Gly 101 Syllabus Fall, 1999
Global Environmental Science - Gly 101
Section MIB, 148494, MWF 12-12:50, 205 Natural Sciences and Mathematics Complex
Instructor. Prof. Marcus Bursik
Getting Help. My office is at 716 Natural Sciences Complex. Office hours M3-5; or to make an appointment call 645-6800 x3992, or drop by (although I cannot promise to always be in if you should drop by). The head TA for the course is Bettina Martinez-Hackert, whose office is at 720 Natural Sciences Complex (x3993).
Course Goals. The course is designed to enable you to understand and practice some of the methods and ideas of science, particularly environmental earth science. The specific goals are to gain some degree of understanding and competence in the following areas:
I. Methods of science
Hypothesis testing
Formulation of an hypothesis
Data analysis
Model development
Construction of arguments
Graphing, numerical skills
II. Methods of earth science
Map reading and interpretation
Simple mapmaking
Collection of field and laboratory data
III. Knowledge of the earth and our environment
Form and composition of the earth
Science and society
Environmental hazards
Natural resources
Reading. The textbook for the course is:
'Introduction to Environmental Geology' by Edward A. Keller , Prentice-Hall, Inc. The text is in the University and Campus Bookstores.
Who is this Class for? This class is specifically aimed at those students finishing their degree under the General Education requirements, who must take a one-semester laboratory course and two semesters of lecture courses in the natural sciences. The sequence Gly 101/102 has been instituted to meet this requirement. The laboratory is therefore an integral part of the course and must be taken concurrently. Please note that laboratories in the natural sciences are not meant to be recitation or practicum courses; much of what you will learn in the laboratory will not also be covered in the lecture. Gly 101 also fulfills the Knowledge Area requirement for Physical Sciences.
Laboratory. There is a laboratory that is to be taken concurrently with the lecture class. The laboratories will start the second week of classes. The labs will begin meeting in room 858 NSM, and will sometimes meet in 885 NSM.
How Your Work Will be Evaluated. Students' will be evaluated based on lecture examinations. The practice of science does not consist of the memorization and recitation of received wisdom, rather it is a living process that builds upon an individual's reasoning ability, creativity, basic knowledge and practical wisdom. This course is therefore designed for the student to learn by 'doing' science. Since science is often a group or collaborative activity, group activities will be pursued when possible, especially in the lab.
Students will complete exercises during many of the lecture sessions. The exercises will not be graded, rather we will go over them during the lecture period. They will then be handed in at the end of the period for recording. As these exercises are integral to success on exams, please make sure that you complete and understand them.
There will be two in-class, closed book examinations during the term, to be given on the days shown in the 'Course Outline.' Be sure to bring a calculator on the exam days. Each exam will include some mixture of multiple choice, short answer and fill-in, with questions taken from the book and lectures. There are no make up exams. If there is the slightest possibility that you will not be able to take at least one of the exams at the scheduled times during the term, do not take this course; you will be given a grade of 0% ('F') for one exam. There will be a mandatory cumulative final exam. Details will be forthcoming later in the term.
Grades. Your overall grade will be calculated based upon the best score from one of the two exams during the term, plus the score from the third (final) examination. Each exam will be graded on a ‘curve.’ Your final grade will be based upon the following weighting:
Lecture section One examination 50% 37.5%
Final examination 50% 37.5%
Laboratory section 25%
Total 100% 100%
Col 1: no lab in Fall. Col 2: lab in Fall.
Notice. “If you have a diagnosed disability (physical, learning or psychological) which will make it difficult for you to carry out the course work as outlined, or requires accommodations such as recruiting note takers, readers, or extended time on exams and/or assignments, please advise me during the first two weeks of the course so we may review possible arrangements for reasonable accommodations.”
Course Outline (subject to change)
Week
Topic
Laboratory
One 8/30
Introduction, population
No laboratory session
Two 9/6
Population
Population and data analysis
Three 9/13
Population
Flooding (fieldwork)
Four 9/20
Floods
Flooding (data analysis)
Five 9/27
Floods
Flooding (flooding of Ellicott Ck)
Six 10/4
Floods
Water chemistry
Seven 10/11
Floods, Exam 1: 10/15
Topographic maps
Eight 10/18
Volcanoes
Volcanoes
Nine 10/25
Volcanoes
Earth materials: minerals
Ten 11/1
Volcanoes, Exam 2: 11/5
Earth materials: rocks
Eleven 11/8
Earthquakes
Earthquakes
Twelve 11/15
Earthquakes
Groundwater
Thirteen 11/22
Earthquakes
No laboratory session
Fourteen 11/29
Resources
Waste management
Fifteen 12/6
Resources
Climate change
Finals
Final exam (or on 12/10)
FALL 1999 CALENDAR
Classes begin: Mon. Aug. 30
Labor Day Observed: Mon. Sept. 6
Rosh Hashanah: Fri. Sept. 10 (classes held until 6pm)
Follow Monday Schedule: Tues. Sept. 21
Yom Kippur Begins: Sun. Sept. 19 at 6pm
Classes Cancelled: Mon., Sept. 20 until 6 p.m.
Classes Resume: Mon., Sep 20 at 6 p.m.
Fall Recess: Wed. Nov. 24 - Fri. Nov. 26
Classes Resume: Mon., Nov. 29
Last day of classes: Fri. Dec 10
Reading Days: Sat. Dec. 11 & Sun. Dec. 12
Semester final examinations: Mon. Dec. 13 - 20
Winter Recess Begins: Tues. Dec. 21
Classes resume: Jan. 18, 2000