MASTER SYLLABUS

2020-2021

A.	Academic Division: Liberal Arts

B.	Discipline: Physical Science

C.	Course Number and Title: GEOL1010 Physical Geology

D.	Course Coordinator: Dustin Bates

Assistant Dean: Dr. Steve Haynes

Instructor Information:

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E.	Credit Hours: 4

Lecture: 3 hours

Laboratory: 2 hours

F.	Prerequisites: None

G.	Syllabus Effective Date: Fall, 2020

H.	Textbook(s) Title:

Essentials of Geology (Loose leaf)

Author: Lutgens, Tarbuck & Tasa

Copyright: 2017

Edition: 13

ISBN # 9780134663777

Workbook(s) and/or Lab Manual: None

J.	Course Description: Physical Geology is an introductory course describing the fundamental concepts of Geology for Non-Science majors. These fundamental concepts are grouped in 7 modules. Module I (Geology, Earth Science, and the Scientific Method) is an introduction to the science of Geology and its many branches; this module also discusses the steps in the scientific method, and describes the systems approach to geology. Module II (Origin and Evolution of Earth) discusses the formation of the universe and the solar system, and introduces Earth’s neighbors in the solar system. Module III (Plate Tectonics and the Dynamic Earth) discusses Earth’s internal structure and introduces the theory of plate tectonics, a unifying idea that explains Earth’s surface processes and features. Module IV (Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks) discusses the materials from which Earth is made, as well as their structure and classification. Module V (Structural Geology) describes how Earth’s internal and external processes interact to produce earthquakes and mountains. Module VI (Energy Resources) describes the energy resources that the Earth provides us and how they are produced and used. Module VII (Hydrology and Stream Geomorphology) discusses how water shapes the surface of our planet and helps create a multitude of erosional and depositional landforms. TAG# OSC025

K.	College-Wide Learning Outcomes

College-Wide Learning Outcomes	Assessments - - How it is met & When it is met
Communication – Written
Communication – Speech
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence
Critical Thinking
Information Literacy
Quantitative Literacy

L.	Course Outcomes and Assessment Methods:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student shall:

Outcomes	Assessments – How it is met & When it is met
Describe several of the many branches of geology and the multiple roles of geoscientists in society; explain how scientists use the scientific method; demonstrate the systems approach to geology and identify the major subsystems of the Earth system; explain how these subsystems interact through cycles (hydrologic cycle, rock cycle, tectonic cycle, and biogeochemical cycles).	Reading quiz 1 and video quiz 1; this outcome will be met at end of week 1 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Recognize how our understanding of the Universe has changed over time, from ancient Greece to modern discoveries, and what ideas were proposed to determine our place in the Universe; describe the theories that explain the formation of the Universe, the Solar System, and planet Earth; identify objects of the Solar System (Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, meteoroids), and the differences between terrestrial and Jovian planets.	Reading quiz 2, video quiz 2, and laboratory exercise 1; this outcome will be met at end of week 2 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Describe the Earth layering process; identify the differences (in composition and physical state) between the layers of our planet (crust, mantle, and core); identify the source of Earth’s magnetic field; recognize Wegener’s contribution to the plate tectonics theory and describe the key evidence supporting the continental drift idea.	Reading quiz 3, video quiz 3, and laboratory exercise 2; this outcome will be met at end of week 3 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Explain how paleomagnetism provided the definitive evidence for continental drift; describe the process of seafloor spreading; demonstrate how the ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading combined to form the basis for the plate tectonics theory; identify the different types of plate movements and plate boundaries.	Reading quiz 4, video quiz 4, and laboratory exercise 3; this outcome will be met at end of week 4 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Identify the defining characteristics of minerals, and explain how mineral crystals grow; describe the physical properties of minerals; identify and give examples of the different groups of minerals on Earth; recognize the different uses and sources of minerals (metallic and non-metallic) and the processes that form mineral deposits.	Reading quiz 5, video quiz 5, and laboratory exercise 4; this outcome will be met at end of week 5 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Recognize the difference between magma and lava; describe the processes that form magma and influence its composition; describe the factors that control the character of volcanic eruptions; identify the different products of volcanic eruptions and their formation; describe the different shapes and architectural features of volcanoes; describe the different styles of volcanism and how they relate to the plate tectonics theory; identify the hazards of volcanoes and describe how scientists monitor volcanic activity.	Reading quiz 6, video quiz 6, and laboratory exercise 5; this outcome will be met at end of week 6 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Explain the formation of igneous rocks and distinguish between volcanic and plutonic rock types; identify the different types of igneous intrusions; interpret different textures characteristic of igneous rocks and explain the different processes that produce them; describe the different classes/types of igneous rocks.	Reading quiz 7, video quiz 7, and laboratory exercise 6; this outcome will be met at end of week 7 (it will also be assessed on the mid-term and final exams).
Identify the different types and sources of sediments, and the formation of soil and sedimentary rock; explain the difference between weathering and erosion, and between physical and chemical weathering; identify different sediment textures; demonstrate how rock composition and exposure act to produce differential weathering; distinguish between erosion and mass wasting; define turbulent and laminar flow; identify the factors that produce slope failure and sediment flow; describe and give examples of mass wasting processes.	Reading quiz 8, video quiz 8, and laboratory exercise 7; this outcome will be met at end of week 9 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).
Describe the main mechanisms of sediment transport; define deposition and identify the conditions that commonly lead to the deposition of sediment; describe and give examples of different types of sedimentary rocks; describe and give examples of different types of sedimentary structures and depositional environments.	Reading quiz 9, video quiz 9, and laboratory exercise 8; this outcome will be met at end of week 10 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).
Distinguish between diagenesis and metamorphism; describe the different metamorphic processes; explain the development of preferred mineral orientation in metamorphic rocks; demonstrate the difference between foliated and non-foliated metamorphic rocks and give examples.	Reading quiz 10, video quiz 10, and laboratory exercise 9; this outcome will be met at end of week 11 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).
Describe the different types of faults; identify which kind of stress is associated with various types of faults; explain how fault formation generates earthquakes; explain the difference between an earthquake focus and its epicenter, and between foreshocks and aftershocks; summarize the causes and consequences of major historical earthquakes; define displacement; describe how earthquake energy is transmitted and the different types of seismic waves; identify the types of earthquakes that are common in Ohio and the most tectonically active places in the state.	Reading quiz 11, video quiz 11, and laboratory exercise 10; this outcome will be met at end of week 12 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).
Define the different types of stress; distinguish between elastic, brittle, and ductile deformation; explain how pressure, temperature, and rock composition affect deformation; define craton and orogen; describe and compute the strike and dip of geologic structures, and demonstrate how these measurements are represented on a geologic map; define and describe the different types of folds; identify major mountain ranges on Earth.	Reading quiz 12, video quiz 13, and laboratory exercise 11; this outcome will be met at end of week 13 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).
Describe how our energy needs have changed overtime and the main sources of energy to our current energy system; identify the fundamental sources of energy on Earth; explain the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources; define fossil fuels and give examples; identify the sources and formation processes of coal, petroleum, and natural gas; distinguish between conventional and unconventional oil-gas systems; explain how new technologies (horizontal drilling; hydraulic fracturing) extend the yield of oil-gas plays; describe the different forms of alternative energy (nuclear, geothermal, solar, wind, hydro) and their relative contribution to the world energy system.	Reading quiz 13, video quiz 13, and laboratory exercise 12; this outcome will be met at end of week 14 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).
Describe the hydrologic cycle; explain the main pathways in the hydrologic cycle; identify the main reservoirs in the hydrologic cycle; define residence time; describe the processes that control the movement of water between reservoirs; identify the source of energy driving the movement of water in the hydrologic cycle; describe Earth’s heat balance (reflection vs absorption) and how it drives the global distribution of precipitation; identify the connections between groundwater and surface water; describe the major types of drainage patterns; explain how braided, straight, and meandering channels form; define concepts such as drainage basin and watershed, discharge and flood-frequency curve; explain the formation of stream depositional and erosional features.	Reading quiz 14, video quiz 14, and laboratory exercise 13; this outcome will be met at end of week 15 (it will also be assessed on the final exam).

M.	Topical Timeline:

Explain the concepts and solve problems in the following topics:

Module I: Geology and the Scientific Method

Essential Concept 1: What is Geology (week 1)

Essential Concept 2: Earth as a System (week 1)

Essential Concept 3: The Scientific Method (week 1)

Module II: The Universe and the Solar System: Origin and Early Evolution of Earth

Essential Concept 4: Geocentrism vs. Heliocentrism (week 2)

Essential Concept 5: The Big Bang and the Modern Universe (week 2)

Essential Concept 6: The Nebular Theory and the Solar System (week 2)

Module III: Plate Tectonics and the Dynamic Earth

Essential Concept 7: The Iron Catastrophe (week 3)

Essential Concept 8: Earth’s Internal Structure (week 3)

Essential Concept 9: Wegener’s Continental Drift (week 3)

Essential Concept 10: New Evidence for Continental Drift (week 4)

Essential Concept 11: Paleomagnetism and Seafloor Spreading (week 4)

Essential Concept 12: Plate Motion and Plate Boundaries (week 4)

Module IV: Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks

Essential Concept 13: Characteristics of Earth’s Minerals (week 5)

Essential Concept 14: Physical Properties of Minerals (week 5)

Essential Concept 15: Mineral Classification (week 5)

Essential Concept 16: Earth’s Mineral Resources (week 5)

Essential Concept 17: How Magma Forms? (week 6)

Essential Concept 18: Products of Volcanic Activity (week 6)

Essential Concept 19: Volcanoes and Volcanism (week 6)

Essential Concept 20: Volcanic Hazards (week 6)

Essential Concept 21: Magma Cooling and Crystallization (week 7)

Essential Concept 22: Igneous Intrusions (week 7)

Essential Concept 23: Igneous Rocks – Formation and Classification (week 7)

Week 8: Mid-Term Exam

Essential Concept 24: The Formation of Sediments and Soils (week 9)

Essential Concept 25: Weathering and Erosion (week 9)

Essential Concept 26: Mass Wasting and Landslides (week 9)

Essential Concept 27: Sediment Transport and Deposition (week 10)

Essential Concept 28: Sedimentary Rocks – Formation and Classification (week 10)

Essential Concept 29: Sedimentary Structures and Depositional Environments (week 10)

Essential Concept 30: Metamorphic Processes (week 11)

Essential Concept 31: Contact and Regional Metamorphism (week 11)

Essential Concept 32: Metamorphic Rocks – Formation and Classification (week 11)

Module V: Structural Geology

Essential Concept 33: Faults and Fault Formation (week 12)

Essential Concept 34: Earthquakes and Seismic Activity (week 12)

Essential Concept 35: Historical Earthquakes in Ohio and Elsewhere (week 12)

Essential Concept 36: Types of Stress and Deformation (week 13)

Essential Concept 37: Folds and Fold Formation (week 13)

Essential Concept 38: Geologic Structures and Maps (week 13)

Essential Concept 39: Orogens and Mountain Building (week 13)

Module VI: Energy Resources

Essential Concept 40: Energy Needs and Sources (week 14)

Essential Concept 41: Fossil Fuels and Non-Conventional Oil-Gas Systems (week 14)

Essential Concept 42: Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources (week 14)

Module VII: Hydrology and Stream Geomorphology

Essential Concept 43: The Hydrologic Cycle (week 15)

Essential Concept 44: Earth’s Heat Balance (week 15)

Essential Concept 45: Global Distribution of Precipitation (week 15)

Essential Concept 46: Streams and Rivers: Types of Drainage Patterns (week 16)

Essential Concept 47: Drainage Basins and Watersheds (week 16)

Essential Concept 48: Stream Geomorphology – Depositional and Erosional Features (week 16)

Laboratory Activities:

The Scientific Method (week 1)

Earth’s Neighbors and the Solar System (week 2)

Exploring Continental Drift (week 3)

The Dynamic Earth (week 4)

Mineral Structure and Classification (week 5)

Volcanic Hazards Assessment (week 6)

Magma and Igneous Rocks (week 7)

Landslide Hazards Assessment (week 9)

Sediments, Sedimentary Rocks, and Sedimentary Structures (week 10)

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks (week 11)

Earthquakes and Seismic Activity (week 12)

Geologic Structures and Maps (week 13)

Our Energy Footprint (week 14)

Streams and Rivers (week 15)

N.	Course Assignments:

The following are the course assignments and their contribution to the student’s final course grade:

Laboratory exercises (20% of final grade)

Reading quizzes online (20% of final grade)

Video quizzes online (10% of final grade)

Mid-Term Exam (20% of final grade)

Final Exam (30% of final grade)

O.	Recommended Grading Scale:

NUMERIC	GRADE	POINTS	DEFINITION
93–100	A	4.00	Superior
90–92	A-	3.67	Superior
87–89	B+	3.33	Above Average
83–86	B	3.00	Above Average
80–82	B-	2.67	Above Average
77–79	C+	2.33	Average
73–76	C	2.00	Average
70-72	C-	1.67	Below Average
67–69	D+	1.33	Below Average
63-66	D	1.00	Below Average
60-62	D-	0.67	Poor
00--59	F	0.00	Failure

P.	Grading and Testing Guidelines:

As described in section N of this document, 50% of the student’s grade will be earned from assignments available online (not-proctored). These assignments include online quizzes and lab exercises.

The lab exercises include practical activities designed to create a meaningful hands-on exploration that will enrich your learning experience and facilitate your understanding of the essential course concepts. These practical activities will vary from virtual explorations of geologic features using Google Earth, to real data collection and analysis using Geo-Wiki tools, to interactive experiments using Layered Earth simulations, to the use of GIS modelling to explore natural hazards.

The online quizzes are delivered through Canvas, the NCSC online course management system. Students can take these quizzes anytime during the weekly window in which the quizzes are available. However, once you start the quiz, you will have a limited amount of time to complete it (the amount of time available will vary depending on the number of questions on each quiz, usually 2 (two) minutes per question).

Two types of quizzes will be available every week: a reading quiz and a video quiz. Questions on the reading quizzes will be based on the readings for that particular week (select pages from your textbook + PDF handout of lecture slides). Questions on the video quizzes will be based on the assigned video for that week and will assess your understanding of the material in the video.

The remaining 50% of the student’s final course grade will be earned from student’s performance on the two proctored exams: the mid-term exam, held on week 8 of the semester, and the final exam, held at the end of the semester. As indicated above, these two exams will be proctored, i.e., students will need to go to a pre-defined testing location, and take the test in a supervised environment.

The mid-term exam will cover the material from lessons 1 to 14. The final exam is comprehensive and will cover the material from ALL lessons (1 to 28).

Q.	Examination Policy:

The proctored exams (mid-term and final) are NOT open book and NOT open note. Proctors will provide students with any tables, figures, and equations needed to answer the questions.

The date, time and location of the proctored exams will be available at the course site on Canvas.

R.	Class Attendance and Homework Make-Up Policy:

The course is delivered almost completely online. As such, class attendance will not be an issue. However, students are REQUIRED to take the two proctored exams on a pre-defined testing location, in a supervised testing environment.

There will be NO make-up exams unless in exceptional circumstances and ONLY if discussed with the instructor in advance of the date of the exam. Please get in touch with the instructor if you think a make-up exam will be necessary during the semester.

Access to the weekly quizzes online is blocked after the deadline. If you miss the deadline (or need a deadline extension) for any of the quizzes, contact the instructor immediately in order to discuss alternative arrangements. Make-up quizzes will be available if the student missed the deadline (or need an extension) for an acceptable reason. When in doubt, always choose to contact the instructor.

S.	Classroom Expectations:

Although many students report that they actually learn more in online classes than in face-to-face classes and find the experience more rewarding, online classes aren't right for everyone. In order to decide if online learning is right for you, think about the following questions: Do you have self-discipline (i.e., responsibility to follow a weekly schedule)? Are you motivated to pace yourself and keep up with weekly assignments? Are you able to commit a certain amount of time every week to the course assignments (readings from the textbook and lecture slides, watching assigned videos, taking weekly quizzes online)? If your answer to these questions is YES, than online learning is the right choice for you. The true advantage/benefit of an online course is the FLEXIBILITY it provides to the student (you are the one in charge of determining the time and place for studying). This flexibility is particularly useful for students with busy schedules and non-traditional students.

Every week we will cover two lessons and one practice exercise (lab activity). Each week students will need to follow the sequence of activities indicated below:

1.	First you will be assigned reading pages from your textbook and from the lecture slides. After you finish the readings (for both lessons), you will take a reading quiz online (25 questions) to evaluate your understanding of the reading material. The reading quizzes are worth 20% of your final grade. Weekly reading quizzes are available starting on Monday of each week (at 0:00 am) and will be available until the following Sunday (at 11:59 pm). You can take the reading quiz at any time during that window. However, once you start the quiz, you will have a limited amount of time to complete it (for reading quizzes, you will have 50 minutes to complete all 25 multiple choice questions).

2.	Once you finish the reading quiz, you should watch the video assigned for that week. You can watch the video as many times as you want. Once you finish watching the video you will take a video quiz online (15 questions) to evaluate your understanding of the topics in the video. The video quizzes are worth 10% of your final grade. Just like for reading quizzes, the weekly video quizzes are available starting on Monday of each week (at 0:00 am) and will be available until the following Sunday (at 11:59 pm). You can take the video quiz at any time during that window. However, once you start the quiz, you will have a limited amount of time to complete it (for video quizzes, you will have 30 minutes to complete all 15 multiple choice questions).

3.	After you have completed your video quiz you should start working on the practice exercises (lab activity) for that week. A tutorial with instructions will be available at the course site on Canvas. A discussion forum and a live chat room will also be available for students to interact with their classmates and instructor, and discuss the solutions to the questions on their practice exercises. Once you have finished all questions on the practice exercise, you should upload your answer sheet to the dropbox on Canvas.

T.	College Procedures/Policies:

Important information regarding College Procedures and Policies can be found on the syllabus supplement located at

http://catalog.ncstatecollege.edu/mime/download.pdf?catoid=5&ftype=2&foid=3