GEOLOGY 102

HISTORICAL GEOLOGY

FALL 2007

Fall 2007 Tue Thu – 12.00 – 01.20 PM 3 credits

Instructor name: Dr. Graziela da Silva

Office location: 234 Beauregard

Phone number: 448-4254

Email:

Office hours: Tue 3 – 4 PM; Thu 2 –4 PM or by appointment

Catalog Description: GEOL 102. Historical Geology. 3-3-0. A survey of the origin and development of life on earth as revealed by the fossil record. (40.0601)

Prerequisites: GEOL 101, Physical Geology.

Required Text and Other Materials: Wicander, R. and Monroe, J.S. Historical Geology, 5th Edition, Thomson Brooks/Cole.

Student Outcome Objectives: The student must demonstrate an understanding

of the following subjects:

a) The basis of scientific theory and the scientific method, 3 basic rock groups and the rock cycle, composition and physical structure of the earth, plate tectonics.

b) Relative and absolute dating, geologic time, principles of Steno, radioactive decay, neptunism, catastrophism, uniformitarianism.

c) Facies, stratigraphic relationships, transgression and regression, process of fossilization.

d) Environments of deposition, paleogeographic reconstruction and paleoclimatic inferences.

e) Darwin’s and Wallace’s theory of natural selection, Mendelian concept of inheritance, speciation, fossil record evidence.

f) Continental drift, seafloor spreading, plate boundaries, driving mechanism for plate tectonics, mountain building.

g) “Big Bang” theory, evolution of the earth, types of meteorites, origin of the earth and moon.

h) Precambrian history, Archean eon, greenstone belts, origin and evolution of the atmosphere and oceans, fossil record and Archean ore deposits.

i) Proterozoic eon, ophiolites, glacial deposits, banded iron formations, first appearance eukaryotes, multicellular life.

j) Paleozoic era, major cratonic sequences, Appalachian mobile belt, reef development.

k) Paleozoic life, Burgess Shale, marine food web, Permian extinction, evolutionary history of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants.

l) Mesozoic era and breakup of Pangaea, changes in life forms, Cretaceous extinction.

m) Cenozoic era life, diversification of mammals.

Course Requirements: Students will be evaluated on the basis of 3 examinations, two mid-term tests and a final examination. Test dates are provided in the schedule below. The format for the tests and exams is multiple choice and true/false questions. Exam material is from lecture notes AND textbook. You will need a scantron sheet for each exam. The final exam will be cumulative. There will be NO extra credit assignments for this course.

Methods of Evaluation: The two mid-term tests worth 30% each and the final examination worth 40%. The final grade will be determined on a ten point scale (90-100%A; 80-89%B; 70-79%C; 60-69%D; below 60%F).

Course Content:

Lect

/

DATE

/

LECTURE TITLE

/

Wicander and Monroe TEXT

(5th Edition)
1 / Aug 21 / Introduction
2 / 23 / The Dynamic and Evolving Earth, Origin of the Universe and Solar System / Chpt. 1: 1 – 15
3 / 28 / Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks / Chpt. 2: 16 - 34
4 / 30 / Plate Tectonics, Geologic Time and how it is measured / Chpt. 3: 35 – 59
Chpt 4: 60 – 76
5 / Sept 4 /

Rocks, Fossils and Introduction to Stratigraphy

/ Chpt 5: 77 - 100
6 / 6 / Sedimentary Rocks, their Geological Record and Interpretation / Chpt. 6: 101 – 121
7 / 11 / Evolution: The Theory and its Supporting Evidence / Chpt. 7: 122 – 146
8 / 13 / TEST Review
18 / TEST 1
9 / 20 / Precambrian Earth and Life History: The Archean Eon / Chpt. 8: 147 - 165
10 / 25 /

Precambrian Earth and Life History: The Proterozoic Eon

/ Chpt. 9: 166 – 188
11 / 27 / Early Paleozoic and Earth History / Chpt. 10: 189 – 208
12 / Oct 2 / Late Paleozoic Earth History / Chpt. 11: 209 - 230
13 / 4 /

Paleozoic Life History: Invertebrates

/ Chpt. 12: 231 – 248
14 / 9 /
Paleozoic Life History: Vertebrates and Plants
/ Chpt. 13: 249 – 271
11-12 / Fall break, no classes
15 / 16 /

Mesozoic Earth History

/ Chpt. 14: 272 - 294
16 / 18 / Life of the Mesozoic Era / Chpt. 15: 295 - 320
17 / 23 /
TEST Review
25 /
TEST 2
18 / 30 / Cenozoic Geologic History: Orogenic Belts, The North American Cordillera / Chpt. 16: 321 - 337
19 / Nov 1 / Cenozoic Geologic History: Appalachian Mountains, North America’s Southern and Eastern Continental Margins / Chpt. 16: 337 - 346
20 / 6 / The Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs: Tectonism, Stratigraphy, Ice Ages / Chpt. 17: 347 – 357
21 / 8 / The Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs: Glaciation / Chpt. 17: 357 – 370
22 / 13 / Life of the Cenozoic Era / Chpt. 18: 371 – 396
23 / 15 / Primate and Human Evolution I / Chapter 19: 397 - 411
19-23 /

Thanksgivings holidays

24 / 27 / Primate and Human Evolution II / Chapter 19: 397 – 411/Lecture
25 / 29 /
EXAM REVIEW
Dec 4 /
FINAL EXAM
/ 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Make-up Procedure: Make-up exams will only be allowed in cases where a test was missed for a documented, University approved reason (medical condition, bereavement, etc). Mark test dates on your calendar now!! If you miss a test for any University-approved reason, contact me as soon as possible to make alternate arrangements.

Academic Honesty Policy: The University’s cheating policy as stated in the “Code of Student Conduct” booklet will be followed.

Attendance Policy: Students are responsible for their attendance. Attend all classes. Someone is paying for you to attend so BE THERE Attend class and TAKE NOTES.

DROP DATE: The last day to drop a course with a “W” is: Friday, October, 26th, 2007.

Americans With Disabilities Act:

If you have a documented disability that requires assistance, you will need to register with the Office of Disability Services for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Office of Disability Services is located in Peltier Hall, Room 100-A. The phone number is (985) 448-4430 (TDD 449-7002).

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 at the following link: http://www.nicholls.edu/documents/student_life/code_of_conduct.pdf.

Continued Learning following an Extreme Emergency:

In order to make continued learning possible following an extreme emergency, students are responsible for:

·  reading regular emergency notifications on the NSU website;

·  knowing how to use and access Blackboard (or university designated electronic delivery system);

·  being familiar with emergency guidelines;

·  evacuating textbooks and other course materials;

·  knowing their Blackboard (or designated system) student login and password;

·  contacting faculty regarding their intentions for completing the course.

Faculty are responsible for:

·  their development in the use of the Blackboard (or designated) software;

·  having a plan for continuing their courses using only Blackboard and email;

·  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.