GEOLOGY 303 - NATURAL DISASTERS - SPRING 2001 - TTh @ 930 - CG-333
Dr. Patrick L. Abbott -- Office in EL-102; Phone: 594-5591; e-mail:
Office hours: Tue-Thur 11-1215; Wed 10-12; and others by appointment
Textbook: Abbott, P.L. (1999) Natural Disasters: WCB McGraw-Hill, 397 p.
General Information:
This is a general education course for upper division students and does not count toward a geology degree. The course will examine how the Earth works and in particular how natural processes impact upon humans. This is a science course that requires critical thinking. We will build hypotheses upon data, but we will emphasize understanding via words and drawings, rather than from mathematical formulas and chemical equations.
Course emphases will be upon the principles underlying natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods, severe weather, coastal processes, asteroid impacts, fires, great dyings, and population growth. Many examples will be drawn from the southern California area.
Course goals include having you observe the Earth's natural processes involving land, water, atmosphere and sky. You can improve your mental abilities by forming hypotheses that explain your observations — and then revising your hypotheses as new data are obtained. The goal of an education is to learn to observe and explain, then keep searching for new facts allowing you to critically evaluate and revise your understanding. This should become part of a like-long habit that enriches your life, develops your mind, and interests and involves your friends and family.
Our classroom in OPEN. Please invite any interested friends and family members to visit and participate in our classes.
Questions and discussions during the lecture periods are encouraged. Don't let the large auditorium discourage you from asking questions or making comments. No one will be embarrassed or made to feel bad for asking questions.
Lectures will supplement the readings. Your attendance and participation in class will definitely help your understanding of the subject and improve your performance on the exams.
Exam questions will be drawn from lectures, textbook reading and films. Questions will be multiple choice. Exams will contain photocopies of some book figures which will be used in answering some questions. Exams will be taken on red Scantron answer sheets; exam 1 requires the 6” wide red scantron form but exam 2 and the final require the narrow (41/4” wide) red form.
Exams: There will be two exams during the semester plus a comprehensive final examination.
Each exam (including the final) will be worth 100 points.
NO MAKEUP EXAMS
1st exam — Thursday, March 1
2nd exam — Tuesday, April 17
Final exam — Tuesday, May 22, from 1300-1500
READING ASSIGNMENTS
WEEK OF TUESDAY THURSDAY
30 Jan - 1 Feb Chap. 1 - Energy Sources of Disasters Chap 2 - Plate Tectonics &
Earthquakes
6-8 Feb Chap 2 - Plate Tectonics & EQ’s Chap 3 - Earthquake Geology
13-15 Feb Chap. 3 - Seismology Chap. 3 - Tsunami
20-22 Feb Chap. 4 - Earthquakes in Western North America
27 Feb - 1 Mar Chap. 4 - EQ’s (cont'd) EXAM 1
6-8 Mar Exam 1 returned Chap. 6 - Volcanoes
13-15 Mar Holiday week - - Spring recess
20-22 Mar Chap. 7 - Volcanism & Plate Tectonics
27-29 Mar Chap. 8 - Mass Movements
3-5 Apr Chap. 9 - Climate Change
10-12 Apr Chap. 10 - Severe Weather
17-19 Apr Exam 2 Exam 2 returned
24-26 Apr Chap. 11 - Hurricanes Chap. 11 - Coastlines
1 - 3 May Chap. 12 - Floods
8-10 May Chap. 13 - Fire Chap. 14 - Great Dyings
15-17 May Chap. 15 - Impacts Chap. 16 - Population Growth
Geology 303: SEMESTER WRITING ASSIGNMENT
Deadline: Thursday 12 April 2001, or turn your report in early
NATURAL DISASTERS IN MUSIC
Natural Disasters are part of our lives. Earthquakes, floods, landslides, tornadoes, tsunami,
lightning, hurricanes, and many other Earth processes have emotional impacts on us, and thus
enter the lyrics of music. For your report, any style of music is eligible as long as it includes
a natural disaster in its lyrics. You may pick anything from rock to rap, classical to country,
opera to hip hop, jazz to ballads, et cetera.
Your task is this.
1) Find a piece of music whose lyrics mention a natural disaster.
2) Copy the relevant lyrics and include them in your report.
3) Explain the science behind the natural disaster. For example, if the lyrics include tsunami, then discuss tsunami scientifically and explain why it was used in the lyrics of the song.
Your writing assignment is part of the University -mandated Writing Across the Curriculum
requirement. Thus, your report is first an exercise in achieving excellence in writing in the
English language, and second, an effort at scientific understanding of a natural phenomenon.
Your report should be typed, single-spaced and two to three pages long. Please write your
report carefully and then set it aside for a few days. After this delay, pick up your report again
and painstakingly evaluate and improve it or clarity of expression, sentence structure, word
selection, punctuation, spelling, et cetera.
Please organize your paper with the following conventions.
1) In CAPITAL LETTERS in the upper left corner of the first page list the style of music, for example, ROCK.
2) Give your paper a creative title.
3) Next give a full listing of the song: title of song, name of performing artist, name of album/CD, year, name of recording company.
4) Write the relevant lyrics.
5) Scientifically discuss the lyrics.
Your report is due before class on Thursday, April 12, or may be turned in any day before the
deadline. The assignment is worth 30 points -- 15 for writing accomplishments and 15 for
quality of scientific explanation. There will be 1 point per week day penalty for late
submissions. Avoid hassles, turn your paper in early. (NO electronic papers please).