Geoscience 202: Physical Geology
Spring 2011

Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Office: LS 463, Phone: 465-2246
email: dutchs@uwgb.edu, HOME PAGE: http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs

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Syllabus

Class Notes

Dates	Topic	Reading
Jan. 25- Jan. 27	Introduction to the course	Ch. 1
Feb. 1 - Feb. 3	Minerals	Ch. 2
Feb. 8 - Feb. 10	Igneous Rocks and Volcanoes	Ch. 3, 4
Feb. 15- Feb. 17	Weathering and Erosion	Ch. 5, 9, 11
Feb. 22 - Feb. 24	Evolution of Landscapes	Ch. 10
Mar. 1	Midterm I
Mar. 1 - Mar. 3	Sedimentary Rocks	Ch. 6
Mar. 8 - Mar. 10	Evolution, Fossils, Geologic Time	Ch. 8
Mar. 12 - Mar. 20	Spring Break
Mar. 22 - Mar. 24	Glaciers	Ch. 12
Mar. 29 - Mar. 31	Wind and Coastal Erosion	Ch. 13, 14, 18
April 5	Midterm II
Apr. 5 - Apr. 7	Metamorphism and Deformation	Ch. 7, 15
Apr. 12 - Apr. 14	Earthquakes and Earth's Interior	Ch. 16, 17
Apr. 19 - Apr. 21	Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics	Ch. 19, 20
Apr. 26 - Apr. 28	Resources from the Earth	Ch. 21
May 3 - May 5	Geology of other Worlds	Ch. 22

May 10, Tuesday FINAL EXAM 8:00-10:00 AM in ES 114

GRADING:

Midterm I	50 points	A	270+
Midterm II	50 points	AB	255-269
Lab	100 points	B	240-254
Final	80 points	BC	230-239
Field Trip	20 points	C	220-229
Attendance	10 points	CD	215-219
Total	300 points	D	210-214

Exams are multiple choice, 1 pt. per question.

Field trip will be held Saturday, April 16.

Text: Plummer, Physical Geology
Lab Manual: Jones, Physical Geology.

General Course Expectations

Commitment: Your intention should be to learn the course material, not merely answer test questions or get a grade. This course is geared toward the needs of committed students who are interested in the subject.
You are expected to retain what you have learned and integrate it with new material
Course materials are NOT on D2L.
You are responsible for being aware of any changes in class schedule or content.
If you elect not to attend lecture, you must make arrangements for finding out about changes.
You are responsible for checking your campus e-mail account for messages. Your account can be accessed from anywhere via the campus home page. I will not send messages to private accounts.
A credit is defined as three hours of work per week. Count on spending two hours outside of class to assimilate an hour's worth of lecture properly. Cramming just does not work. You're better off getting a good night's sleep before class. In fact, some studies indicate the best approach is NOT to study for 24 hours before the exam, but give your brain a chance to digest what you have learned.
You are responsible for reading, learning and remembering the material on this syllabus.
Material on the syllabus is testable.
E-mails asking about material on this syllabus ("when is the field trip?") will be docked a point.
You are responsible for keeping all course materials and records until your final grades are in.
Professional conduct is mandatory for a passing grade. Talking in class, use of electronic devices (except for taking notes) and leaving during class without approval are unacceptable behavior for adult college students
Class ends at 12;20. Everything before then is class time
Makeups for missed exams (absence, illness, etc.) must be taken within 48 hours of your return to campus. It is your responsibility to set up the appointment. Makeups must be arranged face to face, not by phone or e-mail.
There is NO after the fact extra credit. The time to get a good grade is NOW.

Exam Questions

Sample test questions are available on line. These questions are provided as a convenience to students who want to know what sorts of questions I ask. Please note:

Memorizing answers hardly ever results in a good grade.
Use critical judgment. If you can't find the answer in the text or your notes, the question will probably not be used.
Many exam questions are specifically designed to require you to connect concepts from several lectures or apply concepts to unfamiliar situations.
These questions are provided as a convenience to students who want to know what sorts of questions I ask, and to prevent students with old exams from having an unfair advantage. I normally make up the exams using these questions, but I reserve the right to use other exams, for example, standardized exams.

Field Trip

Field trips leave from the Green Parking lot at 8:00 on the scheduled date and return about 4:15 P.M.

General Field Trip Guidelines

You must join the trip at UW-Green Bay, not at one of the stops.
Clothing should be casual. Long sleeves and trousers are recommended, along with tennis shoes. Wear something you can get dirty. There is no strenuous hiking.
Bring a lunch. There will be rest stops at gas stations where you can buy something.
Bring plenty of fluids. Even on a cold day you can get surprisingly dehydrated.
No alcoholic beverages are permitted.
There are ticks in the brush at a couple of stops. Long sleeves and trousers are recommended. Check yourself carefully.
Because of insurance concerns, students may not bring private vehicles on the trip. You must use the transportation provided.
Students who live in the Crivitz area may be dropped off there after the field trip is over. You are solely responsible for your ride arrangements.
If you are excused from the trip for work or some other valid reason, I will supply an alternative way to get the field trip points. This is not a substitute for the trip.

Basic Goals of the Course (What we are Trying to Do)

Information

Understand the interactions between the solid earth, hydrosphere and atmosphere
Know some of the important mineral and rock materials that make up the surface of the Earth
Understand how water and ice modify the surface of the earth
Know why earthquakes occur where they do, and how they endanger human life and property.
Know why volcanoes occur where they do, and how they endanger human life and property.
Understand how mineral resources form, and understand their finite extent
Be able to describe plate tectonics and its connection to earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building
Understand geologic time and know some of the major milestones in the evolution of the Earth
Understand ocean currents and tides and why they occur
Know how oceans affect shorelines and humans that live near them
Understand rocky, gas giant, and ice planets

Reasoning Skills

Be able to follow chains of ideas and events
Be able to connect ideas from several different subject areas
Be able to learn new material and connect it to previously learned ideas so that you can recall it
Understand how geoscientists decipher the history of the earth
Understand why geoscientists believe the earth is ancient and how they find the ages of rocks
Understand why geoscientists believe in plate tectonics

Laboratory Skills

Be able to determine distance and direction on a map
Be able to visualize terrain from a map and identify geologic features
Be able to identify principal rocks and minerals using simple methods
Understand what geologic maps show and how to interpret them

View the Field Trip Guide
View Class notes and Visuals
Access Test Bank
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Created 6 January 1999; Last Update 18 January 2011

Not an official UW-Green Bay site

Geoscience 202: Physical Geology Spring 2011