Instructor: Karen Stelly

Email: stellyks@lamarpa.edu

Phone: 409-554-3493

Office Location and Hours: 10 am to 10 pm Sunday - Saturday

Additional Contact Information:

Introduction to the study of the materials and processes that have modified and shaped the surface and interior of Earth over time. These processes are described by theories based on experimental data and geologic data gathered from field observations.

Lecture Textbook https://opengeology.org/textbook/ (It's FREE!)

Technology Requirements

• You must have a computer with Windows 10 or above, MacOSX 10.13 or above, ChromeOS or more recent.
• You must have MS Office, specifically Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• If you do not have Office already you can use the free version in your school email Outlook, but you must save your document to your computer and not the cloud, I cannot open those. Alternatively, you can download a free version called OpenOffice available at https://www.openoffice.org/download/
• You must have a printer with scanner OR phone with camera for the purpose of making a digital image of some lab work.

**I cannot open a .pages file, google docs, or other cloud link, and neither can Blackboard. If you do not have Word on your computer (PC or Mac), please download the free version from the link above.

Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Recommended: GEOL 1103

Explain processes and interactions of earth layers and components as they apply to the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere

Identify minerals and where/how rocks form in relation to tectonic and sedimentary processes

Demonstrate knowledge of the formation of landforms, weathering and erosion types, mass wasting styles, and the interaction between land and ocean

Explain how humans have influenced climate change and understand the role of fossil fuels in this change, and identify where our resources come from

Describe how the scientific method has led to our current understanding of Earth’s structure and processes.

Interpret the origin and distribution of minerals, rocks and geologic resources.

Describe the theory of plate tectonics and its relationship to the formation and distribution of Earth’s crustal features.

Quantify the rates of physical and chemical processes acting on Earth and how these processes fit into the context of geologic time.

Communicate how surface processes are driven by interactions among Earth’s systems (e.g., the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere).

Identify and describe the internal structure and dynamics of Earth.

Describe the interaction of humans with Earth (e.g., resource development or hazard assessment).

Understanding Science

Plate Tectonics

Minerals

Igneous Processes and Volcanoes

Weathering, Erosion, and Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Geologic Time

Crustal Deformation and Earthquakes

Mass Wasting

Water

Coastlines

Deserts

Glaciers

Global Climate change

Energy and Mineral Resources

Assignment 1 due September 20

Test 1 due September 27

Assignment 2 due October 11

Test 2 due October 18

Assignment 3 due November 1

Test 3 due November 8

Assignment 4 due December 2

Test 4 due December 2

Final Exam and Extra Credit due December 6

There will be an Acknowledgment, 4 assignments, 4 short (50 questions, 100 points) exams, the final will be comprehensive (100 questions, 200 points). Lecture is 75% of grade, lab is other 25%. 

Acknowledgment 10 points

3 assignments 120 (40 points each)

1 Group assignment 50 points

Test 1      100 (2 points each of 50 multiple choice questions)

Test 2      100

Test 3      100

Test 4      100

Final exam  200 (2 points each of 100 questions, questions taken from the previous 4 tests)

Total      780

780-702 points – A (100-90%)

701-624 points – B (89-80%)

623-546 points – C (79-70%)

545-468 points – D (69-60%)

467 and lower – F (59% or lower)

780-702 points – A (100-90%)

701-624 points – B (89-80%)

623-546 points – C (79-70%)

545-468 points – D (69-60%)

467 and lower – F (59% or lower)

Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and cheating is not acceptable in this class, and will be dealt with by way of irreplaceable zeros.

Late policy: There are certain deadlines indicated in the course schedule after which certain work will not be graded.

Grading only happens once: Once something is graded, you do not get to re-do it for a better grade.

Test make-ups: None. You will have from the start of the course until the due date to complete the tests. Please do not wait until the last hour. You may only take each test once. You will have 1 hour to complete each regular test, and 3 hours for the final.

Drop Policy: Students can only drop this course during the regular drop period set up by Lamar University. Please let me know if you are going to drop the course via email on the Blackboard site. It is the student’s responsibility to drop the course.

Disability: If you have a disability that prevents you from completing work, please let me know as soon as possible.

Attendance will be met by submitting assignments and tests.

Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.

Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.

This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.

LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.

For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.