Integrated Earth Science AGLY 201 - 4 credit hours; Spring, 2012.
Instructor: Karin L. Willoughby, Office #207, Science; karinw@usca.edu; #641-3379.
Office Hours: Mon. 12-12:45 pm; Wed. 11:45 -12:15 pm; TTH 11 -12 pm; also by appt.
Course Times: Lecture - Room 327: 12:15 -1:30 pm, TTH.
LAB - Room 212: Sec. 001: Wed. 9 –11:40 am, Sec. 002: Wed. 2:30 – 5:10 pm.
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: 330 points (110 pts. each) on 3 exams
80 pts in class questions (responder) & attendance
30 pts on 2 assignments; see end of syllabus
50 pts term paper (listed as assignment #3)
100 pts semester project
30 pts oral presentation
__130 pts final
750 pts Subtotal
Laboratory -- 25% of class grade*
Maximum possible points: 180 pts on best 12 out of 13 labs (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.
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.
1
Classroom Behavior: It is the instructor’s right to remove from the classroom any
student who disrupts or disturbs the proceeding of the class. Use of non-authorized
electronic devices is considered a disturbance. 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.
Policy for Portable Electronic Devices: The use of any portable electronic
devices, including cell phones, pagers, MP3 players, iPods, etc., during class is not
allowed for any reason unless prior approval has been given to a student from the
instructor or unless required for the course. If you are planning to have any of these
devices in class, they must be turned off and stowed away for the duration of the class
period. If you use a portable electronic device during a test, quiz, or other assessment,
you are eligible to receive a failing grade on that assignment.
Tentative LECTURE Schedule
January
Reading Assignment
Text Chapter
1
10 Introduction to course
12 Earth in Space
17 Earth’s Place in Space; Sun
19 Solar System and Universe
17
24 Solar System and Universe cont’d
26 Universe cont’d; Responder registration and start using
responders
February
31 Minerals
2 Rocks; Weathering; ASSIGNMENT #1 is DUE
2
3&4
7 Weathering, Soils and Mass Wasting
9 Water
5
14 Water cont’d
16 Deserts and Glaciers and Ice Sheets
6
21 EXAM #1 (Ch. 1-4 + 17 with Take Home Critical Thinking essay)
23 Plate Tectonics
7
March
28 Plate Tectonics cont’d
1 Earthquakes and The Earth’s Interior
8
5-9 SPRING BREAK
13 Quakes cont’d and Volcanoes
15 Volcanoes cont’d; and Geologic Time
20 Geologic Time cont’d
2
9
10
April
22 History of the Earth; PROJECT NOTEBOOK IS DUE
11
27 EXAM #2 (Ch. 5-9 with Take Home for Ch. 6)
29 Oceans
12
3 Oceans and Ocean Meets Land
5 Atmosphere; ASSIGNMENT #3 is DUE
13
14
10 Atmosphere cont’d
12 EXAM #3 (Ch. #10 – 13 with Take Home for Ch. 11)
17 Global Circulation and Weather Systems
19 Global Climates Past and Present
15
16
26 FINAL EXAM (Ch. #14 -16 + general review questions) (11 – 2 pm)
The student project and oral presentation requires thorough research on a
selected topic. The notebook is DUE March 22. The oral presentation must be about 79 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. 11
Introduction; Critical and Scientific Inquiry; Semester Project
Jan. 18
Planets Lab; Sun and Moon Lab
Jan. 25
Introduce Minerals & do Lab
Feb. 1
Rock Lab and practice for quiz
Feb. 8
Earthquakes; Practice Rocks and Minerals
Feb. 15
LAB QUIZ on Rocks and Minerals (60 pts.)
Feb. 22
Volcanoes
Feb. 29
Correlation and Geologic Time
Mar. 5-9
SPRING BREAK
Mar. 14
Oceans; ASSIGNMENT #2 to do in lab
Mar. 21
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Mar. 28
Extreme Weather Lab
Apr. 4
Planetarium
Apr. 11
Wind and Atmosphere
Apr. 18
Wind and Atmosphere, cont’d; LAB QUIZ (10 pts.)
Punctual and regular attendance is essential for full participation in class. The
3
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
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.
Assignments:
(Must be typed or neatly printed)
Due February 2 (minimum 1&1/2 page, typed, double-spaced) (Worth 20 points)
1. Answer the first “Critical and Creative Thinking” question on p. 31. Demonstrate
the use of Critical Thinking skills. Do additional research to find what experts on the
subject think and include their opinions in your paper. A References page MUST be
included; USE MLA or other format that you know how to use.
Due March 14 during lab (Worth 10 points)
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 5 (Worth 50 points)
3. TERM PAPER
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