CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FORM #3
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER

NEW COURSE


Effective: Spring 2001 If adding a Graduate component to an existing course, check here 
Course Number: * 616-101   Cross Listed Number:  
Course Title: Elements of Geology  

(limited to 65 characters)

 
15 Character Abbreviation: ele geol
25 Character Abbreviation: elements of geology
Sponsor: Frank Luther   E-mail Address: lutherf@mail.uww.edu
Department: Geography and Geology   College: Letters and Sciences
Co-sponsor:     E-mail Address:  
Department:     College:  
Other Programs Affected: Broad Field Science Education
Check if course is to meet any of the following requirements:
__ None __ Writing __ Computer __ Diversity __ General Ed 
          and Area
Credit/Contact Hours: (per semester)
Total lab hours: 32   Total lecture hours: 48
Number of credits: 4   Total contact hours: 80
Check if course is repeatable: _x No _ Yes (if yes, answer the following questions)
  • No of times in major
    No of credits in major  
  • No of times in degree
    No of credits in degree  
Enter the appropriate titles if the course is required in any of the following:
Major Title(s)          
Minor Title(s) Geology        
Emphasis Title(s) Broad-Field Science        

Course justification:

This course is intended to meet the minimum 4 cr science course requirement in the recently revised general studies program. It is derived from the current Principles of Geology (Geology 100, 5 cr) by dropping the last quarter of the course which is devoted to the history of the earth and the origin/evolution of life.

The proposed course meets the general education goals numbered 1, 4, 5, and 6 (reference: General Education Review Committee Rpt Spring/92. The lecture portion of the course contributes to the educated person’s fundamental knowledge base by study of the scientific method; the scientific evaluation of information in order to understand how to draw accurate conclusions from reliable data; the origin, composition, and importance to society of materials which make-up the earth; and the internal and external processes which affect the earth. Laboratories emphasize data collection, evaluation, synthesis, and communication (via laboratory reports); identification of basic minerals, rocks, and fossils; understanding the form and origin of crystals; and recognition of landforms produced by different surficial processes.
 

Relationship to program assessment objectives:
One major mission of geology, along with the other sciences, is to provide an introductory-level laboratory-science course for general education. This course will meet that expectation. The course will also be accepted (assuming it passes curricular evaluation) as an introductory course for the geology minor in place of Geology 100.

The proposed course meets the assessment objectives of geology by providing "skills" training such as mineral, rock, and fossil identification; and map reading/interpretation. The new course also provides "knowledge" training by study of the origin, occurrence, and societal important of minerals and rocks; the processes which affect the earth’s surface (such as weathering, erosion, and glaciation); the structure of and processes in the earth’s interior; and understanding the basics of science including the scientific method, data collection and analysis, and graphing).
 

Budgetary impact:
No anticipated budgetary change is expected. The course will be offered by the same instructors in the same facilities and will use the same materials (from samples to overhead projectors) as the current Geology 100 course.
 

Course description:
An introduction to the study of the earth. Emphasis is placed on: (1) the materials which make up the earth, (2) the internal and external processes which affect the earth, (3) the length of geologic time, and (3) the methods of science, especially as they apply to the study of the Earth. One half-day field trip in the immediate area is required. An optional field trip, requiring a transportation fee, will be conducted to the Baraboo Hills region. Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week.
 

Course Corequisite:
Mathematics 140 or 141. (760-140 or 760-141)
 

If dual listed, list graduate level requirements: none
 

Course objectives and tentative course syllabus:
A. Course learning objectives

1. understand the methods of science and how they apply to the study of the earth.

2. understand the origin and characteristics of earth materials.

3. understand the present-day processes, both internal (e.g., plate tectonics, isostacy) and external (e.g., weathering, running water, glaciation), which affect the earth.

4. understand the length of earth history and how geologic dating is carried out.

5. understand the origin and distribution of mineral resources and the affect that exploration and development of mineral resources have on humankind.

6. develop the skills and knowledge-base to critically analyze information presented in the popular press and elsewhere about earth processes, mineral resources, and science.

B. Lecture Topic Outline by week
WEEK 1 - Introduction

a. Course information

b. Science and the scientific method

WEEK 2 - Minerals

a. classification and physical properties

b. mineral structures and characteristics

WEEK 3 - Igneous rocks

a. classification and intrusive forms

b. origin and crystallization

WEEK 4 - Volcanism

a. volcanic rocks and volcanos

b. effects of volcanos on humankind

WEEK 5 - Sedimentary rocks

a. origin

b. classification

WEEK 6 - Metamorphic rocks

a. origin

b. classification

c. rock cycle

WEEK 7 - Earthquakes and the interior of the earth

a. earthquake wave origin and classification

b. magnitude and intensity

c. earthquake-prone regions

d. damage and damage mitigation

e. the interior of the earth as determined from earthquake-wave studies

WEEK 8 - Plate tectonics

a. continental drift and seafloor spreading

b. plate formation, consumption, and interactions

c. origin of mountains

WEEK 9 - Folding and Faulting

a. behavior of materials

b. fold origin and classification

c. fault origin and classification

WEEK 10 - Glaciation

a. origin and classification of glaciers

b. glacial erosion, transportation, and deposition

c. continental and mountain glaciation

d. causes of glaciation and climate effects

WEEK 11 - Weathering and Soils and mass movement

a. physical and chemical weathering processes

b. soil formation

c. mass movement - landslides, slumps, creep, etc.

WEEK 12 - Running water and groundwater

a. rivers and streams - patterns, origin, erosion/transportation/deposition

b. groundwater - origin, flow patterns, effects of human use on groundwater

WEEK 13 - Deserts and wind action

a. desert landscape description and origin

b. sediment transport by wind

WEEK 14 - Oceans and shorelines

a. deep-ocean features and their origins, ocean flow patterns

b. shoreline features and their origins, effects of human modification of shorelines

WEEK 15 - Mineral resources

a. mineral resource concepts

b. metallic minerals - origin, development, and importance to humankind

c. coal - origin and - origin, development, and importance to humankind

d. oil and gas - origin, development, and importance to humankind
 


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Birkeland, p, 1984, Soils and geomorphology, Oxford University Press.

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Garesche, W, 1902, Complete story the Martinique and St Vincent horrors, Stahl.

Garrels, R, and Mackenzie, F, 1971, Evolution of sedimentary rocks, Norton.

Greenley, R, and Iversen, J, 1985, Wind as a geologic process, Cambridge University Press.

Hoffman, K, 1988, Ancient magnetic reversals: Clues to the geodynamo, Scientific American 258, p 76-83.

Horton, T, 1993, Hanging in the balance: Chesapeake Bay, National Geographic 183, p 3-35.

Hurlbut, C, and Klein, C, 1993, Manual of Mineralogy, 21st ed (after J D Dana), John Wiley and Sons.

Hyde, P, 1987, Drylands: the deserts of North America, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.

Hyndman, D, 1985, Petrology of igneous and metamorphic rocks, McGraw-Hill.

Kerr, R, 1993, Parkfield quakes skip a beat, Science 259, p 1120-22.

Kobe Earthquake: An urban disaster, 1995, EOS 76, p 49-51.

Lisle, R, 1988, Geological structures and maps, Pergamon Press.

Knighton, D, 1984, Fluvial forms and processes, Edward Arnold.

Leopold, L, Wolman, M, and Miller, J, 1964, Fluvial process in geomorphology, Freeman.

Maaloe, S, 1985, Principles of igneous petrology, Springer-Verlag.

Malpas, J, 1993, Deep drilling of the oceanic crust and upper mantle, GSA Today 3, p 53-57.

Newson, H, and Jones, J, 1990, Origin of the Earth, Oxford University Press.

Paton, T, 1986, Perspectives on a dynamic earth, Allen and Unwin.

Page, R, Boore, D, Buckman, R, and Thatcher, W, 1992, Goals, opportunities, and priorities for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, US Geological Survey Circular 1079.Perry, T, 1993, Modeling the world’s climate, IEEE Spectrum 30, p 33-42.

Reading, H (ed), 1987, Sedimentary environments and facies, Blackwell Scientific.

Schultz, A, and Jibson, R (eds), 1989, Landslide processes of the eastern US and Puerto Rico, Geological Society of AM special Paper 236.

Sposito, G, 1989, The chemistry of soils, Oxford University Press.

Sawkins, F, 1984, Mineral deposits in relation to plate Tectonics, Springer-Verlag.

Sharp, R, 1988, Living ice: Understanding glaciers and glaciation, Cambridge University Press.

Siever, R, 1983, The dynamic earth, Scientific American 249, p 46-65.

Smith, Z, 1988, Groundwater in the West, Academic Press.

Turner, F, 1981, Metamorphic petrology: Mineralogical, field, and tectonic aspects, McGraw-Hill.

Walsh, J (ed), 1988, On the nature of continental shelves, Academic Press.

Zoltai, T, and Stout, J, 1984, Mineralogy: Concepts and Principles, Burgess