Syllabus, 8/97



Historical Geology

GEOL 1404

Spring, 2011

Instructor — Prof. John Smythe

Synonym — 38883

Section Number — 001

Class Hours — MW 9:00 – 11:50 am, RVS 2213

Office — RVS 2254

Office Hours — MW 12:00 – 2:00 pm, TTh 9:30 – 11:30 am or by appt.

Phone — 223-6001

Email — jsmythe@austincc.edu

Please contact me if you wish to meet with me outside of regular office hours.

COURSE RATIONALE

This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the Earth's history and the geological techniques used to interpret it. While the specific skills learned are critical to geology majors, the broader skills of critical thinking, empirical reasoning, and interpersonal skills, among others, that are developed in this class can be applied to any future career choice or pursuit.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A geological history of the Earth with emphasis on fossils, evolution, and depositional environments. A field trip will be required.

PREREQUISITES

GEOL 1403 (Physical Geology) or its equivalent is a prerequisite for this course.

REQUIRED TEXTS/MATERIALS

Textbook

Earth System History, 2005, 3rd edition, by Steven M. Stanley

Laboratory Manual

Laboratory Studies in Earth History, 9th edition, by H. L. Levin and M. S. Smith

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• identify common sedimentary rocks and structures, and describe and interpret their origin and distribution; and

• describe the sedimentological, paleoclimatic, tectonic, and biological history of the Earth with a focus on North America; and

• explain and apply the basic principles of stratigraphy, paleoecology, and geochronology; and

• explain the theory of biological evolution and how it explains the distribution, diversity, and extinction of organisms; and

• identify common fossil organisms and describe their habitat; and

• construct and interpret geologic and stratigraphic maps and cross sections.

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the geology program, students will be able to:

• describe the scientific method and apply it in a geological context; and

• describe Earth’s major systems and explain how they interact; and

• identify common rocks, minerals, and fossils and interpret how they form; and

• describe and interpret the development of landforms and geologic structures; and

• describe the sedimentological, paleoclimatic, tectonic, and biological history of the Earth with a focus on North America; and

• construct and interpret geologic, stratigraphic, and topographic maps, cross-sections, and topographic profiles; and

• explain the plate tectonic theory and its relationship to earth processes, features, and landforms.

General Education Student Learning Outcomes

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical Thinking

Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.

• Interpersonal Skills

Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.

• Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning

Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.

• Technology Skills

Using appropriate technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present information.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY

This course is taught in the classroom in a lecture/laboratory format. A field trip will also be required. The lecture will generally introduce concepts and skills, which will then be developed and applied in the laboratory.

OPEN LABS

The lab room will be open from 9:00-12 on Fridays, so if you cannot finish a lab in class, you might be able to work on it then. A geology laboratory assistant will be available to help you at that time. You will not be able to complete all the labs in class, so the open lab is one of your best opportunities to get help in finishing the lab exercises.

COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING SCHEME

Grades will be determined as follows:

Lecture: Test I = 5%

Test II = 10%

Final = 15%

Participation = 5%

Quizzes = 5%

Laboratory: Exercises = 30%

Test I = 5%

Test II = 10%

Final = 10%

Field Trip = 5%

Marks are carried through as numbers, added up, then curved to get a final letter grade. The lecture tests include matching, drawing, multiple-choice, and short- to intermediate-length essay questions. A 3x5” note card with as much information as possible may be used during the lecture, but not the lab, tests.

The lab tests will generally consist of questions from the labs or about material covered on them. The tests will involve rock, mineral, and fossil identification and it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you spend some time in the study lab (RVS 2233) looking over the specimens there (based on past experience, the difference in scores between those who go over the study specimens and those who don't is about 10-30 points on the lab tests). THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP TESTS! If you are unable to make to the test for some reason, it is you responsibility to let me know before the test date.

The lab exercise grade is based not only on the exercises themselves, but also on attendance and participation. Lab exercises are due one week from their assignment, and late lab exercises will be have many points deducted from them. The later they are, the more points that will be deducted. You will be allowed to drop the two lowest labs. If it is impossible for you to attend the scheduled lab or lecture, please contact me ahead of time so that arrangements can be made.

There will also be a required field trip on Saturday, April 9. We will meet behind Bldg. A at the RVS campus at 7:45 am, and return there about 6:00 pm. The trip will go on regardless of the weather, so dress appropriately. More details will be provided as the date approaches.

COURSE POLICIES

Missed Exam and Late Work Policies

As stated earlier, there are no make-up tests and late lab exercises will be severely penalized. THE LAB COMPONENT OF THIS CLASS IS VERY LABOR INTENSIVE AND IT IS VERY EASY TO GET SO FAR BEHIND THAT YOU CANNOT CATCH UP.

Attendance/Class Participation

Regular and punctual class and laboratory attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw you from the class. Numerous studies have demonstrated that those who attend class do better than those who don’t.

You are expected to read the assignments before class and, in doing so, will get much more out of both lecture and lab. You will be asked to turn in a question at the beginning of the class based on the reading.

Just as you cannot expect to be able to rewire your house after just reading a book about it or only hearing someone describe it, you will discover that reading the textbook, then coming to lecture, and then working on the lab exercises will help you to understand the material that much better. To put it bluntly, the students that read the assignments, come to class and do the work generally do quite well. Those that don’t often end up having to repeat the class. As much fun as geology is, you probably don’t want to do it twice.

Cell Phones 

As a courtesy to the instructor and other students, please turn off cell phones and pagers. It’s also embarrassing when your backpack starts playing Lady Gaga in the middle of a lecture. Everyone stares at you.

Withdrawal Policy

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll if he or she decides to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. The student is also strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall, 2002, may be charged a higher tuition rate, for that course.

State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities. With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count towards this limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Incompletes

 An instructor may award a grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the objectives for the passing grade in a course. Incompletes must be requested in writing with documentation of the circumstances justifying it. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.

Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty

A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Statement on Students with Disabilities

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities.  Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD).   Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.  

Students who have received approval for accommodations from OSD for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from OSD before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.  

Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations.   

Additional information about the Office for Students with Disabilities is available at

Safety Statement

Austin Community College is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. You are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on these can be found at . Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at .

Please note, you are expected to conduct yourself professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

You are expected to conduct yourself professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

Use of ACC email

All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account. Students should expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account unless other arrangements have been made. Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff. Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at .

TESTING CENTER POLICIES

Under certain circumstances, an instructor may have students take an examination in a testing center. Students using the Academic Testing Center must govern themselves according to the Student Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before going to take the exam.

To request an exam, one must have:

• ACC Photo ID

• Course Abbreviation (e.g., ENGL)

• Course Number (e.g.,1301)

• Course Synonym (e.g., 10123)

• Course Section (e.g., 005)

• Instructor's Name

Do NOT bring cell phones to the Testing Center. Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester. ACC Testing Center policies can be found at

Student And Instructional Services

ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services. Information on these services and support systems is available at:

Links to many student services and other information can be found at:

ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC students currently enrolled in the course to be tutored. The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may be found at:

For help setting up your ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, see a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab.

COURSE OUTLINE/CALENDAR

Jan. 18 Introduction/ Basic Concepts/ pp. 1-24

Origin of the Earth (Chapter 1, 11) pp. 244-249

Geography & Scientific Method

20 Minerals (Chapter 2) pp. 25-35

Rock-Forming Minerals Lab

25, 27 Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks pp. 35-46

(Chapter 2)

Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks Lab pp. 258-277

(Chapters 19, 20)

Feb. 1, 3 Sedimentary Petrology and Environments

(Chapter 5) pp. 99-124

Sedimentary Rocks (Chapters 1-4) pp. 1-50

8, 10 Stratigraphy and Dating (Chapter 6) pp. 125-150

Stratigraphic Principles (Chapters 7, 8) pp. 60-85

15,17 Paleontology and Evolution (Chapter 7) pp. 151-174

Fossil Applications (Chapter 12) pp. 157-172

22 LECTURE TEST I (Chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 11)

LAB TEST I (Chapters 1-4, 7, 8, 19, 20)

24 Ecology (Chapter 4) pp. 75-98

Mar. 1, 3 Fossil Organisms (Chapter 3) pp. 47-74

Paleontology Lab (Chapters 10, 11, 13) pp. 94-156

pp. 173-185

8 Sedimentary Facies

Sedimentary Facies (Chapter 5) pp. 40-50

10 Transgression/Regression (Chapter 9) pp. 86-93

15, 17 SPRING BREAK!

22, 24 Plate Tectonics (Chapters 8, 9) pp. 175-214

Plate Tectonics (Chapter 6) pp. 51-59

29 Review/ Structural Geology

Topographic and Geologic Maps (Chapter 14) pp. 184-210

31 LECTURE TEST II (Chapters 3, 4, 7 + sed. facies)

LAB TEST II (Chapters 5, 9-13)

Apr. 5 Structural Geology

Topographic and Geologic Maps (cont.)

7 Precambrian (Chapters 11, 12) pp. 239-286

Geologic Map Interpretation I (Chapter 14) pp. 186-212

Apr. 9 Field Trip

12 Precambrian (cont.)

Geologic Map Interpretation I (cont.)

14 Lower Paleozoic (Chapter 13) pp. 287-314

Geologic Map Interpretation II (Chapter 14) pp. 186-212

19 Lower Paleozoic (cont.)

Geologic Map Interpretation II (cont.)

21 Middle and Upper Paleozoic pp. 315-372

(Chapters 14, 15)

Geologic Map Interpretation III (Chapter 14) pp. 186-212

26 Middle and Upper Paleozoic (cont.)

Geologic Map Interpretation III (cont.)

28 Mesozoic (Chapters 16, 17) pp. 373-428

Physiogeographic Provinces (Chapters 15-17) pp. 213-249

May 3 Mesozoic (cont)

Physiogeographic Provinces (cont.)

5 Cenozoic (Chapters 18-20) pp. 429-520

10 Review/ Human Evolution

12 FINAL LECTURE EXAM (Chapters 8, 9, 11-20 + struct. geol.)

FINAL LAB EXAM (cumulative)

Italicized type indicates lab exercises. Please note: schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class.

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