Geol 202: HISTORY OF EARTH (Spring 2005)
Michelle Markley, Clapp 326 / 328a, mmarkley@mtholyoke.edu
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
This course explores major events in the past 4 billion years of earth history, the interaction of earth systems, and the design and testing of earth science theories. Some topics covered are: ice ages and greenhouse atmospheres, continental drift, the nature of the sedimentary rock record, extinctions and radiations of flora and fauna, the early evolution of earth, and absolute and relative dating of rocks. Final grades depend on class and field trip participation, oral presentations, short papers, computer labs, and quizzes on the geologic time scale.
When you complete this course, you will be able to:
--Synthesize observations on different time scales and from different types of data.
--Evaluate, compare, and formulate hypotheses about the causes of major earth history events.
--Evaluate and compare hypotheses about the linkages between earth systems and processes in the context of deep time.
--Design tests of earth science hypotheses based on collection of new data from the rock record and design of simple analytical models.
TEXT (choose
one)
PD: Prothero, Donald R. & Robert H. Dott, Jr., 2004: Evolution of the Earth, 7th Edition (McGraw Hill). ISBN 0-07-252808-7.
Stan: Stanley, Steven M., 1999, Earth System History (W. H. Freeman and Co.). ISBN 0-7167-2882-6. Or the new 2nd edition of this text.
BOOKS ON
RESERVE
Ager, Derek V., 1973: The Nature of the Stratigraphical Record (Wiley, a Halsted Press Book) MHC QE651.A37 1981.
Berry, William B. N., 1968: Growth of a Prehistoric Time Scale; Based on Organic Evolution (W. H. Freeman) MHC QE508 B53.
Cowen, Richard, 1995: History of Life, 2nd edition (Blackwell) MHC QE711.2 .C68 1995 Folio.
Eicher, Don L., 1976: Geologic Time, 2nd ed. (Prentice-Hall) MHC QE 508 E38 1976.
Harland, W Brian, Richard L. Armstrong, Allan V. Cox, Lorraine E. Craig, Allan G. Smith & David G. Smith, 1990: A Geologic Time Scale 1989 (Cambridge University Press) MHC QE 508 G3956 1990 Folio.
Knoll, Andrew, 2003: Life on a Young Planet; the first three billion years of evolution on earth (Princeton University Press) MHC QH325.K54 2003.
Prothero, Donald R. & Robert H. Dott, Jr., 2002: Evolution of the Earth, 6th Edition (McGraw Hill). ISBN 0-07-366187-2.
Stanley, Steven M., 1989, Earth and Life Through Time, 2nd edition (W. H. Freeman and Co.). MHC QE28.3.S73 1989 Folio.
GRADING
What grade do you want from this class? Your answer to this question governs the amount and the quality of work you will do. Basically, there are THREE OPTIONS: a passing grade (some sort of a C or a D), some sort of a B, or some sort of an A.
The activities for this class are as follows:
4 STELLA Labs
4 CONFERENCES (and Conference PAPERS)
5 possible ESSAYS
4 time scale quizzes
2-3 Field Trips
Class Participation
You have the option to revise your writing assignments (both papers and essays) if you play by the rules (so read them carefully, because ignorance of the rules is no excuse).
PASS OPTION--4 writing assignments required
-- Complete all 4 STELLA labs
-- Pass 2 of 4 QUIZZES
-- Earn a PASS or better on all 4 conference PAPERS
B OPTION--6 writing assignments required
-- Complete all 4 STELLA labs
-- Pass 3 of 4 QUIZZES
-- Earn a GOOD or better on all 4 conference PAPERS
-- Earn a GOOD or better on at least 2 ESSAYS
A OPTION--8 writing assignments required
-- Complete all 4 STELLA labs
-- Pass 4 of 4 QUIZZES
-- Earn a GOOD or better on all 4 conference PAPERS
-- Earn a GOOD or better on at least 4 ESSAYS
-- Earn a BRILLIANT on at least 3 writing assignments (PAPERS OR ESSAYS)
NUANCES (+ or -) depend on your quiz grades, field trip participation, class participation, the quality of your lab work, and the quality of your writing above and beyond the minimum requirements. Achieving only the minimum requirements described above puts you at the D-, B-, or A- level. So participate!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND BRILLIANT? I can tell you how to make your ideas and writing good (by my standards), but I can't tell you how to achieve genius. In order to earn a brilliant grade, you will have to surprise me with your wisdom, creativity, ingenuity, and passion.
CALENDAR AND READING
W January 26 History of Geology (PD 1 & 2; Stan 1 & 2)
M January 31 Stratigraphy and Time (PD 4; Stan 5 & 6)
W February 2 more Stratigraphy and Time
M February 7 Plate Tectonics (PD 7; Stan 8 & 9)
W February 9 Ocean and Atmosphere (PD pp. 126-128; Stan 10)
M February 14 Cenozoic Time (PD 15; Stan 18)
QUIZ:
Cenozoic, Tertiary, Quaternary, Paleogene, Neogene, Paleocene, Eocene,
Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, Holocene.
W February 16 more Cenozoic Time
M February 21 Hypotheses and the Scientific Method for Earth Scientists
W February 23 Quaternary Time (PD 16; Stan 19 & 20)
M February 28 more Quaternary Time
W March 2 Evolution (PD 3 & Appendix I; Stan 3 & 4 & 7)
M March 7 Early Life (PD 9; Stan pp. 306-311 & 321-329 & 344-351)
W March 9 more Early Life
Week of March 14 S P R I N G B R E A K
M March 21 Early Paleozoic Time (PD 10 & 11; Stan 13)
W March 23 more Early Paleozoic Time
QUIZ:
Paleozoic, Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous,
Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, Permian.
M March 28 Middle Paleozoic Time (PD 12; Stan 14)
W March 30 more Middle Paleozoic Time
A N D E S M T N S (Simon Lamb) seminar at 7:30 p.m.
M April 4 Late Paleozoic Time (PD 13; Stan 15)
W April 6 more Late Paleozoic Time
M April 11 Mesozoic Time (PD 14; Stan 16 & 17)
W April 13 more Mesozoic Time
QUIZ:
Mesozoic, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous.
M April 18 class cancelled
W April 20 Isotopic Dating and Origin of Earth (PD 5 & 6; Stan 11 & 6)
M April 25 Archean Time (PD 8; Stan 11)
QUIZ:
Archean, Proterozoic, Precambrian, Paleozoic (Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian,
Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian), Mesozoic (Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous),
Cenozoic (Tertiary, Quaternary).
W April 27 Proterozoic Time (PD 8 & 9; Stan 12)
M May 2 more Proterozoic Time
January 27 STELLA lab 1: Introduction to Modeling
February 3 STELLA lab 2: the Rock Cycle
February 10 STELLA lab 3: EarthÕs Climate
February 17 STELLA lab 4: Daisyworld
February 24 CONFERENCE on the Cenozoic
March 3 cancelled for Friday museum field trip
Friday March 4: Museum Field Trip (all day)
March 10 cancelled for spring break
March 17 cancelled for S P R I N G B R E A K
March 24 CONFERENCE on Early Life
March 31 cancelled for Andes seminar on Wednesday night
April 7 cancelled for advising week
April 14 CONFERENCE on the Paleozoic and Mesozoic
April 21 cancelled for weekend geologic field trip
Weekend of April 22: Regional Geology Field Trip (all day)
April 28 FINAL CONFERENCE
Find the GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE at http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.pdf