TENTATIVE SYLLABUS/SCHEDULE FOR SPRING, 2009
EARTH SCIENCE 110:
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SCIENCE
SPRING 2009 Room: Physical Science 2
Ticket # 20314 TUESDAYS/THURSDAYS 12:30-3:30PM
Instructor: Meg McQuarrie
Email: mmcquarrie@cerritos.edu
Website: http://e-courses.cerritos.edu/mmcquarrie
Phone: 860-2451 x5037
Office: Room A, Physical Sciences Building
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11am-Noon, Wednesdays 6-7pm, Thursdays 10-11am or by appointment.
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This course satisfies the laboratory physical science requirement needed for transfer to many universities.
Required Materials:
Text: Tarbuck and Lutgens, Earth Science, 2006, 12th Ed..
Lab Manual: Colbath, Licari and Hallinger, Earth Science 110 Laboratory Manual, Cerritos College Publication. *Labs will be available online and you MUST print them out and bring them with you to class.
Optional Materials:
Atlas: Hammond, Comparative World Atlas. *You may use your own atlas as long as it includes a map of seafloor features.
Additional materials: pen, pencil, calculator (cell phone calculators are often insufficient, please bring a regular calculator). Scantron 882-E for exams.
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GRADING:
Lab Practical/Exams: There will be 4 combination Lab Practical/Lecture exams each worth 150 points. Each will have the same format. There will be thought questions/calculations that are modeled after questions in your labs. There will also be multiple choice and true false questions as well as a few short answer/essay questions based on the lecture material. I emphasize comprehensive learning rather than strict memorization. You will need a scantron 882-E and a pencil for the exam when you come to class. If you do not have either, you will lose 5 points.
Labs: Labs are to be completed in class, unless otherwise noted. When you complete the lab, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to have me check your lab before you leave class. Each lab will be worth 1 point. I encourage you to work in groups to complete the labs, but copying the answers from your partner will not help you to pass the lab quiz.
Map Assignments: There will be a minimum of 2 map assignments/quizzes this semester, for a total of 30 points. You will be given the maps that will be used for the quizzes.
Essay Questions: Throughout the semester there will be take-home, open-book essay questions, each worth 10 points. There will be a minimum of 6 assigned during the semester. You must type your answers and either hand them in to me directly, or email them to me. You may work with your classmates on these questions, but your final answers must be IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Reading Assignments: There will be a minimum of 2 reading assignments, each worth 20 points. Students are to read the assigned paper and answer guideline questions about the assignment. We will be discussing these papers in class.
Project: We will discuss this more in class. Teacher Trac students will work in groups of 2-3 and will be asked to find and teach a lab in class. Those not in Teacher Trac will have the option of teaching a lab or conducting a field study and writing a 5 page paper on this study.
*All written assessments (assignments and short answer questions on exams) will be graded not only based on content but on the departments Writing Standards as well.
Additional Assignments: There may be additional assignments given throughout the semester but THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA-CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS.
Final grades will be based on your total points earned. The minimum number of points possible are:
4 Lab Practical/ Lecture Exams 150 points each= 600 points
Labs= 20 points
Map Assignments = 40 points
2 Reading Assignments @ 20 points each= 40 points
6 Essay Questions @ 10 points each = 60 points
Semester Project - 50 points
Total Points = 810 points
The final grade will be based on points earned out of points possible. The final grade will be a percentage and the grade distribution is as follows:
90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 59% and below = F
THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA CREDIT GIVEN IN THIS CLASS. IF YOU DO ALL OF YOUR WORK AND HAND IT IN ON TIME, YOU WILL NOT NEED EXTRA CREDIT.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Attendance is a required part of the class. Students are allowed 2 absences during the semester, and may be dropped after the 2nd absence. Being late is extremely disruptive to the entire class. For every 3 times that you are late, it will count as 1 absence.
Make-up work: There are no make-ups for exams or quizzes without a documented excuse such as a doctor's note or letter from the school. ALL make-up exams will be essay exams. You must call to let me know that you will be missing an exam or quiz, preferably before the exam or quiz is given. If you cannot call before the exam, call as soon as possible to schedule a time for the make-up exam. You must bring your documented excuse to the make-up exam or you will not be allowed to take the exam. No make-up exams will be given after the exam has been returned to the class.
Assignments All assignments must be in by the start of class on the day they are due. Late work will not be accepted. If you are not going to be in class, it is your responsibility to get the work to me, either by having someone drop it off or by emailing it to me. If you email an assignment to me, attach it to the email AND paste it in to the body of the message. Regardless of whether you are in class or not, your assignment must be to me by the start of class to receive credit. If you email it to me, I will send you a confirmation that I received your assignment.
Cheating: Will not be tolerated. If you are caught cheating, this includes plagiarism, you will receive a '0' for that assignment and you will be subject to the appropriate disciplinary action.
Student Responsibilities:
1. Read: I encourage you to read the text and lab assignments BEFORE you come to class so you can familiarize yourself with the topics that we will be covering.
2. Attendance: Regular class attendance is important to your success in this class. Please attend class regularly and on time. Being late is disruptive to the entire class, especially on exam and quiz days. Attendance will be taken at the start of class. If you are late 3 times, it will count as 1 absence. If you have more than 4 absences, you may be dropped from the class.
3. Cell Phones: Turn off all cell phones and pagers. I do not want to see cell phones in class at any time this includes before class, during class, or at break time or even if you are using it as a calculator.
4.Add/Drop: It is your responsibility to know the add/drop deadlines. Do not rely on me to drop you from the class. If you do not drop the class, you may receive an ‘F’ for the semester. For the fall semester, the last day to drop with a refund is January 25th, the last day to drop without a "W" is February 17th , and the last day to drop with a "W" is April 24th. DO NOT RELY ON ME TO DROP YOU.
5.Come see me: If you are having trouble with the material in this class I encourage you to come and talk to me as soon as possible. Do not wait until the end of the semester.
Student Learning Outcome for this course:
* Students will know the major types of natural disasters and steps that can be taken to mitigate the associated damage with each.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: Dates subject to change.
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
Assignments |
|
1 |
1/13 |
Course Introduction Earth Basics/ Origins |
6-14, 679-680, 4-5 Box 1.1, 612-614 |
|
|
2 |
1/20 |
Plate Tectonics |
Ch. 8 |
Syllabus Due/Map Assignment 1 |
|
3 |
1/27 |
Faults, Folds Earthquakes |
283-294 Ch. 7 |
Quiz - US Map |
|
4 |
2/3 |
Earthquakes Volcanoes |
Ch. 7 Ch. 9 |
|
|
5 |
2/10
|
Volcanoes Minerals |
Ch. 9 Ch. 2 , 51-54 |
|
|
6 |
2/17 |
Minerals / Rocks & the Rock Cycle |
Ch. 2 , 51-54 |
|
|
7 |
2/24 |
Igneous Rocks Weathering, erosion & Sedimentary Rocks |
54-60 4-90 61-68 |
|
|
8 |
3/3 |
Metamorphic rocks Intr. Atm |
69-74 435-441 |
|
|
9 |
3/10 |
Intr. Atm |
435-441 |
|
|
10 |
3/17 |
Pressure/Wind Atmospheric Moisture |
Ch. 18 Ch. 17 |
|
|
11 |
3/24 |
Clouds/Weather
|
Ch. 19 |
Outline Due for Semester Project Option B |
|
12 |
3/31
|
Atmospheric Disturbances Climate |
Ch. 19 |
|
|
Spring Break |
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|
13 |
4/14 |
Weather Review |
|
|
|
14 |
4/21 |
Freshwater Groundwater |
Ch. 20 133-146 |
|
|
15 |
4/28 |
Oceans Coasts |
364-374 411-428 |
Rough Draft Due |
|
16 |
5/5 |
Glaciers Deserts |
153-172 173-180 |
|
|
17 |
5/12 |
Geologic Time / Dating
|
Ch. 11 |
|
|
TENTATIVE FINAL EXAM: Thursday, MAY 21st 12-2pm *This is a tentative date. Do not make travel plans for this week. |
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