One of the first multi-cellular animals, Tribrachidium, from the Ediacara Hills, New South Wales, Australia.
One of the first multi-cellular animals, Tribrachidium, from the Ediacara Hills, New South Wales, Australia.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Professor: Benjamin J. Greenstein: Office: Norton 108; Phone:
X4307
Meeting Times:We will meet M-F, 9-11 a.m. and 1:15-3 p.m. There will be no formal afternoon meeting on the following dates: Wednesday 10/27; Friday 10/29; Monday 11/1; Friday 11/5; Tuesday 11/9, and Monday 11/15 There is no morning class on Thursday 11 November.
Required Field TripWednesday, 10 November: Field
Museum of Natural History. Van will leave from the Commons at 7 a.m., returning
at 10:30 p.m.
Required Text: Prothero, D. R., and Dott, R. H., 2010, Evolution of the Earth (8th edition),
McGraw Hill, N. Y.
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday,
3:00-4:30 p.m. I will be available
to discuss any aspect of the course during office hours or by appointment. I
encourage you to take advantage of these discussion opportunities.
Grades: I will use a variety of
metrics to gauge your performance in this course. The course grade will be determined based on your performance on
three equal exams, the laboratory, and one "take-home assignment"
that will include a short written synopsis of an assigned paper. The evaluation
formula is as follows:
Three Exams, each worth 15% = 45%; Laboratory (includes take-home
assignment) = 55%
Exams will consist of a variety of questions, including short &
long answer essays, sketching or labeling diagrams, definitions and matching.
The tests are designed to assess your understanding and application of
knowledge gained from lectures and readings. Participation in class and
laboratory discussions and improvement in performance during the block will
also count in your favor in deciding final grade.
Attendance Policy - I will not take attendance.
It is in your best interest to come to class, 9 a.m. is not that early!
Exam Policy: DON’T MISS A LAB!! Since labs build on each other, it will be very
difficult to catch up! No make-up exams will be given for a student absent from
any exams unless extraordinary circumstances (serious illness [requires a note
from health services] or death in the family) are involved. No make-up exam will be given unless you
notify the professor, either directly or by leaving a message before the
exam takes place if you cannot be in attendance. I will not grade any
assignments (lab or take-home) that are handed in late.
Cornell College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to all students. If you have a documented learning disability and will need any accommodation in this course, you must request the accommodation(s) from me as early as possible and no later than the third day of the term. Click here for more information about the policies and procedures for accommodation of learning disabilities.
Course Schedule (afternoon sessions underlined)
Week One
M. 25 Intro, Sedimentary Rocks/Structures (Chaps. 1-2); Lab 1:
Sediments and Rocks
T. 26 Sedimentary Depositional Environments (Chap. 4); Lab 2:
Textural Analysis of sediments
W. 27 Depositional Environments and Facies (Chap. 4)
TH. 28 Dating of Geologic Materials, Geol. Time Scale (Chap.5) THA #1
Handed out; Lab 3: Ordering of Events
F. 29 Principles of Paleontology and Taphonomy (Chap. 3); THA #1, Labs 1-3 due, 9 a.m.
Week Two
M. 1 FIRST EXAM
T. 2 Fossils and Biostratigraphy (Chap. 3,
cont.); Lab 4: Fossil identification, age interpretation
W. 3 Tectonics Part I (Chap. 7); Lab 5: Geologic columns
TH. 4 Tectonics Part II (Chap. 7 -cont-); Lab 6: Geologic maps
F. 5 The Archean and origin of life (Chaps.
8-9); Labs
4-6 due, 9 a.m.
Week Three
M. 8 The Proterozoic (Chaps. 8-9, cont); Lab 7: Environmental Interpretation
T. 9 SECOND EXAM; Labs 6-7
due, 4:30 p.m.
W. 10 Field
Trip: Field Museum of Natural
History, Chicago;Lab
8: Application of Techniques
TH. 11 No morning class; The Paleozoic (Chaps. 10-13)
F. 12 The
Mesozoic (Chap. 14), Lab 7 due, 9 a.m.; Lab 8: Application of Techniques
Week Four
M. 15 The Paleogene (Chaps. 15-16): Lab 8 due, 9 a.m.
T. 16 The Neogene (Chaps. 15-16); Oral
Reports
W. 17 THIRD EXAM