Geology 102Syllabus

Historical Geology

Fall 2013

Section 1T, TR 7:30am-8:50am

Beauregard 165

Instructor: Adam Beyer

Phone: 985-448-4254

E-mail:

Office: Beauregard Hall, 164

Office Hours: Monday 8:30 - 11:30, Tuesday 9-10 and 12-1, Wednesday 8:30-11:30, Thursday 9-10 and 12-1

*By appointment

Office Location:South end of Beauregard Hall

Department Phone Number:985-448-4502

Course Description:3-3-0. Prerequisite: GEOL 101. A survey of the origin and development of life on earth as revealed by the fossil record. (40.0601)

Prerequisites:GEOL 101

Required Text/Materials:

  • Textbook: The Earth Through Time, 10th Edition, Author: Levin, Harold L.
  • Other: i-clicker response device

*I will try to make lecture powerpoints available prior to each lecture. At any rate, they will be available on Moodle as a study resource for exams.

Student Outcome Objectives:Geology 102 is a Core Curriculum course that fulfills three hours of general education requirements in the area of the natural sciences. The goal is for students to be able to comprehend and apply the basic principles of science and methods of scientific inquiry. The student will understand the processes occurring on Earth both now and in the past, be able to classify rocks and minerals on a basic level, understand the importance of the fossil record with regard to geologic history, be able to identify landscape features and associate them with known processes, and have a sound understanding of the geologic time scale and respective major events.

Course Content: Grades will be based off of:

  • Assignments: Assignments will cover material discussed up to the current point in the lecture. 10 points each unless otherwise noted. These are mandatory and will count toward your final grade. These will be posted on Moodle.
  • Lecture Exams: Lecture exams will cover material discussed in lecture as well as material covered in the textbook. It is in your best interest to read the textbook on your own time as we cover the material in class. If you have questions regarding the reading, feel free to stop by my office hours. Exams will be given during a given lecture period. Students will need to bring a number 2 pencil and eraser. Lecture exam times to be announced.Exams will be worth 100 points each, and your lowest exam grade will be dropped.
  • I-clicker points: I-clickers will be used in lecture as a method of keeping attendance and awarding extra credit points. It is in your best interest to attend lectures. There will be several opportunities to use the i-clicker. See extra credit section for details. I-clicker point values to be determined.

Grading Procedure: Grades will be determined by a flat point system, i.e. dividing your current points in the class by the total points possible at that time.

Current Points / Total Points = Percentage in Course

Grading Scale:

100-90 = A

89-80 = B

79-70 = C

69-60 = D

< 60 = F

TentativeLecture Schedule:

Ch. / Topic
1 / Historical Geology Overview
2 / " "
3 / Geologic Time
4 / Rocks and Minerals
5 / Sedimentary Rocks/Environments
6 / Paleontology
7 / Plate Tectonics
8 / Earth's Formation
9 / Precambrian World
10-12 / Paleozoic World
13-14 / Mesozoic World
15-16 / Cenozoic World
17 / Human Origins

Lecture Schedule: Lecture schedule is tentative at this point. Assignments/Exams will be announced in lecture. Some topics may require more/less time for learning to occur, and I do not want any confusion as the result of a set hard-copy of a class schedule. This will be updated and posted on Moodle as the semester progresses.

Make-up Work: EXAMS ONLY! Make-up exams will be availableto students ONLY with valid emergencies ANDproper documentation. Make-up work will not be given for homework/i-clicker points as these are attendance/online-based. Students will have a time period to complete online assignments.

Extra Credit: Throughout the week, at various points during the lectures, I may offer i-clicker questions for bonus points. At the end of the semester, these points will be added to your point total.

Academic Honesty Policy: See Code of Student Conduct handbook for full procedures. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Penalties for academic dishonesty fall under the discretion of the course instructor.

Attendance Policy: The Bulletin states: Class attendance is regarded as an obligation and as a privilege, and all students are expected to be punctual and to attend all classes in which they are enrolled. Failure to do so may jeopardize a student's scholastic standing and may lead to suspension from the university.

Absences from this course will result in missing attendance points/extra credit opportunities. Because this is a large lecture course, it is your responsibility to bring all of the necessary materials to complete your responsibilities as students. I-clicker points cannot be made up for any reason.

Drop Date: The final date for automatic Wwhen dropping a course or resigning from the university: November 5, 2013 (full semester classes).

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA): Students with documented disability are entitled to classroom accommodations under the ADA. To receive accommodations, contact the Office of Disability Services at (985) 448 - 4430. Additional information can be found at:

Academic Grievances: The proper procedure for filing grade appeals or grievances related to academic matters is listed in Section 5 of the Code of Student Conduct and the following link:

_of_conduct.pdf

Continued Learning following an Extreme Emergency:

Students are responsible for:

  • Reading regular notifications on the NSU website;
  • Knowing how to use and access Moodle (or university-designated electronic delivery system);
  • Being familiar with emergency guidelines;
  • Evacuating textbooks and other course materials;
  • Knowing their Moodle (or designated system) student login and password;
  • Contacting faculty regarding intentions for completing the course;

Faculty is responsible for:

  • Their development in the use of Blackboard (or designated software);
  • Having a plan for continuing their courses using only Blackboard and e-mail;
  • Continuing their course in whatever way suits the completion of the course best, and being creative in the continuation of these courses;
  • Making adjustments or compensations to a student’s progress in special programs with labs, clinical sequences or the like only in the immediate semester following the emergency.

Classroom Conduct: If there is an emergency, excuse yourself from class and take care of the matter. Put phones on silent and do not use them during class. If your neighbor can hear it, it is a disruption. Let's be fair to our peers and myself as an instructor, and keep these devices put away. Talking, reading the newspaper, excessive noise, arriving late/leaving early, etc. are all disruptions to the class. Reminders regarding this policy may result in dismissal from the class and grade penalties.

Moodle: The preferred browser is Mozilla Firefox. Moodle can be accessed from the Nicholls website. Enter your username and password. Your username is the first part of your Nicholls email address before the @. Your password is your N-number; you must use a capital N.

Technical Problems: If you are having problems with the technology involved in this course, you can e-mail me or

Library: The Library Home Page has a link to a specific webpage dedicated to distance education students. This webpage contains tutorials on accessing the library from home, finding and using electronic books, using the electronic research databases, emailing a reference librarian, and other useful information. This page also offers a direct contact with a reference librarian through e-mail or telephone:

Counseling: Nicholls Counseling Center provides professional assistance for students dealing with a range of mental health, wellness, and adjustment issues through individual, couple, and group counseling; consultation; and various forms of outreach, you can go to the following website:

Tutoring: Questions concerning academic tutoring can be sent to: . This e-mail is usually staffed during normal business hours. In addition, and have tutoring available for students.

Assistance with Studying and Assignments:

· The Tutoring Center at143 Peltier Hall. Call985-448-4100, email: , or visit

· The Writing Center at144 Peltier Hall. Call985-448-4100, email: , or visit

· Online Tutoring through Moodle.Look for the Brainfuse log-in link on the home page,