HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOUTHWEST
COURSE OUTLINE FOR GEOL 1401 – Earth Science I – Section 90
Fall, 2007 Scarcella Center - Room S114 Sat. 8:30AM-Noon;12:30PM-4:30PM
Class Number 15102
Course Description and Objective: Earth Science I is the study of the Earth with an emphasis on Earth systems and
Earth materials and how they have interacted with one another in the past and how those systems interact with one
another now to create the world and environment we live in today. The four systems are the hydrosphere, biosphere,
atmosphere and geosphere. The processes used by Earth systems act within the Earth, in its crust, on its surface and in its
atmosphere. The object of this course is to enable students to learn and use facts and observations about these “living”
systems to make interpretations and to understand the natural processes operating in the past, the present and most
importantly, in the near future which make up planet on which we live - Earth. Students will learn to interpret data from a
variety of resources including mineral and rock collections, topographic and geologic maps, Landsat Images and the
Internet. The key question that will be addressed is what impact do these global earth systems have on the environment
and what are their significant interactions. Earth Science I, Geology -1401 is a 4 credit-hour (3.5 hours lecture, 4 hours
lab) core curriculum science course.
Textbook Information: The following two texts are required. Earth Science, 11th Edition, by Edward J. Tarbuck and
Frederick K. Lutgens, Freeman Publishers, 2006 (ISBN 0-13-149751-0) and Applications and Investigations in Earth Science by
Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Pinzke, 5th edition, Prentice-Hall Publishers, 2006 (ISBN 0-13-149754-5).
Instructor Information: Professor Bob Van Nieuwenhuise, PG
Office Hours are immediately before and after class or as otherwise arranged.
Email: Preferred email is through the email utility in WebCT (see below) or at: robert.vannieuwenhuise@hccs.edu
I may also be contacted at bobv@earth-wave.com if urgent but, I do not review this server everyday.
My Voice Mail: 281-556-6900 is my office at Earth-Wave Geosciences, LLC. I am usually in another Company Office.
Other Contact Information: Science Dept. Secretary 713-718-7771 and Chairman of Physical Sciences,
Dr. G. Pahlavan 713-718-7773
Learning Web: The Learning Web is an internet-based course management system which will be used to compliment
the classroom course. Additional information on how to access the Learning Web and on the nature of the course
resources that will be available through it will be provided in class.
Class Format: The format for most classes will involve: (1) a lecture overview and discussion of the scheduled chapter(s)
and (2) a laboratory exercise complimenting the lecture topic. The lecture will make up about 54% of the class time and
the laboratory will make up about 46%. The grading will be split accordingly. Lab attendance is mandatory, and lab
exercises are designed to give the student hands-on experience with concepts covered in the lecture part of the class.
Most lab exercises can be done in small (3 to 4 person) work groups. One group-prepared lab report will be turned in for
grading. Missed lab work may be made up but, to receive complete points for this work, the report must be submitted
within one week of the original lab exercise. Delay by some students means delays in me grading and returning so please
be timely. It is your responsibility to accomplish the work. If a teammate does not do his fair share, please advise, it is my
responsibility to make sure they earn the grade or not. I require the summary report at the end of each lab by each
team/group.
Learning Web: The Learning Web is an internet-based course management system which will be used to complement
the classroom course. Additional information on how to access Learning Web and on the nature of the course resources
that will be available through it will be provided in class when appropriate.
Student with Disabilities (ADA): The HCCS colleges are dedicated to providing the least restrictive learning
environment for all students. As such any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric,
vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services
Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the
Geology 1401: Earth Science 1: Fall 2007 Syllabus
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accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. For questions, call Donna Price at 713-718-5165 or
the Southwest College Disability Counselor at 713-718-7909.
Academic Honesty: HCCS is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In
becoming a part of the academic community, students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to
uphold these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on
exams or assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials or prerequisites when
registering for a course. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another student's exam, orally communicating or
receiving answers during an exam, having another person take an exam or complete a project or assignment, using
unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam, and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam
or any part of an exam. Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without
giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or project that someone else
has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be completed
independently. These definitions are not exhaustive. When there is clear evidence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion
or misrepresentation, a faculty member will take disciplinary action including but not limited to: requiring the
student to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment, assigning a grade of zero or "F" for an exam or an
assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for the course. Additional sanctions, including being withdrawn from the
course/program or expelled from school, may be imposed on a student who violates the standards of academic integrity.
See the Student handbook for additional details.
Attendance: Students are expected to attend classes (lecture and lab) regularly and to be on time. Class
attendance/tardiness will be recorded. More than four absences make the student subject to administrative withdrawal.
Students are responsible for material covered in lecture and labs during their absences. A student’s attendance is taken
into consideration when deciding borderline course grades.
Withdrawal Policy: The withdrawal deadline is 4:30PM, November 8, 2007. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw
from class; however, the instructor reserves the right to administratively withdraw a student if it is deemed necessary.
Failure of a student to officially withdraw from class may result in the student receiving a grade of F for the course.
NOTICE: Students who repeat a course three or more times may soon face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC
and other Texas public colleges and universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning
passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing
homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that
might be available.
Examinations: Lecture exams will consist of multiple choice/true-false questions (~80%) and matching (~20%). Short
answer questions selected from the assigned readings in the text and from lecture hand-outs (~20%). Lab practical exams
will be included in the lecture exams. After corrected exams are reviewed by the student, exams must be returned to the
instructor.
Missed Examinations: As a rule, no make-up exams will be given and a grade of 0 will be earned if an exam is
missed. Should an exam be missed due to an exceptional situation beyond the student’s control, the situation will be
assessed on a case-by-case basis. Ideally, students should contact the instructor prior to missing a scheduled examination
in-person, by e-mail, or by voice mail. Arrangements for taking a make-up exam will be made ONLY if an acceptable
and documented reason is presented to the instructor as soon as the student returns to class.
Grading: Grades for this course are earned on a fixed point system. Some consideration is given, when assessing
borderline grades, to those students who have demonstrated steady progress and who have actively contributed to class
sessions during the semester. (Note: Students are responsible to keep up-to-date on their cumulative grade total.)
Lecture Quiz & Exam:
32 % (12-20)
Homework/ Quizzes:
2%
Lab Reports (12):
36 %
Lab Exams :
10 %
Final Exam:
20%
Total Points:
100 %
Final Letter Grade Assignments: A: 100-90, B: 89-80, C = 79– 70, D = 69 – 60, F ≤ 59 Points
Geology 1401: Earth Science 1: Fall 2007 Syllabus
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Class Schedule
CLASS
DATE
DISCUSSION TOPICS & ACTIVITIES
01 (S)
09/22
Introductions, Overview of Course, Chapter 1: Introduction to Earth Science;
Chapter 2: Minerals: Building Blocks of Rocks; Laboratory 1: Minerals
02 (S)
09/29
Chapter 3: Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth; Laboratory 1: The Study of Minerals. Review
Mineral Test.
03 (S)
10/06
Chapter 4: Weathering, Soils, and Mass Wasting; Lab 1 Report Due; Mineral Test.; Review
Quiz.
04 (S)
10/13
Chapter 5: Running Water and Groundwater; Quiz: Chapters 1, 2 & 3; Laboratory 2:
Common Rocks.
05 (S)
10/20
Chapter 6: Glaciers, Deserts and Winds, Lab 2 Report Due; Rock Test; Review for Exam I.
06 (S)
10/27
Exam 1 Chapter 7: Earthquakes and Earth’s Interior; Laboratory 8: Earthquakes and
Earth’s Interior. Laboratory 3: Introduction to Aerial Photographs and Topographic Maps.
07 (S)
11/3
Chapter 8: Plate Tectonics: A Scientific Theory Unfolds; Continue Lab 3; Laboratory 4: Shaping
Earth’s Surface: Running Water and Groundwater; Lab Report 8 Due.
08 (S)
11/10
Chapter 9: Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity; Laboratory 5: Shaping Earth’s SurfaceArid and Glacial landscapes; Lab Reports 3&4 Due.
09 (S)
11/17
Chapter 10: Mountain Building; Laboratory 7: Geologic Maps and Structures, Lab Report 5
Due.
10 (S)
11/24
Thanksgiving – Holiday
11 (S)
12/01
Chapter 11: Geologic Time; Chapter 12: Earth’s History: A Brief Summary; Laboratory 6:
Determining Geologic Ages; Lab Report 7 Due.
12 (S)
12/08
Lab Report 6 and any left-over due. Final Exam (II): includes all Chapters, Primarily 712.
13 (S)
12/14
Semester Ends
NOTE: Course Syllabus and Class Schedule subject to modification. Any updates to the syllabus and schedule will be
posted on the Learning Web.
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