Syllabus for PSC 201/GEO 201—Principles of Earth Science Lecture 3 Credit Hours Spring 2016
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Syllabus for PSC 201/GEO 201—Principles of Earth Science Lecture 3 Credit Hours Spring 2016 I. COURSE DESCRIPTION An introduction to earth sciences: geology, oceanography, geomorphology, and meteorology. Discusses the processes at work within the earth, on the surface, and in the air and oceans. Emphasizes plate tectonic theory. Corequisite: PSC 201 Lab. II. COURSE GOALS The purpose of this course is to enable the student to be aware of the great ideas of the various disciplines concerned with the earth as a unit and earth-space relationships. III. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THIS COURSE A. Terminal Objectives As a result of successfully completing this course, the student will be able to do the following: 1. Identify and differentiate between the basic components of the earth’s interior and exterior, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. 2. Describe the major events of geologic history, including the fossil record. 3. Explain the key components, supporting evidence, and historical application of plate tectonic theory. 4 Describe the major creative processes relating to the subject matter of earth science and their controls and identify the forms created by those processes. 5. Discuss the key components of atmospheric processes, including storms. 6. Discuss the great questions involved in the interaction of scientific and scriptural thought and the important philosophic questions of meaning and purpose as they relate to the earth as the home of human beings. B. Unit Objectives These are outlined in detail in the Earth Science Study Materials, required for this class. See also the Course Calendar on page 3. IV. TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER LEARNING RESOURCES A. Required Materials 1. Textbooks Tarbuck, Edward J., and Frederick K. Lutgens. Earth Science. 14th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2015. ISBN-13: 9780321928092 Hummel, Charles. Creation or Evolution: Resolving the Crucial Questions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989. ISBN 0830811095. Copied by permission of the author for free distribution to Earth Science students. Stokes, Wm. Lee. Scenes of the Plateau Lands and How They Came to Be. Salt Lake City, UT, 1969. No ISBN. Available from Starstone Publishing Co., 333 J Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84103. 2. Other Earth Science Study Materials – Spring 2015 (Campus Store, no ISBN) PSC 201/GEO 201—Latest Revision: 11/11/15 1 © Copyright Oral Roberts University 2009. All rights reserved. (Spring 2016-AC) B. Optional Materials 1. Textbooks None 2. Other None V. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES A. University Policies and Procedures 1. Attendance at each class or laboratory is mandatory at Oral Roberts University. Excessive absences can reduce a student’s grade or deny credit for course. 2. Students taking a late exam because of an unauthorized absence will be charged a late exam fee. 3. Students and faculty at Oral Roberts University must adhere to all laws addressing the ethical use of others’ materials, whether it is in the form of print, electronic, video, multimedia, or computer software. Plagiarism and other forms of cheating involve both lying and stealing and are violations of ORU’s Honor Code: “I will not cheat or plagiarize; I will do my own academic work and will not inappropriately collaborate with other students on assignments.” Plagiarism is usually defined as copying someone else’s ideas, words, or sentence structure and submitting them as one’s own. Other forms of academic dishonesty include (but are not limited to) the following: a. Submitting another’s work as one’s own or colluding with someone else and submitting that work as though it were his or hers; b. Failing to meet group assignment or project requirements while claiming to have done so; c. Failing to cite sources used in a paper; d. Creating results for experiments, observations, interviews, or projects that were not done; e. Receiving or giving unauthorized help on assignments. By submitting an assignment in any form, the student gives permission for the assignment to be checked for plagiarism, either by submitting the work for electronic verification or by other means. Penalties for any of the above infractions may result in disciplinary action including failing the assignment or failing the course or expulsion from the University, as determined by department and University guidelines. 4. Final exams cannot be given before their scheduled times. Students need to check the final exam schedule before planning return flights or other events at the end of the semester. 5. Students are to be in compliance with University, school, and departmental policies regarding Whole Person Assessment (WPA) requirements. Students should consult the WPA handbooks for requirements regarding general education and the students’ majors. a. The penalty for not submitting electronically or for incorrectly submitting an artifact is a zero for that assignment. b. By submitting an assignment, the student gives permission for the assignment to be assessed electronically. PSC 201/GEO 201—Latest Revision: 11/11/15 2 © Copyright Oral Roberts University 2009. All rights reserved. B. Course Policies and Procedures 1. Evaluation Procedures a. Testing and grading scores are calculated as follows: Four reflection papers at 10 points each 40 points Five 24-point unit exams 120 points Six 30-point unit exams 180 points Final Exam 100 points Whole Person Assessment paper 100 points Plateau Lands reflection paper 60 points TOTAL 600 points b. The standard grading scale will be used: A=90%, B=80%, C=70%, D=60%, F=59% and below 2. Whole Person Assessment Requirements using Hummel, Creation or Evolution. Detailed instructions will be given in class 3. Other Policies and/or Procedures a. Students need to read appropriate chapters for each lecture and study the review questions to prepare for examinations. b. Whether the student is present or absent, the student is responsible for all material and all assignments and for all exams announced by this syllabus. VI. COURSE CALENDAR Lecture Topic Assigned textbook chapters are from Tarbuck & Lutkens, Earth Science, 14th ed. (2015). EM = How the Earth Was Made video series. 1. 1.06 T Course introduction. DVD: Galileo Was Right. 2. 1.08 R DVD: The Privileged Planet. Start DVD: If We Had No Moon. 3. 1.13 T Finish “If We Had No Moon” EM: Birth of the Earth. 4. 1.15 R NOVA: Magnetic Attraction (10-point reflection paper). 5. 1.20 T EM: Grand Canyon. Start Creation – Evolution lecture 6. 1.22 R Exam 1 (lectures 2, 3, &5, 24 point take-home). EM: Asteroids 7. 1.27 T Lecture: Historical Geology, Ch. 10. Discuss Catastrophism vs. Uniformitarianism 8. 1.29 R Exam 2 (lectures 6-7, 24 points). EM: Earth’s Deadliest Eruption. 9. 2.03 T Lecture: Creation – evolution issues. WPA assignment. Extra Credit - EM: Yellowstone (deadline Lecture 15). 10. 2.05 R Exam 3 (lectures 8-9, 24 points). EM: Ring of Fire 11. 2.10 T Lecture: Volcanoes, Ch. 9. DVD: Sunset Crater. Extra credit - EM: Hawaii (deadline Lecture 17) 12. 2.12 R Exam 4 (lectures 10-11, 24 points). EM: San Andreas Fault PSC 201/GEO 201—Latest Revision: 11/11/15 3 © Copyright Oral Roberts University 2009. All rights reserved. 13. 2.17 T Lecture: Earthquakes, Ch. 8. DVD: When the Bay Area Quakes Extra credit - EM: Krakatoa (deadline Lecture 19) 14. 2.19 R Exam 5 (lectures 12-13, 30 points). EM: Tsunamis 15. 2.24 T Lecture: Plate Tectonics, Chapters 7 & 13. Extra credit - EM: Deepest Place on Earth (deadline Lecture 21) 16. 2.26 R Exam 6 (lectures 14-15, 30 points). EM: Death Valley 17. 3.03 T Lecture: Orogenesis & Isostasy. Weathering, Erosion, Mass Wasting, Ch. 4. Winds and Dry Lands, Ch. 6B. Whole Person assignment due – 100 points. 18. 3.05 R Exam 7 (lecture 16-17, 30 points). EM: Yosemite. EM: The Alps, part 4. 19. 3.10 T NOVA: The Day the Earth Shook (Northridge – Kobe) (10-point reflection paper due on Lecture 22). Discuss Plateau Lands assignment. 20. 3.12 R NOVA: Mystery of the Megaflood (10-point reflection paper due on Lecture 22). S P R I N G B R E A K (March 14-18, 2016) 21. 3.24 T Lecture: Running Water and Groundwater, Ch. 5. Extra credit - EM: Iceland 22. 3.26 R Exam 8 (lectures 18 and 21, 30 points). EM: America’s Ice Age 23. 3.31 T Lecture: Glaciation, Ch. 6A. Extra credit - EM: The Great Lakes (deadline Lecture 29) 24. 4.02 R Exam 9 (lectures 22-23, 30 points). EM: Everest 25. 4.07 T Lecture: The Atmosphere, Ch. 16. Extra credit - EM: Rocky Mountains (deadline Lecture 30) 26. 4.09 R Exam 10 (lectures 24-25, 24 points). EM: The Driest Place on Earth (Atacama) 27. 4.14 T Lecture: Moisture, Clouds, Precipitation, Ch. 17. Air Pressure & Global Climate, Ch. 18. Plateau Lands reflection paper due – 60 points. 28. 4.16 R Lecture: Weather Patterns and Severe Storms, Ch. 19. Start NOVA: Storm That Drowned a City (Hurricane Katrina) 29. 4.21 T Exam 11 (lectures 26-28, 30 points). Finish “Hurricane Katrina” - 10-point reflection paper, due on Lecture 30) 30. 4.23 R Final Exam INFO. EM: New York City, likely on Tuesday, 7:45 to 9:30, April 28th (based on Spring 2014 final exam schedule) The Final Examination is comprehensive. Check University final exam schedule for time and date. PSC 201/GEO 201—Latest Revision: 11/11/15 4 © Copyright Oral Roberts University 2009. All rights reserved. Course Inventory for ORU’s Student Learning Outcomes PSC/GEO 201—Principles of Earth Science Lecture Spring 2016 This course contributes to the ORU student learning outcomes as indicated below: Significant Contribution – Addresses the outcome directly and includes targeted assessment.