GEOL 1403: Physical Geology
SYLLABUS and CLASS SCHEDULE – Fall 2007
West Loop Center - room 164
M & W 8am – 11am
Instructor:
Karen Blair, nearly Ph.D
Office Hours are immediately after class or as otherwise arranged.
Email: You can use the email utility in WebCT or karen.blair@hccs.edu
LearningWeb page: http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/members/karen.blair/
Course Description and Objective: Physical Geology is the study of the Earth with an emphasis on Earth
materials and on the physical properties operating both on the Earth’s surface and inside the Earth. The objective
of this course is to enable students to use fact and observation to make interpretations about geologic processes
operating today and in the past. Students will learn to interpret data from a variety of resources including mineral
and rock collections, topographic and geologic maps, and the internet. Key questions to be addressed include:
How do Earth systems create and modify landforms? What impact do geologic processes have on local and
global environment? What are the major elements of the Plate Tectonic Theory? Physical Geology 1403 is a 4
credit-hour (3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab) core curriculum course.
Textbook Information: The following two texts are required. Understanding Earth by Press, Siever, Grotzinger,
and Jordan, 5th edition, Freeman Publishers, 2007 (ISBN: 0-7167-6682-5)
and Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology edited by R.M. Busch, 7th edition, Prentice-Hall Publishers, 2006
(ISBN: 0-13-149745-6).
****Textbook website: http://bcs.whfreeman.com/understandingearth5e/
****Lab book website: http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_busch_labmanual_7/
Other Contact Information: Science Department Secretary Patti Wooldridge 713-718-7771 and
Chairman of Physical Sciences, Dr. G. Pahlavan 713-718-7773
Class Format: Most classes will involve: (1) a lecture overview and discussion of the scheduled chapter(s) with
some short assignments and (2) a laboratory exercise complimenting the lecture topic. The lecture and the
laboratory component will each make up about 50% of the class time and will each constitute about 50% of the
final grade. Lab exercises are designed to give the student hands-on experience with concepts covered in the
lecture part of the class. Lab exercises will be done in small work groups. Missed lab work may be made up. But,
in order to receive a grade for this work, the lab report must be submitted within one week of the original lab
exercise. WebCT, an internet-based course management system, will be used to complement class activities.
Additional information on how to access WebCT and on the nature of the course resources that will be available
through WebCT will be provided in class.
Examinations: Lecture exams will consist of multiple choice/true-false questions, identification of geologic features
on figures and diagrams or problem solving with figures, and short answer questions selected from the assigned
readings in the text and from lecture hand-outs. It is highly suggested that students review their in-class
assignments, questions at the end of the chapters and at the textbook website to prepare for exams. Lab exams
will focus on: mineral and rock identification and on mapping exercises.
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. Special consideration will be given ONLY if an acceptable
and documented reason for missing the quiz or exam is presented to the instructor as soon as the student
returns to class.
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. Advanced notice of absences is
appreciated.
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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 for keeping up-to-date on their cumulative grade total.)
Lecture Quizzes
Lecture Exam 1
Lecture Exam 2
Lab Exam 1
Lab Exam 2
Lecture Exam 3 (Lab & lecture material)
Lab Reports (15pts each, 22 best)
Research Project
Miscellaneous Assignment(s)
Total Points
60 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
125 points
125 points
330 points
50 points
145 points
1000 points
Final Letter Grade Assignment: Final grade (as points out of a total of 1000) will be assigned according to the following scheme: A = 895 - 1000
points, B = 795 – 894 points, C = 695– 794 points, D = 595 – 694 points, F = < 594 points
REVIEW THE COLLEGE CATALOG FOR POLICIES
Student with Disabilities (ADA): 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 are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office."
For questions, contact Dr. Becky A. Hauri, ADA Counselor for SW campus, at 713-718-7909. Also visit the ADA web site
at: http://www.hccs.edu/students/disability/index.htm
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 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.
Policy on Recording Devices: Use of recording devices (camera phones, cameras, audio/tape recorders, video
recorders, and any other electronic device that is capable of recording the human voice or image) is prohibited in
classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs.
Students with disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the
Office for Students with Disabilities for information regarding reasonable accommodations.
Withdrawal Policy: 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. The withdrawal deadline is 4:30PM,
November 8.
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CLASS #
DATE
DISCUSSION TOPICS & ACTIVITIES
Introductions, Overview of Course, Review Course Syllabus, Introduction to
WebCT, Ch 1: The Earth System
review measurements, conversions
Ch 1 (cont) & Ch 2: Plate Tectonics and Lab: conversions and Plate Tectonics
01 (M)
27-Aug
02 (W)
29-Aug
03 (W)
5-Sep
04 (M)
10-Sep
Ch. 3 Minerals and Lab: Identify minerals
05 (W)
12-Sep
Finish Mineral ID lab and end Ch. 3 Intro to Rocks
06 (M)
17-Sep
Chapter 4: Igneous Rocks and Lab: Igneous Rock ID
07 (W)
19-Sep
Finish Igneous Rock ID and Chapter 5: Sedimentary Rocks
08 (M)
24-Sep
Ch 5 (cont): Sedimentation and Lab: Sed. Rocks and sed. structures
09 (W)
26-Sep
10 (M)
1-Oct
Ch. 6: Metamorphism and Lab: Metamorphic Rock Identification
Schedule a Review Session
Exam 1: Ch 1 – 7 and Rock/Mineral review
11(W)
3-Oct
Lab Exam 1 (Mineral & Rock Identification)
Chapter 7: Deformation and Lab: structure
12 (M)
8-Oct
Discuss results Lab Exam and Exam 1 continue with Deformation/Structure
13 (W)
10-Oct
Ch. 12: Volcanoes and Lab: Volcano Types
14 (M)
15-Oct
Ch. 12 (cont) Volcano case studies and Lab: Volcanic Hazards
15 (W)
17-Oct
Ch 13: Earthquakes and Lab: Quake Magnitude and Location
16 (M)
22-Oct
Ch. 13 (cont) and Lab: Earthquake Hazards & Earthquake Case Studies
17 (W)
24-Oct
Ch. 8: Clocks in Rocks and Lab: Dating rocks and geologic events
18 (M)
29-Oct
Ch 10: Evolution of Continents and Lab: Texas Geology
19 (W)
31-Oct
Lab Exam #2 (volcanoes, quakes, geochronology, TX geology)
Ch 14: Earth's Interior
20 (M)
5-Nov
Ch 9: Terrestrial planets and the Solar System and Lab: Planetary Geology
21 (W)
7-Nov
Exam 2: Ch. 8-10, 12-14 and Lab: Topographic Maps
22 (M)
8-Nov
12-Nov
Withdrawal deadline
Ch 15: The Climate System and Lab: TBA
23 (W)
14-Nov
Ch 16: Weathering, Erosion, Mass Wasting and Lab: Mass Wasting and Desert
Processes
24 (M)
19-Nov
Ch 17: Hydrologic Cycle and Groundwater and Lab: Groundwater Processes
25 (W)
21-Nov
Ch 18: Stream Transport and Lab: Stream Processes & Texas flood maps
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Ch. 2 (cont) Continue Lab 1 Plate Tectonics
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26 (M)
26-Nov
Ch 20: Coastlines and Lab: Coastal processes
27 (W)
28-Nov
Ch 20 (cont.): Coastlines and Ocean Basins and Lab: Depths of the Ocean
28 (M)
3-Dec
Ch 21: Glaciers and Lab: Glacial Processes & Landforms
29 (W)
5-Dec
Last Class: Big Picture Wrap-Up
30 (M)
10-Dec
Free Class – office hours
31 (W)
12-Dec
Exam 3 (Chapters: 12 - 13, 16 - 21 )
NOTE: Course Syllabus is subject to modification. Updates to the syllabus and schedule will be posted on
WebCT and the Learning Web
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