GEOLOGY in the NEWS

A floating island of pumice
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A New Island in the Red Sea?
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WELCOME! 
This webpage is the primary informational source for this class. 
Resources and detailed information that you will need to succeed
will be provided in class and on this page.

announcements 
Term project information -updated 9 December  clarifications  
syllabus "live" version - with assignment details 
course documents  printable versions       
assignments: due dates, resources, etc.    updated 9 Dec
class resources and web links:
        ^{Academic Integrity: do you know how to avoid problems? 
         --> Many people are unclear as to what constitutes plagiarism.
                Use the resources below to be sure that your work is free of violations:}
                       ►NEIU Student Conduct code
                       ►NEIU on-line tutorial
                       ►Indiana University: How to Recognize Plagiarism

Mineral Identification Tests (mineral properties): printable version

volcanic eruptions:          Hawaii 3          MtStHelens
         volcano videos:  1- plate tec     2-kilauea     pele    lava lab  
                               3-pompeii   4-pyrocl 
                               5-montserrat    6-pinatubo    7-predicting? NZ      8-ring of fire
                               Hawaii 2 - flows     flow2     Hawaii 1 - spectacular eruptions
                                           Kilauea full episode    Sicily and Hawaii
                               Iceland:    typical     1news     dramatic video
                               virtual volcano  

Types of deformational behavior of solid materials:
             ductile/brittle               silly putty time lapse       sP1          SP drop
             rock deformation images:    ductile1    ductile2       ductile and brittle
                                           structural images
             convection:    lava lamp       real mantle convection
                                 lavalamp1 

 faults:  block diagrams
              folding & faulting           foldfault2   
                        GGRB Cross Sec1     cross sec1a
 plate tectonics:  rifting and continental collisions             animation: rifting
              animation: subduction, collision           seeing plate boundaries
              fault zone          folds

NOVA presentation about the Japan earthquake and tsunami:
available online at:   NOVA | Japan's Killer Quake

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

sedimentary environments      figure     more        self-quiz
sedimentary rock ID key

 Earth systems: 
                  rock cycle      1        2         3       a     .
              water cycle      1        2      .NRCS  
                                    USGS         IWR         EoE

Course Handouts
and Other Important Stuff

printable versions - as given in class:
course syllabus (schedule of topics)
course information (grading, etc.)
tips for success              classroom/lab rules
criteria for homework and rubric for assignments
  
additional course information:
General Education program goals
 

tornado1                      animation
             preparedness guide

Earth-Sun Relations

 hydrologic cycle/system:      NRCS  

weather wise (lessons in weather)
            air masses            fronts                Coriolis effect
                                 cyclonic flow

            severe weather primer

El Niño and La Niña

some documents are in .pdf form;     
if you do not have Adobe^(R) Reader^(R),     
click here to download.      

There are many appropriate textbooks available for this course.  Some suggestions are listed below.  Beck's Bookstore will have textbooks available for other sections of this course, and you are welcome to purchase and use any of those texts; however, you should note that a text  for ESCI 121 (this course) will be different than a text for ESCI 123 (the other ESCI GenEd course). 
The focus of an appropriate text for this class will be on the physical geology (how and why the earth works the way it does; the nature and origin of earth materials, etc.) and other earth science topics (ocean and atmosphere science, including weather and climate processes). 
A text for ESCI 123 is more focused on earth surface processes and the interaction/effects of earth processes on the human experience.

New editions of texts are rather pricey, but older editions are rather widely available (through internet sites, etc.) at much reduced cost. 
While an older edition will be perfectly useful to you, I suggest that you use a text edition not older than 2 editions previous (e.g., 7th or 8th, instead of 9th).  Check with friends who may have taken this course!  Perhaps you can borrow a text from someone you know!

** ONE CAUTION:  Whichever option you choose for a text, think about the timing!  If you are ordering online, make sure to order from reputable sellers, so that you know you will receive your text in a timely manner.  Make use of options such as expedited shipping (for a very inexpensive text, this is a good investment!) or check into, for example, Amazon Prime's free 3-day shipping option.  (I believe that Prime membership is free for students)  You don't want to still be waiting for your text as the first exam approaches!
 

title; author (publisher)

Earth Science; Tarbuck et al. (Prentice Hall)
The Blue Planet; Skinner (Wiley)
The Good Earth; McConnell (McGraw Hill)
Earth Lab; Owens (Thomson)

Of course there are others!
 

Term Project Information and Resources

• For an overview of the term project and requirements, see this document.
  REVISION:  Font size on poster is flexible; but main elements should be identifiable from a short distance away.

•                   

• For more details on the evaluation of the project, see the rubric.

• Be sure to check the assignment page for deadlines and due dates of project "steps" to keep you on track!

• Download the PowerPoint template here   To clarify: the template is a blank PowerPoint file.  It is provided so that everyone's slides are the same size, which means they will be compatible when I merge all of them into one file.  There is nothing special or different about these slides, except the page size.  SO: please use the template, but your project layout on these slides can be any way that you prefer!  :O)

• PLEASE!  Before submitting your PowerPoint file, please name the file so that it begins with your name.
  e.g., Hemzacek Grand Canyon    or   J Hemzacek     or  Jean Hemzacek Grand Canyon
  This will make things so much easier for me!  :o)

• As mentioned in class on 3 Dec, you may add a 4th slide to your PP, if needed.  I would rather it be 4 slides that are less squishy, instead of 3 that are too crowded and difficult to read. Okay - just realized that I did not include a stipulation of number of slides, except to say, "use template as supplied."  So I will not impose a restriction now; HOWEVER(!) your PP should be a concise summary of the geologic aspects, with a focus on the teaching idea.  Don't go overboard!  :o)

TODAY:
Cloudy. Areas of dense fog early in the morning...then areas of fog
        late in the morning.
Patchy drizzle in the morning. Chance of showers and thunderstorms
        late in the afternoon.
Continued unseasonably warm. Highs in the upper 60s.
South winds 10 to 15 mph early in the morning becoming 10 to 20 mph
        with gusts up to 30 mph in the late morning and afternoon.
Chance of measurable precipitation 30 percent.

WEDNESDAY:
Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy.
Highs in the upper 30s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

CURRENT:
       T = 58.5°
       RH = 100%
       winds:   S, 6 mph (average); gusts  15 mph SSW
       wind chill:   58°
       dew point:   59° 
       barometer:     29.91 inches; falling