The information below may not constitute the complete course syllabus.  A complete syllabus with all course policies and other information will be covered in the online orientation and available on Blackboard.  The scheduling of topics is also subject to change.  Any changes will be announced via email and Blackboard.

MANDATORY ORIENTATION QUIZ

The mandatory orientation requires you to review information listed under “Start Here” on Blackboard. Once you finish reviewing the material, take the orientation quiz at the bottom of the page. You will be dropped from the class if you do not complete the orientation quiz by January 18, 2024 (No extensions allowed). The orientation quiz can be taken as many times as you need to get all the questions right.

In order to pass this course you must complete

1. all 3 lecture exams
2. all 3 lab quizzes
3. at least 70% of lab assignments

If any of the above requirements are not met, you will receive a "F" grade.

EXAMINATIONS

• There are mandatory exam and lab quiz deadlines that will be enforced by the instructor.
• NOTE: If you do not prepare for the exams and lab quizzes ahead of time you will not be able to successfully complete the exams or lab quizzes in the allowed time.
• Exams and lab quizzes can be taken on any computer that can access For exams, you must download and install Respondus LockDown (see USING LOCKDOWN BROWSER FOR ONLINE EXAMS)
• There are no retakes on exams and lab quizzes.
• You have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the exam and 2 hours to complete lab quiz.

Lecture exams - will contain varying combinations of multiple-choice, matching, true-false and visual (diagrams, graphs, animations etc) questions drawn from the textbook. Lecture exam questions are similar to those in chapter quizzes.

Lab quizzes - open book and will contain questions similar to those in lab assignments.

Exam and lab quiz grades will be posted on Blackboard for you to keep track of your progress in the course.

LECTURE QUIZZES

• Lecture quizzes will be given for each chapter covered in the Tarbuck text
• These quizzes will help you assess if you are ready to take each exam
• Quizzes can be taken on any computer that can access Blackboard (Lockdown browser is not required).  
• Quizzes are allowed only 1 attempt and have 2 hours to complete.
• All quizzes are available to you as soon as the course begins. You are welcome to work through the material at an accelerated pace and take the quizzes whenever you are ready.
• Once the exam deadline is passed, you will no longer have access to chapter quizzes

COURSE GRADE 

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

This is a First Day Access section

• Edward J. Tarbuck & Frederick K Lutgens, Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, 12th Edition ISBN 9780135238455 - Included in First Day Course Materials
• Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology (12th Edition), AGI American Geological Institute, NAGT - National Association of Geoscience Teachers, Vincent Cronin, Dennis G. Tasa. ISBN 9780135836972 – Paper copy required

COURSE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

• The following equipment and supplies are either required or optional. Required: No. 2 pencil or a mechanical pencil, Pencil eraser (e.g. Staedtler Mars plastic), Drafting compass, Calculator, Colored pencils - set of 10 colors. Optional: 3-ring notebook, 12" Metric/English ruler or triangular scale, Protractor

COURSE OUTLINE/CALENDAR

Please note that schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced on Blackboard and via email. 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Course-Level - upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify common rocks and minerals,
• Construct topographic maps and interpret geologic maps,
• Describe and explain processes and features within the Earth, particularly with regard to plate tectonics and the resulting geologic structures,
• Describe and explain processes operating on the surface of the Earth and the resulting landforms and features

Program-Level - as an Associate of Science in Geology required course, 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- as a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical Thinking
  • Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information
• Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning
  • Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods