Integrated Earth Science AGLY 201 - 4 credit hours; Spring, 2011.
Instructor: Karin L. Willoughby, Office #207, Science; karinw@usca.edu; #641-3379.
Office Hours: Mon. 12-1 pm; TTH 11:30 -12; also by appt.
Course Times: Lecture - Room 327: 12:15 -1:30 pm, TTH.
LAB - Room 212: Sec. 001: Wed. 2:30 – 5:10 pm, Sec. 002: Wed. 9 -11:30 am.
Required Texts and equipment: Visualizing Earth Science by Merali and Skinner;
Integrated Earth Sciences (GEOS); and student responder and extra batteries
This course explores a holistic view of the earth. The atmosphere, lithosphere (solid
earth), hydrosphere (oceans, surface fresh water and groundwater) and the solar
system will be studied as specialized systems with identifiable internal compositions,
natural processes and behavior patterns. The interactions among these systems and
the biosphere are also investigated. Examples of such interactions include tides,
waves, weather, climate, global change, plate tectonics and energy resources.
Students are expected to acquire knowledge about what these systems are, how
they work and how they interact; build individual ability to understand the implications of
earth systems' effects on the future of earth and human beings; and practice
communicating that knowledge and understanding to others in written and oral form.
Grading: Lecture -- 75% of class grade
Maximum possible points: 300 points (100 pts. each) on 3 exams
75 pts in class questions (responder)
50 pts term paper
45 pts on homework (3 assignments)
100 pts semester project
30 pts oral presentation
20 pts attendance and participation
__130 pts final
750 pts Subtotal
Laboratory -- 25% of class grade*
Maximum possible points: 180 pts on 12 lab reports (15 points each)
60 pts on 1 quiz
10 pts on second quiz
250 pts Subtotal
Total possible points = 1000; Course grade will be based on: 900 or more points = A.
800 - 899.9 pts. = B. 700 - 799.9 pts. = C. 600 - 699.9 pts. = D Below 600 pts. = F.
* NOTE: Laboratory must be passed in order to pass course.
Classroom Behavior: It is the instructor’s right to remove from the classroom any
student who disrupts or disturbs the proceeding of the class. Disruption of the class
includes but is not limited to the use of any portable electronic devices, including cell
phones, MP3 players; iPods, etc. unless prior approval has been given to a student or
unless required for the course. In extreme cases the faculty member can request
assistance from University Police. If the student who has been ejected causes similar
disturbances in subsequent meetings of the class, he/she may be denied admittance to
the class for the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of F.
1
If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability that might affect
your performance in this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services B&E 126,
(803)641-3609, as soon as possible. The Disability Services Office will determine
appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.
Tentative LECTURE Schedule
January
11 Introduction to course
13 Earth in Space; semester project
Reading Assignment
Text Chapter
1
18 Minerals
20 Rocks; Weathering
February
2
3&4
25 Responder registration and start using responders;
Weathering, Soils and Mass Wasting
27 Water; HOMEWORK #1 is DUE
5
1
3
Water cont’d
Deserts and Glaciers and Ice Sheets
6
EXAM #1 (Ch. 1-4 with Takehome Critical Thinking essay)
Plate Tectonics
7
8
10
15 Plate Tectonics cont’d; turn in 5 preliminary resources on project
17 Earthquakes and The Earth’s Interior
8
22 Quakes cont’d and Volcanoes
24 Volcanoes cont’d; and Geologic Time
March
1 Geologic Time cont’d
3 History of the Earth; HOMEWORK #2 is DUE
9
10
11
7 -11 Spring Break
April
15 Oceans
17 EXAM #2 (Ch. 5-9 with Takehome for Ch. 6)
12
22 Oceans and Ocean Meets Land
24 Atmosphere
13
14
29 Atmosphere cont’d
31 Global Circulation and Weather; TERM PAPER is DUE
15
5 Global Climates Past and Present
7 EXAM #3 (Ch. #10 – 13 with Takehome for Ch. 11)
2
16
12 Earth’s Place in Space
14 PRESENTATIONS
17
19 Sun and Planets; PROJECT NOTEBOOK IS DUE
21 Solar System and Universe cont’d; HOMEWORK #3 is DUE
25 Summary and Review
28 FINAL EXAM (Ch. #14 -17 + general review) (11 am - 2pm)
The student project and oral presentation requires thorough research on a
selected topic. Preliminary resources (at least 5 references) must be located and
turned in by Feb. 15 for full credit on the project. The project is a notebook containing
several written and visual products. The notebook is DUE April 19. The oral
presentation must be about 7-9 minutes long and discuss in detail one or more facets of
the major research topic.
Responders are required for use in this class. The first time a student forgets a
working responder, the student will be allowed to turn in paper answers for full credit;
second and third failures to bring a responder will be allowed half-credit paper answers.
Any additional failures to bring a responder will result in NO points earned for answers
that day, except for attendance.
Tentative LAB Schedule
Jan. 12
Introduction; Critical and Scientific Inquiry
Jan. 19
Planets Lab; Introduce Minerals
Jan. 26
Complete Minerals and start Rocks
Feb 2
Complete Rock Lab and practice for quiz
Feb. 9
Volcanoes; Practice Rocks and Minerals
Feb. 16
Earthquakes; Practice Rocks and Minerals
Feb. 23
LAB QUIZ on Rocks and Minerals (60 pts.)
Mar. 2
Correlation and Geologic Time
Mar. 9
HOLIDAY
Mar. 16
Oceans
Mar. 23
Wind and Atmosphere
Mar. 30
Wind and Atmosphere, cont’d; LAB QUIZ (10 pts.)
Apr. 6
Planetarium
Apr. 13
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Apr. 20
Sun and Moon lab
Cell phones/walkie-talkies/pagers may not be turned on during lectures or tests
without the instructor’s permission which must be obtained prior to the beginning of that
class. Students texting, checking messages, finding out the time or any other use of the
phone without permission, risk being excused for the rest of that class period.
Punctual and regular attendance is essential for full participation in class. The
instructor reserves the right to give an automatic “F” to any student that misses 9 or
more lectures, even if absences are excused. There will be no instructor directed
make-ups available for missed labs. The student is responsible for obtaining notes to
missed material. Make-up lecture exams or lab quizzes will be given only for
3
documented emergencies considered acceptable to the University (death of close
relative, religious holiday, jury duty, being ill with Dr.’s excuse) and approved by the
instructor. The student is still responsible for missed material.
Homework Assignments:
(Worth 15 points each; must be typed or neatly printed)
Due January 27 (minimum 1 page, typed, double-spaced)
1. Answer the first “Critical and Creative Thinking” question on p. 31. Include
additional research related to the answer you give. A References page MUST be
included.
Due March 3
2. Get a paper plate or cut a large circle from thick paper, pasteboard or
cardboard. Do the experiment described and illustrated on the handout. Do the
experiment twice, drawing a line for both a clockwise and a counterclockwise motion
of your circle, from the edge of the circle, toward the center. Correctly label both
lines by the motion of the plate, not the direction the line curves. Also, label your
starting points. Find and print the definition of the Coriolis Effect on this circle that is
used in this handout. Turn in your experiment with the lines you drew as you (or a
friend) spun the plate clockwise and counterclockwise.
Due April 21 (minimum 1 full page typed, doubled-spaced)
3. Define and introduce what weather is. List, define and discuss the main variables
of weather in the mnemonic: WATCH. How do these variables interact with each
other? Are the variables independent of each other? Give examples of how a
specific change in each of the five variables (ex. Temperature cools) would change
another variable (ex. when temp. cools, relative humidity rises). (Don’t use this
example in the paper.) Explain the relationship that causes the 2nd variable to
change relative to the first variable, in each example. Also, consult a current
weather map on TV or internet, or in a newspaper, being careful NOT to look at the
weather predictions and then make your own weather predictions for the next week.
TERM PAPER is DUE March 31 (Worth 50 points)
Prepare a minimum of a five page typed paper on the subject of biological
evolution from the scientists’ viewpoint. Define evolution scientifically.
Explain what Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is. Discuss the scientific evidence
that proves that evolution occurs. You will need additional references beyond
the textbook. Some good places to start are: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/;
www.Museumoftheearth.org/outreach.php and then click on “The Evolution
Project”; and www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-fact.html. A References
must be included with your paper.
4