The University of Jordan

Faculty of Science

Department of Environment and applied Geology

Course Syllabus of Stratigraphy and Historical Geology (0305201

Credit Hours: Four credits, three lectures and one lab.

Lectures : Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday 9:00 - 10, room Geo. 204

Labs. : Sunday & Tuesday 14- 17, room Geo. 108.

Office hours: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 -11

Monday and Wednesday 10:30-12:30.

Dear students welcome in the Stratigraphy and Historical Geology course at the first semester of the 2008/2009 academic year. In about 51 (about 7 lectures are off) lectures, the light will be shed at the following points:

1. Introduction. 2 lectures

2. The relative geological time scale and modern concepts of

Stratigraphy. 3 lectures

3. The numerical dating of the earth. 2 lecture

4. The origin and early evolution of the earth. 3 lectures

5. Mountain building and drifting continents. 3 lectures

6. Cryptozoic history: An introduction to the origin of continental

crust. 3 lectures

7. Early life and its patterns. 3 lectures

8. Earliest Paleozoic history: An introduction to Cratons and Epeiric

seas. 3 lectures

9. The later Ordovician: Further studies of plate tectonics and the

paleogeography of orogenic belts. 3 lectures

10. The middle Paleozoic: Time of reefs, salt, and forests. 3 lectures

11. Late Paleozoic history: A tectonic climax and retreat of the sea. 4 lectures

12. The Mesozoic Era: Age of reptiles and continental breakup. 4 lectures

13. Cenozoic history: threshold of the present. 4 lectures

14. Pleistocene glaciation and the advent of humanity. 4 lectures

Field Trips:

During the semester three Field Trips will be carried out (two will be on Saturdays), and the third one will be one week end to South Jordan.

Short trips will be carried out at lab. Time, they will be some Kms far from the university.

For each field trip students must write a report documented by maps and photos, reports should be handed in one week after the trip.

Exams:

1st will be at Thursday 23.10.2008

2nd will be at Sunday 30.11.2008

Evaluation methods:

Midterm exam, value will be 30% of the course grade.
Final exam, value will be 50% of the course grade.

Lab. Grades:

Midterm Exam ………………………………… 5%
Final Exam ……………………………………….. 10%

Student activities: Labs reports, field trips reports, short exams. 5 %

Total course grads 100 %

Teaching Methods:

Lectures, presentations, group discussions, individual counselings, labs and field trips.

References:

1. The Evolution of the Earth: Donald R. Prothero & Robert

H. Dott, Jr., 7th ed., 2004, MacGraw-Hill, New York.

"This book will the authorized in our Course"

2. The key to earth history: an introduction to stratigraphy:

Peter Doyle, 1994.

3. Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the phanerozoic rocks in

central and south Jordan, part A Ram and Khreim Groups:

Powell J H. 1989, Bulletin 11, NRA, Amman. 72p.

4. Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the phanerozoic rocks in

central and south Jordan, part B Kurnub, Ajlun and Belqa

groups: Powell J H. 1989, Bulletin 11, NRA, Amman.

130p.

Additional reading list will be handed out to students if neede

Websites References

o  American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists

o  Canadian Association of Palynologists

o  Cambrian Explosion Exhibit

o  Dinosauria Online

o  Dino Russ' Lair

Dr. Abdallah Abu Hamad

The University of Jordan

Faculty of Science

Department of Environment and applied Geology

Course Syllabus of Paleontology (0305701)

Credit Hours: Three credits, three lectures.

Lectures : Tuesday& Thursday 12:00 - 13:30, room Geo. 108.

Office hours: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 10-11

Monday and Wednesday 10:30-12:30.

Dear students welcome in the Paleontology Course at the first semester of the 2008/2009 academic year. In about 34 lectures (5 lectures are off), the light will be shed at the following microfossils groups:

1. Pollen and spores. 8 lectures

- Life cycles in land plants.

- Pollen and Spores morphology

- Distribution and ecology

- Classification

- General history of pollen and spores

- Application of pollen and spores

2. Foraminifera. 6 lectures

- The living foraminiferid

- Foraminiferid life history

- The test

- Foraminiferid ecology

- Foraminifera and sedimentology

- Classification

- General history of foraminifera

- Application of foraminifera

3. Ostracods. 5 lectures

- Soft body structure

- The ostracod reproduction and ontology

- Ostracod distribution and ecology

- Ostracods and sedimentology

- Classification

- General history of ostracods

- Application of ostracods

4. Conodontophorida. 5 lectures

- Morphology

- Conodont distribution and ecology

- Classification

- General history of conodonts

- Application of conodonts

5. Acritacha. 5 lectures

- Classification

- Acritarch affinities and biology

- Acritarch ecology

- General history of acritarchs

- Application of acritarchs

Field Trips:

During the semester three Field Trips will be carried out (two will be on Saturdays), and the third one will be one week end to South Jordan.

Exams:

1st will be at Tuesday 28.10.2008

2nd will be at Tuesday 02.12.2008

Course Grade:

Midterm exam, value will be 30% of the course grade.
Final exam, value will be 50% of the course grade.

Student activities: Presentation, field trips reports, short exams. 20 %

Total course grads 100 %

References:

1. Palynology: principles and applications: Jansonius, J. &
Mcgregor D.C.: 3 Volumes, AASP. 2002, 1330 p.

2. Microfossils: Brasier, M.D. 1983, 193 p.

3. Glossary of pollen and spore terminology: Punt, W.,

Blackmore, S., Nilsson, S., and Le Thomas, A., LPP

Foundation Utrecht. 1994. 71 p.

4. Treatise on invertebrate paleontology: Raymond C.

Moore & Robison, R.A.: Part W, GSA and the

University of Kansas, 1981, 202 p.

Websites References

American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists

Canadian Association of Palynologists

http://www.geo.arizona.edu/palynology/

http://www.bio.uu.nl/~palaeo/glossary

Dr. Abdallah Abu Hamad