| Instructor: | Dr. Karen Grove, Professor of Geology and Oceanography |
| Office: | 516 Thornton Hall |
| Computer Lab: | 518 Thornton Hall |
| Office hours: | T 9:30-10:30, 2-3; W 1-2; by appt. |
| Phone: | 415-338-2617 |
| E-mail: | kgrove@sfsu.edu |
The primary goals of the course are to:
The course is organized around a series of themes, often demonstrated by case studies:
We will take advantage of our incredible San Francisco Bay
Area location, where we are nearly surrounded by the ocean, and
focus on many local examples.
This course is designed primarily for students who are fulfilling
their general education requirement in physical science. We will
focus, not on learning everything about the ocean, but on learning
about the aspects of the natural world that will enrich your life
and help you make more informed decisions.
The course is designed to stimulate active learning and collaborative
learning more than passive acquisition of knowledge passed from
instructor to student. Each student has a background and skills
that uniquely contribute to course content. I will challenge each
of you to think about the issues raised in the course, and to
evaluate ideas for yourself and in consultation with your peers.
| Computer-based "voyages" 10 @ 10 pts/ea. | 100 pts. (20%) |
| Computer-based "drills" 10 @ 5 pts/ea. | 50 pts. (10%) |
| Class participation 2 pts/ea | 50 pts. (10%) |
| Exams 3 @ 50 pts.; 1 @ 100 pts. | 200 pts. (40%) |
| Field project (written report) | 50 pts. (10%) |
| Sign-up bonus | 50 pts. (10%) |
| 435-500 pts. (87-100%) = A | 312-375 pts. (62-75%) = C | <250 pts. = F |
| 375-435 pts. (75-87%) = B | 250-312 pts. (50-62%) = D |
Ten virtual voyages on the ocean via computer are designed
to provide access to real data and images from the ocean and to
prepare for in-class discussions. Voyages are accessible through
world-wide-web browsing software and course management software
called TopClass (see attached page). Student answers and instructor
feedback will be entered online. Note that TopClass will not
accept submissions after the due date.
Students may use networked computers on campus or off campus.
There are many networked computer labs on campus that are available
to all , such as the John F. True 24-Hour Computer Lab (Main Floor
Library, Phone: 338-1490). Visit the SFSU web site (http://www.sfsu.edu/~doit/labs.htm)
to find other options. See me if you have problems accessing
a networked computer, as this is an important part of the course.
Ten drills are due concurrently with the voyages to help you keep up in the class and to practice for larger in-class exams. The drills consist of multiple choice questions that must be completed online (via TopClass) and for which you will receive immediate feedback. TopClass will not accept submissions after the due date.
You are expected to participate in class and will be rewarded
for doing so. Each day you must bring to class a 3x5 notecard.
During each class period you will be asked to submit a card
with your written response to a topic being discussed. Notecard
submissions will be graded credit/no credit and will be assigned
02 points each.
This is a large class and you are expected to respect your
instructor and fellow classmates by arriving to class on time
and by remaining quiet while class is in session. Be aware that
you disrupt class and prevent others from learning when you come
to class late and talk while information is being presented. You
will be asked to leave the class if you persist in these behaviors.
You will be given time for small group and whole-class discussions,
when talking is permitted.
Cell phones must be turned off before you attend class.
If your cell phone rings during the class period, you may be dismissed
from the class.
Be aware that the range of abilities and backgrounds in the class is large. What may seem quite easy to you may seem difficult to others, and vice versa. Be prepared to share your knowledge with others and to learn from your classmates.
There will be two exams during the semester, consisting of
50 multiple choice questions similar to those in the computer
drills. Exam questions will be drawn from the subjects we discuss
in class and from the reading and computer assignments. You will
need to bring a SCANTRON FORM 882 and a #2 pencil to class on
exam days. Make-up exams will be not be provided unless you have
a documented emergency. In this case, you must contact the instructor
during the day of the exam to arrange a make-up time.
The final (third) exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions,
plus additional short answer questions about topics addressed
throughout the semester. Before the final exam, you will receive
a list of questions from which the exam questions will be drawn.
The objective of the field project is to provide an opportunity to apply what you have learned during the semester to a real-world problem. You should choose a topic that sounds interesting to you, and develop a hypothesis or basic question you wish to investigate. You may choose to work with one or two other students in the class, but each student must submit their own written report. A list of possible topics, detailed instructions, and evaluation criteria are provided on the course web site. You must choose a topic by 5 March, and submit a written report by 23 April. Those students enrolled in the Geol/Metr 103 laboratory course may submit a report based on one of their in-class field trips. My experience has shown that students are initially intimidated by this project, but find it a rewarding part of the course.
You are required to purchase the textbook for the course and should bring it to class each day. We will refer to it in class, and drills and exams will include information from it. You are not responsible for all terms and concepts in the textbook, however. Refer to the Course Web Site - http://geosci.sfsu.edu/courses/geol102/home.html - where you will find detailed instructions about the terms and concepts you should know. (You can also link to the Course Web Site through TopClass.). On the Course Web Site you will also find class handouts, course summaries (posted after each class period), and other items of interest. Additionally, all of the TopClass materials are available on the Course Web Site, but you cannot submit your answers there. If you have any problems with TopClass, you can print the voyage or drill questions from the Course Web Site and submit the paper copies with your answers. I will deduct points if you persistently complete these assignments on paper copies rather than online.
DATE TOPIC |
TEXT READING |
ASSIGNMENTS |
| 29 Jan. | What's this course about? | |
| 31 Jan. | Tools of the trade: methods, meters, maps, and machines / Chaps. 1, 2; Appendices I, III, IV | |
| 5 Feb. | Ocean margins: west from San Francisco (SF) / Chap. 4 (62-71) | Computer Voy. 1 / Drill 1 due |
| 7 Feb. | Ocean deeps: beyond the edge / Chap. 4 (60-61, 72-82) | |
| 12 Feb. | Ocean formation & mobility: the evidence / Chap. 3 | Computer Voy. 2 / Drill 2 due |
| 14 Feb. | Living on the edge / Chap. 3 | |
| 19 Feb. | Rates of plates and quakes / Chap. 3 | Computer Voy. 3 / Drill 3 due |
| 21 Feb. | The wonder of water / Chap. 6 (101-113) | |
| 26 Feb. | Ocean and atmosphere interplay: currents / Chap. 7, Chap. 8 (143-152, 156-161) | Computer Voy. 4 / Drill 4 due |
| 28 Feb. | Ocean and atmosphere interplay: climate / Chap. 6 (113-114), Chap. 15 (312-316) | |
| 5 Mar. | EXAM 1 | Field project idea due |
| 7 Mar. | Let's go to the beach / Chap. 11 (201-217) | |
| 12 Mar. | Surf's up / Chap. 9 (169-173, 176-181) | Computer Voy. 5 / Drill 5 due |
| 14 Mar. | More waves on water / Chap. 8 (251-259; 265-270) | |
| 19 Mar. | Coastline mobility: the evidence / Ch. 11 (220-224) | |
| 21 Mar. | Daily sea-level changes: the tidal wave / Chap. 10 | Computer Voy. 6 / Drill 6 due |
| 26, 28 Mar. | No Class; Spring Break | |
| 2 Apr. | Wetlands: the Bay's soggy margins Chap. 11 (216-217), Chap. 14 (278-279) | |
| 4 Apr. | Fresh meets salt: the water of SF Bay / Chap. 11 (218-220) | Computer Voy. 7 / Drill 7 due |
| 9 Apr. | Turbidity and toxicity: the Bay's other contents. Chap. 11 (331-335; 340-353) | |
| 11 Apr. | Sediments tell the ocean's story / Chap. 5 (83-99), Chap. 15 (295-296) | Computer Voy. 8 / Drill 8 due |
| 16 Apr. | EXAM II | |
| 18 Apr. | Wealth from the sea / Chap. 15 (293-306) | |
| 23 Apr. | Atmosphere and ocean interact; upwelliing currents and El Niño / Chap. 8 (152-156) | Field report due |
| 25 Apr. | Lifestyles of the wet and wild / Chap. 6 (114-121), Chap. 12 (231-243 | Computer Voy. 9 / Drill 9 due |
| 30 Apr. | The food web and primary producers / Chap. 12 (266-231) | |
| 2 May | Pelagic dwellers: floaters (plankton) / Chap. 13 (246-255) | |
| 7 May | Pelagic dwellers: swimmers (nekton) / Chap. 13 (255-269) | Computer Voyage 10 / Drill 10 due |
| 9 May | NO CLASS: Advising Day | |
| 14 May | The bottom dwellers (benthos) / Chaps. 14 (272-283) | |
| 16 May | More about being benthic / Chap. 14 (283-291) | |
| 23 May, 10:45-1:15 | FINAL EXAM |