Geology (GEL) 50: Physical Geology Dr. David Osleger osleger@geology.ucdavis.edu Office: Physics/Geology Rm 386 Office Hours: MW 10:30-11:30 Teaching Assistants: Jessica Oster, Eric Gulbranson, Lars Schmitz, Holly Schultz [ Lecture Syllabus ] [ Lecture notes] [ GEL50 Lab Syllabus - MW ] [ T-Th ]  [ Final Exam distribution ] [ Final Grades distribution ]  [ Final Grades ]

• Geology 50 - The interaction of Earth's three great systems: the interior geodynamo, the plate tectonic system and its outer climate system. Topics include the origin of Earth's oceans and continents, deep time, natural hazards, resources, and global climate change. 
  

Goal of the course:

• To give you an appreciation for what we know about our planet and what we don't know.
  
• To view Earth as a set of interrelated systems.
  
• To integrate geology with other scientific disciplines like physics, chemistry and biology.
• To prepare you for more advanced courses in geology.
  

• This is a readable 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.

• If you want to use an earlier edition of the textbook that you bought used, that's fine. You may have to search around to find the relevant chapters that correspond with the notes, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

• 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.

An ebook is available free with the text. Look at http://ebooks.bfwpub.com or at the Companion Website at http://www.whfreeman.com/understandingearth5e

• Notes for individual lectures will be posted on the class website (Lecture Notes). Sometimes the notes may be up prior to class, but more likely a day or so after the class, depending on how busy I am. They are relatively comprehensive and should be annotated with your personal notes and sketches - they are not a substitute for coming to class. The notes are password protected, which I'll give you in class.

• The notes are in pdf form. Print them off to use as a guide, annotate them with details from the lectures, draw sketches along the margins, and study them for exams. The notes need to be supplemented by selectively reading the relevant pages in the textbook. I won't place my powerpoint images online for a variety of solid reasons.

Class Structure:

• Come to class - You'll spend much less time attending the class and listening to me, asking me questions, looking at images and listening to stories than you will trying to teach the material to yourself from notes and the book. Skipping class because you can always 'get the notes' is a recipe for disaster.

• I strongly encourage you to speak up in class - any question is legitimate and I'll take the time to answer it.

GEL 50 Labs: Sections begin the week of October 2-5.

• A copy of the lab syllabus for discussion can be found at GEL50 Lab Syllabus - MW or T-Th.  You will need to purchase the NAGT Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology, 7th edition.

• If lab topics seem out-of-phase with the lecture, don't worry about it - it's unavoidable and not necessarily important. In the long run of the course they compliment each other, but you won't realize it till the end of the quarter.

Field Trip:

• We'll take a field trip to Point Reyes on Saturday, November 3 or Sunday, November 4 (we'll split the class into two trips). The field trip is mandatory for the students taking the lab and voluntary for those taking only the lecture.

Grades:

• Midterm (Monday, Oct. 29) = 45%
• Final (Friday, Dec. 14, 10:30-12:30 am) = 55%
• Exams will be a combination of multiple choice and short answers (2-5 sentences).
• NO EARLY EXAMS OR MAKEUP EXAMS (without a valid, documented reason discussed with me far in advance).
• I'll explain the curve and my grading system in class.