Mon Dec 1 12:38:48 2008
| Effective Term: |
New:
1109 - Fall 2010 Old: 1089 - Fall 2008 |
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| Department: |
New:
11130 - Geology & Geophysics Old: 11130 - IT Geology & Geophysics Admin |
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Course Equivalency: |
New:
01201 - Geo 1001/1005/1012/1101/1105 Old: 00053 - Geo 1001/Geo 1101/Geo 5001 |
| Proposal Changes: |
New:
New CLE environmental theme proposal Old: <no text provided> |
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Faculty Sponsor Name: |
New:
Kent Kirkby Old: |
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Faculty Sponsor E-mail Address: |
New:
kirkby@umn.edu Old: |
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Requirement this course fulfills: |
New:
ENV
- ENV The Environment
Old: ENVT - ENVT Environment Theme |
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Criteria for Theme Courses: |
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed theme
requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed outline,
laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or methods. Theme courses have the common goal of cultivating in students a number of habits of mind:
New: GEO 1101 & Student Learning Outcomes: GEO 1101 is simply a lecture-only version of GEO 1001, so it has the same approach to the Environment theme as GEO 1001. Relevance of GEO 1101 course to Student Learning Outcomes: o Have mastered a body of knowledge and a mode of inquiry o Can identify, define, and solve problems o Have acquired skills for effective citizenship and life-long learning. GEO 1101 is designed to help students master a body of knowledge about how their world works and become familiar with modes of scientific inquiry that provide a different, more complete, perspective of the world they live in. The course is explicitly designed to help students acquire the skills and background knowledge necessary to be more effective citizens of a global community that faces some very serious environmental issues. GEO 1101 as a course to satisfy CLE requirements for the Environmental theme. GEO 1101 is ideally suited to fulfill the Environment theme requirement, as the course is designed to provide students a better understanding of their world and explore the complex interactions between human society and natural systems. Coincidentally, the GEO 1001 program (which includes GEO 1101) has just completed what turned out to be a five-year revision of the program specifically geared towards making the course more effective in communicating these concepts. This revision, funded by the Department of Education’s Fund to Improve Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE), was designed to transform the course into an effective ‘concluding earth science course’. The vast majority of students taking GEO 1001 and 1101 have no intention of continuing on in geology, and for many this course will be the last science class of their academic careers. Consequently, the course is explicitly designed to be a concluding earth science class, one focused on the concepts and skills students need to become better-informed citizens of a global community that faces serious environmental challenges. A crucial goal is to increase students’ ability to use course material in their personal lives and while making social and political decisions. Background Information: Eight sections of GEO 1101 are taught every year, providing students with a flexible, dependable option to fulfill their environmental theme requirement. Students face no prerequisites beyond the University’s entrance requirements and GEO 1101 is offered on a regular schedule with all lecture sections being taught by the department’s regular faculty or Dr. Kent Kirkby, a non-tenure track assistant professor who was specifically hired to teach this course. Kirkby has taught at the University for over fourteen years and his teaching evaluations are posted at: http://www.geo.umn.edu/people/profs/kirkby/eval.html Environmental Theme GEO 1101 is specifically geared towards students completing their Liberal Education requirements rather than one designed to prepare new geology majors. The perspective is important though, as the course deals less with the content necessary to become geologists than with the knowledge and skills necessary to become more effective citizens. This includes fostering scientific literacy by both communicating a body of knowledge and providing students familiarity with different modes of scientific inquiry. The course seeks to communicate not only what we know about the world we live in, but also how we know it and what we do not yet know. A significant amount of the course content revolves around the interactions between geological processes, human society and the biosphere. The scope of geological time and the course’s global scale provide a unique perspective from which to explore this deeply integrated system. Throughout the course, the class examines the role of plate tectonics and surface processes in the development of present biotic communities and the ongoing evolution of human societies. In turn, examinations of river management projects, coastal development, ozone-depletion and human-induced climate change allow the class to explore human impacts on natural systems. This dual approach provides students with a strong appreciation of their role in a tightly integrated world and a knowledge base with which they can make more informed decisions about the interaction of human activities and natural systems. Environmental change, both natural and human induced, is a theme woven throughout the course. We try to provide students with a general sense of the Earth’s nature: how it works, how it has evolved, and how human activity affects it and is affected by it. In doing this, the course specifically looks at how scientists arrive at their understanding of earth processes and climate systems, what this information actually means, and what are the limitations of our understanding. Historical examples of how societies have reacted to geological events and climate change in the past are used as a catalyst to understanding the consequences and costs of future decisions. As this environmental approach is atypical of traditional science courses, a list of the lecture topics is provided to show how environmental and societal themes are woven throughout GEO 1101. Integration of Environment Theme into Lecture Program The complex interaction between humans and their environment is a dominant theme woven throughout the course. Although there is not a uniform lecture syllabus for all GEO 1101 lectures, all sections emphasize the interaction of geological processes and human society and explore roles of humans as historic agents of environmental change. Class topics range from volcanic and seismic geohazards through human impacts on coastal and fluvial systems, to a discussion of climate systems and climate change that highlights the scientific, social and ethical aspects of this crucial environmental issue. The following examples detail some of the ways in which these themes are developed in the most common GEO 1101 lecture syllabus. Course & Earth Introduction The course begins with a case study using the Oracle of Delphi as an example of the complex interactions between biophysical processes and human society. The geological and social backgrounds of the Oracle are combined with recent research on the role of microbial organisms in the generation of the organic gases responsible for the Oracle’s hallucinogenic trances. A leap in time and geography pulls in the Iron Range of northern Minnesota, the geologic story behind these deposits and the critical role they played in human society during World War II. Plate Tectonics & Earth Systems Wegener’s story of Continental Drift and the evolution of this idea into modern plate tectonics allows the class to examine modes of scientific inquiry occur, as well as the social nature of scientific investigation. Throughout the course, the class examines the role of plate tectonics in the development of past and present ecosystems, not just its impacts on the physical planet. We explore the biosphere’s response to long-term changes in sea level, atmosphere and ocean circulation patterns that resulted from plate tectonic processes, as well as the influence of these processes on the ongoing evolution of human society. Earthquakes and Human Society Besides the obvious risks that earthquakes pose to modern society, the class explores historic interactions between seismic activity, human society and our environment. We explore how the Lisbon earthquake led to the establishment of Portugal as a modern state, the collapse of the Minoan empire, and how seismic activity affects the ecological landscape of the San Francisco area. Risks associated with earthquakes are balanced against the costs of earthquake preparation. The tragic aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami provides a classic examination of the role economic and social factors play in reducing hazard risk, while the secondary effects of earthquakes allows the class to examine the tightly integrated nature of the modern ecosystem and human society, including political and economic systems. Earth Materials Salt is highlighted as an example of the pervasive roles earth resources play in human society. Although most students take salt for granted, they are one of the few generations since the dawn of human society that have been able to do so. Without salt, human societies could not have developed agriculture or domesticated animals. The class explores the role of this critical resource in the development of trade routes, cultural exchange, warfare and the myriad environmental implications of agricultural and industrial societies. Specifically highlights include the role salt played in the rise of the world’s first empire, the development of modern oil and natural gas industries and the birth of a democratic India. Volcanoes and Human Society As with earthquakes, the class does not limit its exploration of volcanic events to just physical processes and volcanic risks. We also examine the long-term affects of volcanic activity on soils, vegetation and the ecology of volcanic regions, as well as look at the historic role eruptions played in the history of human societies. From the prehistoric eruption of Toba that may have nearly eliminated the human race, through the rise of Aegean Bronze Age societies, to the collapse of the Minoan culture, the course examines the intertwined relationship of volcanoes and society. In particular, the historic eruptions of Tambora and Krakatua provide case studies of volcanic eruptions having an effect on regional weather patterns and global climate that triggered widespread devastation from drought, flooding, crop failure and cholera outbreaks that affected nearly all of the global community. The course even examines how volcanic eruptions have influenced western art, such as Pompeii’s relationship to the neoclassical movement that dominated American government architecture. Evolution of Mesozoic Earth Systems Midcourse, the class drops back to examine the Mesozoic Era, the time when many aspects of the present Earth systems first came to prominence. We examine how plate tectonic processes affected the world’s climate and patterns of biological evolution, how mass extinctions influenced the evolution of the biosphere and compare these with our present extinction rates. This section also explores how animal designs reflect the beasts’ lifestyles and major steps in the evolution of present ecosystems. Along the way, the class learns how glacial cycles of the late Paleozoic tied to the Industrial Revolution allowed Great Britain to dominate the world’s political stage for so long, how Mesozoic climate and ocean systems directly led to the Mideast’s importance in our present politics and how an attempt to measure the Earth’s age indirectly led to the 1970 Clean Air Act and greatly improved health for American children. Ocean Systems, Coastal Processes and Human Society Well over 50% of the United States population currently lives within 75 km of a coastline, with present demographic trends indicating that this will only increase. The class weighs the benefits of building along these remarkably dynamic, and ecologically sensitive, coastline systems against their economic and environmental costs, including impacts on the coastal biosphere, such as the loss of salt marsh areas and marine breeding grounds. As Earth is a marine world, it is difficult to overstate the influence of ocean systems on global climate and human societies. The course explores the influence of ocean currents on past and present climate systems, how the cycling of oxygen and nutrients through ocean systems affects the distribution of marine life as well as the impacts human activities, such as whale hunting, have on earth systems. River Systems and Human Society Case studies examine the impact of building the Aswan Dam on the indigenous Nubian culture, the resulting increase in parasitic diseases among human populations, and the decreased diversity of delta and river ecosystems. These costs are balanced against the clear economic benefits of the project in terms of hydraulic energy and a constant water supply. Closer to home, case studies compare the benefits of managing the Mississippi River system against the ecological costs of wetland loss, decreased diversity in river ecosystems, and establishment of a marine dead zone in the Gulf due to nutrient runoff. Katrina provides a recent example of the potential impacts the integration of marine systems, climate change and river management can have on human society, as well as the environmental, economic and ethical issues involved with river management. Glacial Systems On a grand scale, human history is set in the framework of the current ice ages with all of its associated implications for future climate change. The class explores the many ways in which glacial processes affected the subsequent development of human cultures with a specific emphasis on the influences these processes had on the development and history of 18th and 19th century Ojibwa, Dakota and Euro-American societies in the Upper Midwest. We explore how these glacial processes affected the resources used by these societies and how their use of resources led to cultural conflict and altered regional ecosystems. Climate Change and Human Society The class finishes the semester with an examination of the impacts of human-induced and natural climate change. Students are given the background necessary to understand two of the more important environmental issues facing our society, ozone depletion and greenhouse warming. This discussion includes an appreciation of our incomplete understanding of how the climate system works and the difficulty of making sound ethical decisions in light of imperfect data. Human History and Environmental Change Throughout the course, we repeatedly return to the mass extinctions of the present glacial cycle, which occurred as direct or indirect results of human activity. Students learn that through hunting, agriculture and habitat destruction, we have affected Earth systems on a geologic scale, and consider the costs of this alteration. The course concludes with a reinterpretation of western European history from the perspective of climate change and human-induced environmental alteration. A final case study, based on Easter Island, examines the tragic consequences that can occur when a human society fails to comprehend its impact on its supporting environment. Old: <no text provided> |
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Provisional Syllabus: |
Please
provide a provisional syllabus for new courses and courses in which
changes in content and/or description and/or credits are proposed that
include the following information: course goals and description;
format/structure of the course (proposed number of instructor contact
hours per week, student workload effort per week, etc.); topics to be
covered; scope and nature of assigned readings (texts, authors,
frequency, amount per week); required course assignments; nature of any
student projects; and how students will be evaluated. The University policy on credits is found under Section 4A of "Standards for Semester Conversion" at http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/semestercon.html . Provisional course syllabus information will be retained in this system until new syllabus information is entered with the next major course modification, This provisional course syllabus information may not correspond to the course as offered in a particular semester. New: GEO 1001 (a.k.a. GEO 1101) Earth and Its Environments Spring Semester - 2008, 6:30 – 9:00 T, Science Classroom Building 325 LECTURER: Kent Kirkby, 103 Pillsbury Hall, 624-1392 (voice mail), e-mail: kirkby@umn.edu OFFICE HOURS: Call or email to set up a time (anytime!) GEO 1001/1101 and Liberal Education A goal of liberal education is to provide students with a broad understanding of their world and familiarity with different ways of knowing. As important, liberal education should strive to cultivate social responsibility and emphasize the importance of ethics and values. Consequently the knowledge and skills acquired must be transferable to students’ lives and society. GEO 1001/1101 is ideally suited to these goals as its primary topic is the world we live in, an all encompassing subject that integrates parts of every science discipline with the social implications of human activities, including economic and political influences. Physical sciences, like geology, constitute a distinct component of human knowledge, with their own ways of knowing or learning. Although these ways are common to all physical sciences, geology provides a unique perspective for their application because the size and complexity of earth systems, combined with the immense time scales over which many geological processes occur, makes it difficult to use some traditional methods of scientific experimentation and verification. Geology requires a more global, holistic understanding of earth systems and the ability to understand the behavior of complex, interdependent systems, an ideal perspective from which to approach environmental issues. Geologic processes and human activities are so intimately interwoven that it is impossible to fully understand one without considering the other. Some of the most crucial issues confronting our society fall within the environmental realm, such as water and resource use, river or coastline management, pollution, ozone depletion and global climate change. Although it is necessary to understand the geology behind these issues, viable solutions must also consider ethical, economic and political factors. Responsible stewardship of our environment requires costs and benefits of different approaches to be weighed across our whole society and over a long term time frame. The course’s overall goal is to provide you with a better understanding of the many interactions between human society and the environment so you can make informed decisions concerning your own place in a global community, one that faces some very complex environmental challenges. Course Description Geology is the study of the Earth and its life. This is the world you live in and whether you’re aware of them or not, geological processes have played an integral role in shaping our society and will affect your entire life. GEO 1001 is an introduction to physical geology, including the Earth's materials, dynamic processes, and evolution. However, the Earth is a relatively closed system. Earth’s physical and biological systems are intimately linked - human civilization being the most recent example. Human cultures are based on Earth resources and processes. Geological factors have played a pivotal role in our past and will largely determine our future. In turn, the human impact on Earth Systems is nearly unprecedented. In a relatively short period of time, humans have become one of the most potent geological forces. As human population and consumption continue to increase, it is critical that our society gains a better basic understanding of geological processes, in order to better manage our own future. Course Web Site Most of the course materials (syllabus, lecture outlines, handouts, etc.) will be posted at: http://www.geo.umn.edu/courses/1001/ Course Resources Contact me whenever you need help. I have limited formal office hours, since past experience suggests they are of little use to a student body with diverse schedules. So just email or phone me to arrange a meeting time. If I do not reply within 48 hours, send a reminder! Course Materials Lecture Text: Geology, by Stan Chernicoff and Donna Whitney – 4th Edition Copies are available at the University Bookstore in Coffman Memorial Union, and at the Student Book Store on the corner of 15th and University. Lab Manual: (GEO 1001 students only) Available only at the University Bookstore in Coffman Memorial Union in the same area as the lecture texts. You must pick up the lab manual before the first lab. Labs do NOT meet until Monday, Jan. 28! Lec Outlines: Optional copies of lecture overheads with space for writing notes. These are NOT full lecture notes but essentially extended lecture outlines. These have been highly recommended by past students. They will be posted on the web site before class. Grade Distribution Grades will be based on a class curve or university scale - whichever provides the more generous distribution of grades. The University uses intermediate grades (A-, B+, etc.). If you take the course on an S-N basis, University rule require that a 'S' must be equivalent to a 'C-' or better. Note that this means the bar is slightly higher for S/N students to pass the course than A/F students, so if you are worried about passing, A/F may be the better choice. Course Grades Grades will be based on labs, biweekly (every other week) quizzes and a comprehensive final quiz. Quizzes will be short (25 minute) closed-book exams that cover material from lecture and text. Although group work is encouraged for preparing for the quizzes, the quizzes themselves must be completed individually as independent work. Breakdown of course grade: GEO 1001: GEO 1101: Biweekly and Final quizzes 65% Biweekly and Final quizzes 100% Lab Component 35% Last Biweekly & Final quizzes will take place on Tuesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. Note: The quizzes will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions. Only the best 5 of 7 scores will count towards your course grade. The comprehensive final quiz is mandatory and CANNOT be dropped, but is only weighted the same as each of the biweekly quizzes. The comprehensive final quiz, along with the last biweekly quiz, will be given during the final exam period. Please do not skip the first two quizzes - this almost always comes back to haunt people! COURSE GOALS My apologies to the class rock hounds, but lectures will focus on processes and human interaction rather than minerals and rocks. As the course goals include providing students with a better understanding of Earth Systems and their interaction with human society, an emphasis will be placed on 'understanding' geological processes. Consequently the quizzes will try to emphasize the use and interpretation of geological knowledge, rather than its simple recitation. You will have to know the meaning of some terms in order to do this, but relatively few questions will focus on the definition of terms or rote memorization. Scholastic Conduct & Integrity With the sole exception of the GEO 1001 in-class laboratory assignments, all assignments in GEO 1001 (such as lecture quizzes, lab quizzes or any extra-credit assignments) are expected to be completed individually. Scholastic misconduct is broadly defined as "any act that violates the right of another student in academic work or that involves misrepresentation of your own work. Scholastic dishonesty includes, (but is not necessarily limited to): cheating on assignments or examinations; plagiarizing, which means misrepresenting as your own work any part of work done by another; submitting the same paper, or substantially similar papers, to meet the requirements of more than one course without the approval and consent of all instructors concerned; depriving another student of necessary course materials; or interfering with another student's work." If you are uncertain as to what the University considers inappropriate behavior, please refer to the Regents’ Policy on Student Conduct found at: http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/academic/StudentConduct.html Council on Liberal Education (CLE) Requirements: Geo 1001 satisfies CLE requirements for both the physical science with lab core requirement and the environment theme, while GEO 1101 only counts towards the environment theme. Physical Science with Lab (GEO 1001 only): GEO 1001 is a physical science course, specifically geared towards students completing their Liberal Education requirement. As such, the course tries to highlight the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective citizens. This includes fostering scientific literacy by both communicating a body of knowledge about the Earth and providing students familiarity with different modes of scientific inquiry. The course seeks to communicate not only what we know about the world we live in, but also how we know it and what we do not yet know. Laboratory modules are hands-on investigations of nature of physical earth materials, interpretations of past events and processes encoded in earth’s surface features and the rock record, using the same data, methods and reasoning that geologists use in the field. Approaches include mathematical and quantitative analyses to describe and explore phenomena, as well as qualitative assessment of their properties. While all laboratory modules use scientific modes of inquiry, several lab and lecture topics go beyond this to explicitly explore the historical evolution of scientific ideas and the social nature of scientific inquiry, rather than simply present our current understanding. One of the course’s advantages is that, simply by living in the world, you already have an incredible amount of personal knowledge about the Earth. GEO 1001 is a wonderful opportunity to examine that knowledge, to gain new insights and skills in order to test and refine your ideas of how the Earth works, and to emerge with a better understanding of the Earth’s dynamic nature and its environments. Environment Theme (GEO 1001 and GEO 1101): We live in a world that is an astonishingly complex integration of physical, biological and social systems. A significant amount of the course content revolves around the interactions between geological processes, human society and the biosphere. The scope of geological time and the course’s global scale provide a unique perspective from which to explore this deeply integrated system. Throughout the course, the class examines the role of plate tectonics and surface processes in the development of present biotic communities and the ongoing evolution of human societies. In turn, examinations of river management projects, coastal development, ozone-depletion and human-induced climate change allow the class to explore human impacts on natural systems. This dual approach provides students with a strong appreciation of their role in a tightly integrated world and a knowledge base with which they can make more informed decisions about the interaction of human activities and natural systems. Environmental change, both natural and human induced, is a theme woven throughout the course. We try to provide students with a general sense of the Earth’s nature: how it works, how it has evolved, and how human activity affects it and is affected by it. In doing this, the course specifically looks at how scientists arrive at their understanding of earth processes and climate systems, what this information actually means, and what are the limitations of our understanding. Historical examples of how societies have reacted to geological events and climate change in the past are used as a catalyst to understanding the consequences and costs of future decisions. Lab Sections Refer to the lab description for details on pre-labs, labs and take-home assignments! This will be available in the lab sections and on the course web site. Labs start on Monday, January 28! Be sure to pick up your lab manual BEFORE attending your first lab section. You need to read the first lab and prepare for the first Pre-lab BEFORE going to class! Course Policies/Etiquette • Any reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with physical, sensory, learning and psychiatric disabilities. Please contact me for assistance as early as possible. • If English is not your primary language and you would like to have additional time in which to take the quizzes, let me know. Anyone who needs additional time for the quizzes will be extended the same courtesy. • Attendance is not mandatory (although it helps!). If you have to arrive late or leave early, please try to avoid disrupting other students. • Please turn all cell phones off before coming to class. A ringing phone is almost impossible for others to ignore. Of course, medical conditions can override this request. Suggestions • Ask questions! Do not be intimidated by the class size. If you have a question, a dozen other folks are probably wondering the same thing and they will appreciate you asking. I have made some wonderful blunders in classes so do not hesitate to raise questions. FOR GEO 1001 STUDENTS: • Don't dismiss the lab portion of the course, nor rely on it for your grade. Because lab assignments are completed as group work, lab grades tend to fall within a very narrow range. Provided that you complete the lab portion of the course, your lecture quiz scores tend to have a greater impact on your overall course grade. Historically, the average lab grades fall between 30% and 31%, so earning a perfect score in the lab (35%) can raise your course grade from a ‘B’ to a ‘B+’, or from an ‘A-‘ to an ‘A’, but it will not raise your course grade by a full letter grade. On the other hand, skipping labs can significantly lower your grade. University policy prohibits sexual harassment as defined in the December 1998 policy statement, available at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Questions or concerns about sexual harassment should be directed to this office, located in 419 Morrill Hall. GEO 1001/1101 Lecture 003/103 – Spring, 2008 LECTURE SCHEDULE DATES TTh - 9:45-11 a.m. Quizzes JAN. 22 Course & Earth Introduction 29 Earth’s Structure & Setting Continental Drift Chapters 1, 11 & 12 FEB. 5 Plate Tectonics & Earth Systems Chapters 1, 11 & 12 12 Rock Deformation & A Seismic View of the Earth Chapters 9, 10 & 11 QUIZ 19 Earthquakes & Human Society Chapters 9, 10 & 11 26 Earth Materials and Volcanoes Chapters 2, 3 & 4 QUIZ MAR. 4 Volcanoes & Human Society Chapter 4 11 A Case Study: Mesozoic Earth & Life Lecture Notes QUIZ SPRING BREAK 25 A Case Study: Mesozoic Earth & Life Lecture Notes APR. 1 Ocean Systems, Coastal Processes & Human Society Chapter 19 QUIZ 8 Ocean Systems, Coastal Processes & Human Society Chapter 19 15 River Systems and Human Society Chapter 14 QUIZ 22 River Systems and Human Society Chapter 14 29 Ice Ages Chapter 17 QUIZ MAY 6 Climate Change & Human History Lecture Notes 13 Last Biweekly Quiz & Final QUIZ & FINAL Weekly review sheets will contain details of reading assignments. QUIZ – quizzes will last 30 minutes FINAL – comprehensive and can NOT be dropped, but only weighted same as other quizzes Old: <no text provided> |