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Geology (GEL) 1: The Earth, Fall 07

                                                                                                   Dr. Natasha J. Vidic

Goal of the course: To get you to view the world around you like a geologist. Understanding how the Earth works as a planet will enrich your future travels and provide context for environmental issues, energy problems and current global change that we'll all be dealing with over the next several decades. The social relevance of geology will become evident as we discuss natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods), economic resources (water, fossil fuels, minerals), and our relationship with the environment (global change, earth system science).

This class will bring understanding which should help you live sustainably and help you make informed decision about many societal issues. For, example, it is a good idea to know the basics about where you live. In your house (apartment) is useful to know where the circuit breakers and water shut-off valve are located in case something happens and you need to deal with it. Similarly, it’s good to know how earth processes work so that you as an individual and as a citizen make reasonable choices about resource use and land-use. Secondly, geology is fun and as you travel around this planet and see different landscapes you’ll have a greater appreciation of how they got here. But equally important to any geologic information that you take away with you is the ability to ask questions, observe patterns, evaluate data, distinguish between observations and interpretations, catalog new information and put it together into a coherent whole – basically figure out how and why something works. This is the underlying basis of any science. Even if you have no intention of being a scientist, the skills are useful and transferable and will serve you well later in life.

Course content: Emphasis on principles and concepts, not trivia, factinos and jargon. Isolated facts have no real meaning without a conceptual context.

Textbook: Earth: Portrait of a Planet (2005) by Stephen Marshak

This is a textbook that is profusely illustrated - just viewing the graphics in the book in coordination with the lecture will bring the topic to life. The structure and content of this class will follow this text relatively closely. I'll borrow from several other textbooks and my own experience to illuminate and clarify lecture topics.

Read the textbook selectively. It's up to you to focus on the relevant pages to coordinate and clarify what is given in lecture. You will find it a very important supplement to the lecture material in the class.

The texbook is accompanied by online resources (self tests, animations, illustrations, etc.) which should help you study. Click here to access the texbook resources.

Class Structure:

Class is divided into lecture (M, W, F 9-9:50) and discussion section. You need to come to your assigned section (see below). Although this is a large class and the opportunities for participation will be limited, I would like to encourage you to speak up in class if you have questions, do not understand the topic or the material is covered to quickly. I will be asking you questions during the lecture. You can either volunteer the answer or just try to figure it our for yourself. However, the goal of discussion sections is to have you participate and discuss the issues that are relevant to today's society.

Course Strategies – make it easier on yourself and do well in class (this will take less time than you trying to teach yourself from the textbook)
 1) Prepare for class: read the chapter that is going to be presented in class, prepare an outline which will help you take notes.
 2) Come to class: listen to stories, look at images, take notes, ask questions. Skipping class because you can always 'get the notes' is a recipe for disaster.
 3) Reread the chapter: make flow charts or patterns, anything that will help you remember the relations between parts of the chapter. Contact your instructor by e-mail or come to office         hours if you have questions.
 4) Form a study group, study together. You can learn best by trying to explain something to your buddy.

Discussion: Discussion sections begin the week of Oct. 1-5.

A copy of the syllabus for discussions with links to each of the discussion topics will be posted during the first week of discussions. The TAs will go over discussion topics with you in class and supply you with materials.  Please read the GEL 1 discussion website for useful information.

- Each Geology 1 discussion group meets once a week to talk about a topic in geology that has clear relevance to society. Materials for each week will be posted on the discussion page.

- Please go to the section that you signed up for - don't go to a different section and expect credit from your assigned section/TA. I do not expect teaching assistants to work extra to help a student catch up who has intentionally skipped discussion sections. Obviously they will do what they can for legitimate absences.

 Grades:

Midterm (Friday, Nov. 2) = 30%

Discussion (participation, exercises, writing assignments) = 30%

Final (Friday, Dec. 14, 10:30 AM -12:30 PM) = 40%

Exams will be multiple choice. You will have to bring Scantron 2000 to class. Be forewarned, they will be multiple choice exam that will make you think, not just regurgitate notes. I don't give extra credit assignments.

I'll explain the curve and my grading system in class.

There will be no early exams.

Lecture Syllabus

GEL 1: The Earth - Spring 2007

Geology (GEL) 1: The Earth

http://www.geology.ucdavis.edu/~gel1/

Dr. Natasha J. Vidic   vidic@geology.ucdavis.edu

Office: 275 A  Office hours: M, W 12.30-1.30 PM (or by appt.)

 Lectures MWF 9 - 9.50, 1001 Giedt