues of the interaction of man/life and the earth.
B. The interaction of life and the environment as it pertains to earth materials and its history are included in this course.

IV. This course addresses the general education outcomes of developing effective individual and at times group problem-solving and critical thinking skills as applied to geology.

A. A student will develop their ability to problem-solve and critically think by applying their acquired knowledge of geology to various problems that deal with historical geology issues.

Course Content:

I. Introduction
    A. Fundamental principles of Geology
    B. Sedimentary Rock Record
    C. Geologic time
    D. Evolution
    E. Life on Earth

II. Origins
    A. The Universe
    B. The Earth
    C. The Atmosphere
    D. Life

III. History
    A. Precambrian Life & Tectonics
    B. Paleozoic Life & Tectonics
    C. Mesozoic Life & Tectonics
    D. Cenozoic Life & Tectonics

 

Syllabus dated January 13, 2009.
 

Page created by Pamela J. W. Gore
Georgia Perimeter College