GEOLOGY OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST is a great follow-up course to your Introductory Physical Geology experience. In this course, you will be learning the geological biography of one of the world’s most dynamic and complex geologic regions – our very own Pacific Northwest. Along the way, you will come to know how many of the region’s familiar landmarks formed – the Olympics, the Cascades, the San Juan Islands, the lava plains of Eastern Washington, Puget Sound…and many more. Our area has some of the world’s most fascinating geology…and you will be using your intro-geology training and a host of new insights to learn about our region in greater, richer detail.

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Here is a copy of the syllabus

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES 301

GEOLOGY OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

SPRING 2009

INSTRUCTOR: Stan Chernicoff

OFFICE: 153 Johnson Hall

PHONE#: 543.9543

E-MAIL : sechern@u.washington.edu

OFFICE HOURS: In Johnson Hall – Tuesday 10:30am-Noon/Thursday 11:30am-1pm

“LUNCH WITH STAN C.” – MWF from 12:30pm to whenever. You

can meet with Stan and your classmates to discuss geology, course-related issues, and just about any other topic imaginable. We will meet in “By George” immediately after class. (On nice Spring days, we’ll take it outside to the picnic tables on the west side of “By George.”

CLUE: ESS 301 will have its very own CLUE session. We will meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:00pm to review the week’s work and preview the upcoming week too. Here’s a chance to clarify whatever confuses you and chat informally about things

that interest you.

TEXT: “Northwest Exposures” – Alt

COURSE WEBSITE: http://faculty.washington.edu/sechern/ess301

GRADES: Your grade will be decided with a simple formula:

Laboratory: 100pts

Three Midquarters: 300pts (100 pts each)

TOTAL 400 pts

NOTE: THE EXAMS ARE NOT COMPREHENSIVE

The first two exams will be multiple/fill-in type. The third

exam will be multiple-choice only.

IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING IN THIS CLASS (THAT IS…YOU FLUNKED AN EXAM MISERABLY) …YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A SHORT MEETING WITH STAN C. TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S GOING WRONG. ** IF YOU DON’T ATTEND THESE MEETINGS…YOU CAN’T PASS THIS CLASS.**

HONOR SYSTEM: Many classes here at UW devise elaborate schemes to prevent exam-taking “misbehavior” (aka – cheating). Instead, we have chosen to trust our students and assume that all are trustworthy (amazingly naïve, aren’t we?). In this class, student pledge to do their own work on lab assignments and exams.

LABORATORY: Geology lab introduces you to some of the practical “hands- on” aspects of the subject through group exercises and class discussions of practical, relevant topics. YOU ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND ALL WEEKLY LAB SESSIONS. YOU CAN’T COMPLETE THIS COURSE WITHOUT COMPLETING THE LAB.

Your lab instructors will discuss their plans for your lab class at the first lab meeting.

LABS BEGIN – MONDAY, APRIL 6. (THERE ARE NO LABS DURING WEEK ONE OR WEEK TEN).

FIELD TRIPS: A program of weekend field outings is now being assembled to all corners of the Pacific Northwest. There is no substitute for seeing geology first-hand, so we encourage you to take full advantage of these opportunities. We’ll be distributing a handout with trip dates and places during the next few days. These trips are OPTIONAL and FREE and you even get a little extra-credit for attending – IF YOU PARTICIPATE PRODUCTIVELY. We are even planning at least one two-day trip – that will involve camping.

LECTURE SCHEDULE

Week 1	March 30	Introduction to Northwest Geology
	April 1	The Northwest in North America
	April 3	The “Early” Northwest
Week 2	April 6	The “Early” Northwest
	April 8	Quesnellia and the Intermontanes
	April 10	The Methow Valley and Wrangellia
Week 3	April 13	The Methow Valley and Wrangellia
	April 15	The North Cascades
	April 17	The North Cascades
Week 4	April 20	San Juan Islands
	EXAM REVIEW – TUESDAY, APRIL 21 6:30-8:00PM (room TBA)
	April 22	*FIRST MIDQUARTER EXAM*
	April 24	San Juan Islands
Week 5	April 27	The Three-Plate Pacific
	April 29	Cenozoic Northwest
	May 1	Early Tertiary – The Chuckanut Environment
Week 6	May 4	Early Tertiary – The Puget Lowland
	May 6	Tertiary Volcanism
	May 8	Tertiary Volcanism
Week 7	May 11	The Olympics
	May 13	The Olympics
	May 15	The Cascade Arc
Week 8	May 18	The Columbia Plateau
	REVIEW – TUESDAY, MAY 19 6:30-8:00PM (room TBA)
	May 20	*SECOND MIDQUARTER EXAM*
	May 22	The Columbia Plateau
Week 9	May 25	MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
	May 27	Modern Volcanism and Tectonics
	May 29	Modern Volcanism and Tectonics
Week 10	June 1	Glacial History of the Northwest
	June 3	Glacial History of the Northwest
	EXAM REVIEW – THURSDAY, JUNE 4 6:30-8:00PM (room TBA)
	June 5	*THIRD* *MIDQUARTER EXAM*