Syllabus Fall 13 EES

8/13/2019 Syllabus Fall 13 EES

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO

Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesFall 2013

EES 112: Planet Earth through TimeG.E. Integration Area IB, 3 units

This is a Blackboard (online) course

Online Exam 1 on Thursday 9/19

Online Exam 2 on Thursday 10/24

Final Exam on Tuesday 12/17 or Wednesday 12/18

(Note: Final Exam is proctored on-campus and taken in person).

Instructor: Dr. C. John Suen

Office: Science 2, 270

Phone: (559) 278-7888

E-mail: [email protected]

(IMPORTANT: You must include EES112 on Subject line!!!)

Skype Name: geoprof2

In-Person Office Hours: Tuesday, 3-5:30 PM

Online Office Hours (via Skype & Blackboard): Wednesday, 3-5:30 PM

Flex Time Consultation Hours: By appointments only. Please call or e-mail.

Dept. Office: Science II, 114 (Belinda Rossette, Admin Coordinator.) Phone: 278-3086

GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal for Area IB: Physical Universe and Its Life FormsThe Integration component of General Education Area IB provides instruction at the upper-

division level that integrates material from the lower-division Breadth Area B.

Primary Learning Outcomes:Students completing this course will be able to:

Relate facts and principles that form the foundations of earth and life sciences,

Distinguish between science and non-science (the limitations of scientific endeavors, namely,

what is the evidence and how was it derived?)

Apply scientific methodology, including the development and testing of hypotheses, to simple

investigations in the physical and life sciences,

Understand the basic geologic principles and processes,

Describe the interrelationships between earth science and biological sciences,

Delineate the chronology of major events in the evolution of life on earth,

Know how rocks and fossils are used to reconstruct past environments, and

Learn the specific scientific principles and results that support life and ecosystems on Earth.

More specific learning outcomes of each chapter are also listed in the study materials provided

on the Blackboard.

COURSE INFORMATIONCourse description: This course teaches the principles of Geology used in the interpretation of

the history of Earth as revealed in rocks and fossils. It includes origin of the solar system,


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evolution of atmosphere and oceans, origin of life, rise and fall of species such as

dinosaurs, plate tectonics, ice ages, climate history and climate change.

Independent library research and writing a term paper is required.

Course objectives: To develop an understanding of the physical and biological factors

controlling the earths environment and particularly the geological processes in shaping

the history of the earth.

Prerequisites: Completion of General Education Foundation and Breadth Area B.

Textbook (required):Earth System History (3rd edition) by Steven M. Stanley (2005), Freeman.Students can use any versions best suit their budget - bound, loose leaf, or digital. The

web resources are located at: http://bcs.whfreeman.com/esh3e/ (Paid subscription to the

textbook website is optional. The textbook website can help you study and it may be

beneficial to most students).

Class website: The class web page is located at http://blackboard.fresnostate.edu. Your username and password are the same as for your Fresno State email account. You may

change your password once you log onto Blackboard.

HOW TO LEARN IN THIS WEB-BASED COURSE1. If you are not familiar with Blackboard,review Blackboard 9.1 Student Guide and watch

the On Demand Video Tutorials under the STUDENTS tab. Contact Blackboard

Resource Center (559-278-7373,[email protected]) for additional help.2. With your computer connected to the internet, log onto your Blackboard account(http://blackboard.fresnostate.edu/) using the login name and password of your Fresno

State e-mail account. Click on the link for this course. Read Announcements.3. Click Course Documentsand follow the link of Week 0 Moduleto go through the basics,

read Syllabus and install required computer software plugins Adobe PDF Reader and

Mozilla Firefox web browser with Java and Adobe Flash Player and/or Apple QuickTime

plugins enabled. (You may already have them in your computer).

4. To begin the course work, first go to the "Weekly Modules to overview the "ChapterGuidelines", review the Lecture Notes, and then attend the online PowerPoint lectures

when assigned. Weekly lecture attendance is required. Next read the related chapters.

Finally, answer the review questions the end of each chapter. Only after answering the

review questions, look at the answers provided by the instructor. If you have not donewell, reread the chapter. (You are not required to submit your answers).

5. You must answer the questions on the "Discussion Board" to earn the attendance score.

Please also read the inputs from others on the "Discussion Board", so that you get the

benefit of learning from your peers.

6. Private or personal questions (such as grade concerns) should be sent to the instructor via

e-mail. Do not post your private questions or personal data on Discussion Board or

Online Chat.

7. Check Announcements regularly at least twice a week for additional materials, bonuses,

and assignments.

GRADING AND ASSIGNMENTS

Attendance/Class Participation 10% (Based on Blackboard statistics)

Term paper 20% (5 % proposal + 15% term paper, must be at least 2000 words)

Exam 1* 20%

Exam 2* 20%

Final exam* 30% (On-campus; proctored)

Final Grade will be based on the 100-point scale (weighted percentage as shown above)

90-100% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D; below 60% = F.


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* No extra credit will be given.

*Make-up exams are not given except in the case of unforeseen emergencies, such as illness or

death of immediate family members (Complete official documentation is required).

Attendance will be calculated based on Blackboard statistics. Your regular activities

including "Discussion Board", "Weekly Modules", and "Student Resources" will be used tocalculate your on-line attendance. You must follow the class schedule closely. Discussion Board

on assigned chapters is closed one week after the assigned date.

COURSE SCHEDULE: EES 112: Planet Earth through Time(Subject to change and corrections)

Week Week of Contents ReadingHomework

(Assignments)0 8/18

(Class

available

on 8/22)

Getting familiar with

Blackboard and

course requirements

and contents

Syllabus and

course info, Bb

9.1 Student

Guide

Preliminary search online

for term paper topic.

Any topic of your interest

about the earth and its

environment are

acceptable.

1 8/25 Earth as a System

Geologic Principles

Ch.1 Ch.1 review questions

2 9/1 Minerals and Rocks

Sedimentary

Environments

Ch.2 Ch.5 Chapters 2 and 5 review

questions. Submit term

paper descriptive titleby 5 PM Friday.

3 9/8 The diversity of Life

Environments andLife

Ch.3 Ch.4 Chapters 3 and 4 review

questions

4 9/15 Term Paper

ProposalReview of chapters

1-5 Exam 1 on

Thursday 9/19

Review Q&A on

Bb

One to two-page term

paper proposal due at 5

PM Friday of Week 4

(09/20/13)

5 9/22 The origin of life

Evolution of life

Ch.7 Chapter 7 review

questions

6 9/29 Geologic time and

dating

Ch.6 Chapters 6 review

questions

7 10/6 Tectonics andMountain building

The

Ch.8 Ch.9 Chapters 8 and 9 reviewquestions

8 10/13 Archean Eon The

Proterozoic Eon

Plate

Ch.11 Ch.12 Chapters 11 and 12

review questions


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9 10/20 Term Paper DraftReview of chapters

6-12 Exam 2 on

Thursday 10/24

Review Q&A on

Bb

Term paper preliminary

version due at 5 PM

Friday of Week 9.

10 10/27 Early Paleozoic

earth Middle

Paleozoic animals

Ch.13 Ch.14 Chapters 13 and 14

review questions

11 11/3 Late Paleozoic biota Ch.15 Chapters 15 reviewquestions

12 11/10 Mesozoic (Triassic,Jurassic dinosaurs,

Cretaceous)

Ch.16 Ch.17 Chapter 16 and 17 review

questions

13 11/17 Cenozoic-Tertiary

Paleogene

(mammals)

Ch.18Chapter 18 review

questions

14 11/24 Cenozoic-Tertiary

Neogene (Climate

and Ice Age)


questions. Thanksgiving

Recess (11/ 27-11/29).

Term paper finalversion due, Week 14,

Tuesday (11/26), 5 PM.

No exceptions!

15 12/1 Cenozoic-

Quaternary

Holocene,

Anthropocene

(Rapid Climate

Change)


questions

16 12/8 Review of chapters

13-20Review Q&A on

Bb

17 12/15 Final Exam on

Tues, 12/17 or Wed

12/18

Time and location will

be announced in

November. There will

be no make-up exam.

!! You must plan

ahead !!


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TERM PAPER AND E-MAIL RULES

For theterm paper grade (max 20 percentage points), you will get a maximum of 5

percentage points for a proposal (one to two pages, single-spaced, 12-pt fonts) and amaximum of 15 percentage points on term paper report, see detailed instructions on Bb.

Late submissions of term paper proposal are not permitted.

How to write a Term Paper: You are required to find facts either supporting (or

opposing) existing ideas and show your analysis and conclusions. List bibliography at the

end of the term paper (See detailed instructions on Bb).

Use a MS Word-compatible word processing software to type your work (proof read and

save the file).

Submit your term paper through Blackboard Assignments before the deadline. (Always

save a copy).

Individual questions can be e-mailed to your instructor at:[email protected]

E-mail Subject Line: On the SUBJECT line of your e-mail, type EES 112 followed by

the class number and your last name then first name and the subject (for example, EES112-74631 Doe John: A question about my status). If the SUBJECT line is wrong, your

e-mail will not be received by my EES 112 in-box (thus your mail could be lost and may

never be read). If that happens, do not blame the instructor, because you are at fault.

ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES:

Disability Notice: If you have special needs as addressed by the American withDisabilities Act (ADA) and need course materials in alternative formats, notify your

course instructor immediately. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your

special needs.

Cheating, Plagiarism and Disruptive Classroom Behavior Notice: Please refer to the

Universitys General Catalog and Schedule of Courses. All Case Studies and project

report must be completed independently. Copying the work of others (e.g., from theinternet) without putting in any substantial individual effort constitutes plagiarism, which

will be subject to disciplinary actions in accordance with University policy.

University Honor Code:"Members of the CSU Fresno academic community adhere to principles of academic

integrity and mutual respect while engaged in university work and related activities."Students should: a) understand or seek clarification about expectations for academic

integrity in this course (including no cheating, plagiarism and inappropriatecollaboration); b) neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on examinations or othercourse work that is used by the instructor as the basis of grading; and c) take

responsibility to monitor academic dishonesty in any form and to report it to the

instructor or other appropriate official for action. For more details, please check out

APM-236 for the complete text of the Honor Code atwww.csufresno.edu/aps/documents/apm/236.pdf.


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Classroom etiquette: Please refer to Blackboard under the Syllabus tab forNetiquette.

Withdrawal Policy in the College of Science and MathematicsWithdrawals from classes after the deadline will only be granted to students who provide

verification of a "serious and compelling reason that makes it impossible for the student

to complete course requirements". Serious and compelling reasons are medical,emotional, and certain other reasons acceptable to the Dean that meet the letter or spirit of

University regulations. A licensed health care professional, a certified counselor, an

employer, or other individual who can certify that conditions make it impossible for thestudent to complete the course must provide the written verification. Additional details

are available in the Dean's Office - Science II, 309. It is obviously to a student's

advantage to DROP EARLY in the semester.

Subject-to-change notice: This syllabus and the class schedule are subject to change in

the events of extenuating circumstances. It is your responsibility to check online

announcements at least twice a week. Any substantive changes to this syllabus will beaccompanied by the posting of a revised syllabus.

Syllabus Fall 13 EES

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