Department of
    Earth Science 		Northeastern Illinois University

       J Hemzacek homepage

ESCI 121
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SCIENCE
Spring 2012

 

 Review for final exam - final version  (fixed!)

Section 5
 (T Th 1:15 - 2:55)

 Announcements  important!
                               re: final exam
Schedule of Activities & Assignments
("live" version of syllabus, with links for assignments)
Jump to assignment details,
including homework,
Rock Your State - final details
& lab prep		 Course Requirements / Grading
rubric for some assignments

Go to Class Wiki        info on joining the wiki

Course Links and Images

NEIU Emergency Information

Emergency Information:
It is recognized that a safe university environment is a shared responsibility of faculty, staff, and students, all of whom are expected to familiarize themselves with and cooperate with emergency procedures.
Web links to Campus Safety: Emergency Procedures and Safety Information can be found on NEIUport on the MyNEIU tab or as follows (for the Main campus): http://www.neiu.edu/~neiutemp/Emergency_Procedures/MainCampus/

 

EXAMPLES of WEATHERING...
right here on campus!
 click to see more photos...

 

Links and Images Used in Class

earth structure:    USGS1          cutaway1
Modes of deformation:
        ductile/brittle               silly putty time lapse       sP1          SP drop
         rock deformation images:    ductile1    ductile2       ductile and brittle
                                           structural images
         convection:       lavalamp1         real mantle convection

volcanic eruptions:          Hawaii1          MtStHelens
                          virtual volcano             igneous/volcano
                          Volcano Explosivity Index    (and recurrence interval)
                                        magmas, igneous rocks, volcanoes

phase diagram                    diamond & graphite1
mohs1

sedimentary environments
sedimentary rock classification            sedimentary rocks and environments

stratigraphy and time
folding & faulting           foldfault2              cross sec1


hydrologic cycle/system:     USGS         IWR         NRCS         EoE

wthrg1         wthrg2        wthrg3

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

Earthquake Hazards Program
         Earthquake “Top 10” Lists & Maps

tornado1              animation                 preparedness guide
            severe weather primer

Earth-Sun Relations        
fronts                   airmasses

hydrologic cycle/system:      NRCS  

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

El Niño and La Niña
   

 

 

 


 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  
   
  The syllabus contains an error regarding the time for our final exam period:
the correct day and time is Tuesday, 1 May, at 2:00 pm - 3:50 pm
Please adjust your schedule accordingly!

6 Mar

 Email your photos from class today, to be received not later than 5 pm on Wednesday, 7 March.
Be sure to send to my NEIU address!!
In the body of the email, clearly identify each photo by the name of the team member* in that photo, and tell which type of weathering is represented, along with the evidence for it. 
Example: Barbara is next to an example of chemical weathering, as recognized by ....
*NOTE: If your photo(s) have more than one team-member in it/them, you will need to give more information about the specific photo, so I can match each photo with its information.

28 Feb

 Reminder about the wiki:
If you are having any troubles with accessing the wiki, please refer to the instructions that are posted here.

If you have a question or problem (OR to get started by gaining access to the wiki), DO NOT contact me through gmail/google!!  You must communicate with me through my NEIU email account, or I will not see it!
 

17 Feb

 As announced in class on Thursday, there will be no class session on Tuesday, 21 Feb.
You can consider this time to get started on the Rock Your State project: the very first requirement for this project is to choose a state by entering your name on the wiki page; then you will need to begin to find resource information about your state. 
The details of that next stage will be posted very soon... stay tuned!!

14 Feb

 New assignment is posted!

26 Jan

 New assignment!  Choose your volcano in Blackboard discussion forum, and then find details on assignment page

20 Jan

 The chart used in class (to summarize all the data that we collected) is available here:
           as a MS Word file               as a pdf file

12 Jan

 Check the assignment page for required lab preparation/ assignment for LAB WEEK 2

10 Jan

 Your first assignment is posted; use the link for the "live syllabus" to see assignments by due date; or jump directly to assignment details
about a  text for this class No specific textbook is required; however, each student must have access to appropriate text references to adequately supplement course topics.  Any earth science or physical geology textbook, published by a scientific or academic publisher in the last 8 years, is appropriate.   

I have recommended a text by Tarbuck, et al., titled Earth Science. Although the current edition is the 13th edition (Prentice Hall, 2011), older editions are perfectly appropriate and widely available at reduced cost on internet sites.  If you have access to a different textbook but are unsure whether it is appropriate for this class, simply come and ask me.

Other resources for reading and reference will be provided in class, posted on the course webpage, or posted in Blackboard. 

   



 

   SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

   * This outline will be adjusted daily as the semester proceeds.  Please check back frequently for updates.  
   * To see a list of each day's learning objectives, click on the class meeting date for your section
   * To see assignment details, go to the assignments page
       Assignment due dates given here are for reference only; check the assignments page for the most current information.
   *  Reading assignments should be completed before coming to class on the day listed.
   *  Lab worksheets and other resources must be printed and brought to class on the day listed.
 

 

 

 


 
          Links will be added, and topics updated, as the semester progresses.
 

 

  Section 5     T Th 1:15 - 2:55

 

  

Date

 TOPICS and TASKS

ASSIGNMENTS
(listed on the due date; for details, click on link)

  

 

  

 

  
10 JAN Course overview & administration; Exploration of Earth Materials    
12 JAN Earth Systems; Cycling of Earth Materials; Earth Perspective - Rock Behavior and Earth Architecture. Assignment 1 - email the instructor  
17 JAN

Earth Materials and Earth Systems;

 see lab prep requirements  
19 JAN Maps and Earth Processes optional chart for data summary is available:
MS Word document            pdf file
I will not collect this; but organizing your data
will be useful!		  
24 JAN Earth Processes and Earth System Interactions
Density, rock deformation, and large-scale patterns in the Earth surface. 		    
26 JAN Volcanic Processes; Igneous Minerals and Rocks      
 31 JAN Shaping the Earth: Mountain Building and Erosion Assignment  due  
2 FEB Products of Erosion: Sedimentary Rocks & Minerals    
7 FEB      
9 FEB Exam 1 Assignment: volcanoes and rocks  
14 FEB Minerals.   Environments and Mineral formation.    
16 FEB Igneous Rocks, Minerals, and Crystallization Assignment: rocks and minerals  
21 FEB Metamorphic rocks.    Sediments & Sedimentary Rocks       
23 FEB Earth Movements and Metamorphism; Metamorphic Minerals and Rocks    
28 FEB Sedimentary Processes and Sedimentary Environments    
1 MAR Rock and geotectonics: our dynamic earth    
6 MAR The Rock Cycle; putting it all together.     
8 MAR Earthquakes: focus, epicenter, tsunamis; earthquake maps from the USGS.    
13 MAR Earthquakes: measuring earthquakes. 
Finding the epicenter of an earthquake. 		    
15 MAR Exam 2
 		    
19-25 MAR SPRING BREAK   ☺    
27 MAR      
29 MAR      
3 APR Volcanoes.  Maps: topographic, geologic.  Global geotectonic boundaries.    
5 APR EXAM #2       
10 APR Geologic maps, streams, and topographic maps.    
12 APR  Topographic maps and streams, continued Assignment:  map scale worksheet  
17 APR Streams and stream processes Assignment: Interpreting the Rock Record  
19 APR Topographic maps and stream processes    
24 APR Streams; Weather and weather forecasting.     
26 APR Weather and forecasting, continued    
      Pulling together the big picture of how the earth works.
Rock Your State final assignment due.  		   
Tuesday
1 May		 FINAL EXAM
  Tuesday, 1 May, 12:00 - 1:50 pm  2:00 - 3:50 pm         Note the different time of day!   

ROCK YOUR STATE posters are due at the beginning of the exam period

 You should check early in the semester for conflicts with any of your scheduled exams, and
contact me if you find a conflict. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor Info:
        Instructor:     Jean Hemzacek 
        e-mail (usually the best way to reach me!):     J-Hemzacek(at)neiu.edu
                NOTE!   if typing my email address, make sure to replace the (at) in the email address with the @ symbol!
        phone/ voicemail:  773  442 - 6056  (if on-campus, use last 4 digits as extension number)
        Office:  During office hours and in general, you can find me in BBH (Science) 225F. 
                       Mail may be left for me in the marked folder on my office door.
        Office Hours:  Monday  12:00 - 1:00                                  Wednesday   2:00 - 2:30
                                   Tuesday 11:00 - 12:00, 3:00 - 3:30;          Thursday     11:00 - 12:00
                                    or by appointment             
Class meeting times: see your syllabus:         Section 5  
Course Website: http://www.neiu.edu/~jmhemzac/121/home.htm
Text: No specific textbook is required; however, each student must have an appropriate textbook reference (earth science or physical geology textbook) published by a scientific or academic publisher in the last 8 years.  One example is Tarbuck et al.,  Earth Science, 11th, 12th, 13th edition (Prentice Hall). 
Other resources will be provided in class, posted on the course webpage, or posted in Blackboard. 

Course Documents:		 printable versions of basic course documents are available through this page; see your section information at the top of the page
documents are in .pdf form;
if you do not have Adobe® Reader®, 
click here to download.
Course Description
(From the NEIU catalog)		 Introduction to Earth Science, 3 cr.  Basic concepts of geology, meteorology, oceanography, and the solar system.  Discussion of topics of current interest in the earth sciences.  Laboratory involves the study of minerals, rocks, maps, and weather instruments. Lecture 2 hours, lab 2 hours. 
Course Prerequisite: MATH 102 (Intermediate Algebra). 
This course satisfies the General Education Program Natural Science Laboratory requirement.

Course Outcomes:

 

 

 

 

 After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:
► Describe the earth as a dynamic planet– the product of various earth processes– and describe the interactions of earth processes in earth systems and cycles.
► Describe the structure of the earth and the nature of solid earth materials, and apply the techniques and tools of mineral and rock identification/classification.
► Explain the scientific theory of plate tectonics as a framework for interpreting earth form, process, and change over geologic time.
► Describe the various physical processes that shape our planet– from within and on the surface– and correlate these processes to geologic phenomena including earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, continental movements, weather and climate, and the development of landscapes.
► Analyze geologic data from a variety of published sources to interpret Earth processes.
► Read  topographic maps, geologic maps, and weather maps well enough to analyze and interpret the data present, and articulate appropriate conclusions.

Emergency Information		 It is recognized that a safe university environment is a shared responsibility of faculty, staff, and students, all of whom are expected to familiarize themselves with and cooperate with emergency procedures.

Web links to Campus Safety: Emergency Procedures and Safety Information can be found on NEIUport, on the MyNEIU tab or as follows (for the Main campus):
                  http://www.neiu.edu/~neiutemp/Emergency_Procedures/MainCampus/
 
 

 

 

SECTION 5      Course Requirements           (for more detail, see printed syllabus)
Attendance at all class sessions is expected.  The NEIU policy on class attendance applies to this course.  Frequent in-class assignments will be given and may not be made up.  Students who do not attend regularly will not be given the benefit of the doubt in cases of borderline grades, and a lower grade may be given at the instructor's discretion if absences are excessive. 

The final course grade will be calculated on the following basis:
 
Scheduled exams (2) 25 %   NOTE:  the rubric for some
assignments (graded by "check" system)
is available in this document
Final exam 20 %  
homework assignments 20 %  
lab activities/ assignments

35 %

  
Class contribution ("extra credit") +2.5%     

The grading scale is: A 100-90%; B 89-80%; C 79-70%; D 69-60%; F 59% and lower.
All course requirements must be completed to pass the course.  The final date to drop the course, per University policy, is March 30.

Students are expected to check the course webpage and their e-mail at least every other day to watch for course announcements and updates.
Students should bring the following to every class meeting: notebook, handouts, pencil and eraser.  Also bring your textbook if possible.

 Students are expected to participate in all course assessments.  On some days, you will be asked to complete anonymous "minute papers", ungraded quiz-type questions, concept maps, or survey-type questions.  This information will help me to determine the extent to which the course is meeting its goals.  To provide me with the most information so that I can make the course better, I ask that you give me your most thoughtful, honest feedback on these assessments.

Academic integrity:  The NEIU policy on academic misconduct will be strictly enforced.   This site from Indiana University explains and gives examples of plagiarism, providing helpful tips on how to avoid plagiarizing.  Cheating on homework, exams, or other course components will result in a score of zero for that element or more severe penalties, as described in the NEIU policy. 

Flexibility: This outline will change as the semester evolves.  Check this page frequently for updates!
 


 

Department of Earth Science    |   Northeastern Illinois University

Copyright 2012 J Hemzacek.  Last updated 2 Feb 2012.

 

 

The class Wiki is up and running, and is ready for you to sign up for a project topic and read all the project details.

1. The first step is that I must add you as a collaborating member of the wiki site.  Do you already have a google account?  (If you use gmail, this is your google account).  If you have a google account, go to step 2.  If not, you must first create a google account: go to google.com  
In the upper right corner, click on "sign in". Below the sign-in box on that page, there is a smaller box that asks, "Don't have a google account?" Click on "Create an account now". This will guide you through setting up an account with your preferred email. In order to complete the process, you will receive a confirming email; follow the directions to finish creating the account.

2. Send me an email from the email account associated with your google account, with the subject: ESCI 121 section (number) wiki.   When I receive the email, you will an email notification that you have been added.  Click on the link in that email: it will take you to the log-in page for google sites. (If you are using neiu email, right-click the link and choose "open in new window". For some reason, this makes a difference!)
If you have not received an email inviting you to the wiki, it is because you have not yet sent me an email - you should do this immediately!

3. The wiki page will appear and, after you have signed in**, you should see a box at the top right labeled "edit page". If the wiki page loads without a sign-in page, scroll to the bottom of the wiki page, and click "sign in" (at the left of the bottom list). If you are on the wiki page and are signed in, but still do not see the "edit page" button, let me know. Once I add you as a user, when signed in to the wiki, you should have full access to the editing functions. 

4. Stay tuned for more directions as to how we will use the wiki!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

stratigraphy and time

Be a geologist!

 		  

Interpret the sequence of
sedimentary rocks,
starting with the earliest "event"
What does each rock layer represent, in terms of the
sedimentary environment in which it formed?

What happened to cause a change in the
type of rock formed in a new layer?
   

 

http://boneblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/strat-section.jpg
 

 


Sandstone
Shale (with sandstone)

 

Sandstone

 

Shale      fossils of snails, oysters, fish

 

 

Sandstone with crossbedding

 

Claystone & Shale             dinosaur bones

 

Shale & Limestone            dinosaur tracks

 

 

 

Evaporites

 

Sandstone, large-scale crossbeds

 

Shale

Limestone           algae, marine fossils
   
   

 

 

Limestone/ Dolomite
 

Shale

Limestone/ Dolomite
Shale
Sandstone

Siltstone
Sandstone
Shale
Chapter 10, part 6, Chapter Tutorial, Early Paleozoic Events, Levin 2005: The Earth Through Time, 8th edition, Wiley
 
 
Calculations (p.1) of earthquake worksheet are to be completed by start of class on this date.
Plot of travel times for Japan earthquake is due.

Topographic and geologic maps; rock structures and global tectonism. Topographic and geologic maps; rock structures and global tectonism.  Plot of travel times for Japan earthquake is due.