Wayland Baptist University – Environmental Geology

Summer 2009

 

Instructor Information:  David Allen

                                                Email:  dea66@yahoo.com

 

Course Information: Environmental Geology – GEOL 3404. This course meets on Wednesdays 6:00 pm – 10:10 pm.

 

Course Description: The relationships between Earth’s natural environments and human populations are evaluated. Topics include volcanic and earthquake hazards, soil, groundwater, and atmospheric contamination, and special problems associated with radioactive and hazardous waste disposal. Prerequisite: EASC 1301 or permission of instructor.

 

Course Competencies: The student will understand the fundamental concepts of environmental geology at a level necessary for processing and utilizing information gleaned from the news and contemporary periodicals.

 

Required Text: Geology and the Environment, fifth edition; by Pipkin, Trent, Hazlett, and Bierman (2008).

 

Additional Readings: The instructor may assign additional readings that are pertinent to the course. Any additional reading will be due by the next class meeting.

 

Attendance Policy:

  1. Students enrolled at Wayland Baptist University should make every effort to attend all class meetings. All absences must be explained to the satisfaction of the instructor who will decide whether the missed work may be made up.
  2. When a student reaches two absences, the instructor will advise the student and file an Unsatisfactory Progress Report in the office of the Campus Dean.
  3. For every absence during a term, a student’s final grade may be lowered by one letter grade.
  4. Any student who misses twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings will receive a grade of “F” for that course (3 classes).
  5. Three tardies may be counted as one absence.
  6. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are part of Wayland’s attendance policy.
  7. If an instructor fails to appear or fails to send notification of his arrival within the first twenty minutes of a class period, students may leave without incurring an absence.
  8. A student may petition the Academic Council for exceptions to the above stated policies.

 

Students with Disabilities: It is University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the University.

 

Course Policies:

·        Silence cell phones and beepers

·        Be prepared for class (readings, assignments, etc.)

·        Participate in class discussions

·        Be courteous to one another

·        Ask questions

·        Exam questions may take the form of multiple choice, true/false, matching, or short essay

·        Missed exams (excused absence) may be made up by an essay exam of comparable difficulty to the missed exam

·        Quizzes over the readings will take place at the beginning of class. Quizzes are also how I take attendance. If you miss a quiz due to being tardy, it is your responsibility to provide evidence (3 x 5 note card with your name and the date) of your attendance.

·        Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in “no credit” on the assignment, even if it is group work. If your name is on the paper, you are responsible for the content of the final paper.

 

Course Outline – This outline is dynamic and subject to change

Date

Topic - Readings

Assignment

Lab

Class Meetings - Wednesdays

5/27

Ch 1 – Introduction to Env. Geol.

Quiz 1

Air Quality Lab

6/3

Ch 2 – Geol. Basics and basic chemistry

Quiz 2

Atom/Molecule Worksheet

6/10

Ch 3, 4, 5 – Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes

Quiz 3

Atom/Molecule Worksheet

6/17

Exam I; Ch 6, 7 – Surface Geol.

Quiz 4

Atom/Mole. Due

6/24

Field Trip

 

Water Quality Lab

7/1

Ch 8, 9, 10 – Hydrology

Quiz 5

Work on reports

7/8

Exam II

 

Work on reports

7/15

Ch 11, 12 – Climate topics

Quiz 6

Mineral Lab

7/22

Ch 13, 14 –Resources part

Quiz 7

Air Quality Report Due

7/29

Ch 15 – Waste Mgmt.

Quiz 8

Rock Lab; Water Quality Report Due

8/5

Final Exam

Final Exam

 

Assignments:

Readings – Reading are to be completed by the beginning of class for that particular chapter

Quizzes – Typically two to three questions pertaining to the evening’s readings to be completed on a 3 x 5 index card at the beginning of the evening’s lesson.

Lab Activities – Each classroom lab activity will have a deliverable.

Lab Reports – Two lab reports will be required based on the air quality lab and the water quality lab (Field Experience).

 

 

Grading

Assignment

Points

 

Points

Percent

Grade

Quizzes (8 @ 1-5 pts each)

  25

 

358 – 400

90-100

A

Lab activities (4 @ 10 - 20 pts ea.)

  50

 

318 – 357

80-89

B

Lab report (Field Trip)

  25

 

278 – 317

70-79

C

Tests (3 @ 100 pts each)

300

 

238 – 277

60-69

D

Total

400

 

    0 – 237

0-59

F

           

 

Additional information:

A TexShare card may be of use when conducting library research as it allows access to a variety of university libraries, such as UTSA, Trinity, UT Austin, and Texas State University-San Marcos.