Instructor: Terry Swanson
Office: 102 Johnson Hall
Email: tswanson@u.washington.edu
Phone #: 543-1923
Office Hours: Tuesday 12:30-1:20 pm Thursday 12:30-1:20 pm.
Text: Quaternary Environments Williams et al. 1998. Arnold Publishing (2nd edition)
Grades: Your grade will be determined as follows:
Laboratory (JHN 306)
140 points (80 points labs, 60 points term paper and presentation)
Abstract (field trip)
20 points
Midquarter Exam
120 points
Final Exam
120 points
TOTAL 400 points
The midquarter and final exams will be short answer and essay type questions. Both examinations cover material from lecture and the text. The final examination will give greater emphasis to material covered in the second half of the quarter. Students taking this course will be given writing credit; therefore, a 10-12 page research paper will required for this course.
Laboratory: The laboratory is intended to introduce you to the practical applications of geology through group lab exercises and lab field trips. You are expected to attend all weekly laboratory sessions. You cannot complete this course without completing the lab. Your lab instructor will discuss his/her lab schedule at the first lab meeting. Labs commence on Tuesday October 9th!
Lab Fee: A lab fee has been assessed to your tuition bill to cover the expenditures for copying lab handouts, van rentals for field trips, and miscellaneous lab supplies.
Honor System: Rather than spend time trying to devise special tests, hire proctors, or compare papers, we have instituted an Honor System in this class: Students pledge to do their own work on assignments and tests. You may find that we are much more respectful and trusting of you compared to some other classes; please do not violate that trust by asking others to supply you with assignment and/or test answers. Cheating will be dealt with harshly. We will go out of my way to help you learn, so please take advantage of our enthusiasm and not our trust!
Student Assistance: My office hours will be flexible to accommodate your varied schedules. Your lab instructor will also hold office hours to assist you with problems.
Field Trips: A program of 2 weekend field trips will be
offered on certain weekend days. You will receive 20 points credit
for attending at least one of these field trips and writing a scientific
abstract on your field work. There is no substitute for seeing geology
first hand, so we encourage you to take full advantage these field trips.
There will be a sign-up list in class for those of you who would like to
attend a particular trip. None of the field trips are too strenuous
that anyone need worry about their endurance.
LECTURE SCHEDULE
TOPIC READING
Weeks 1-5
I. Introduction to Ice Ages; Glacial
Theory
Assigned Readings: Imbrie
and Imbire handout
III. Glacial Landforms and Materials
Ch. 1, 2 & 3
-erosional
-depositional
IV. Ice
Age Chronology
Ch. 3; Appendix, Assigned Readings: Dating Methods
V. Causes
of Glaciation
Ch. 2, 4 & 5 Assigned Readings 3: -terrestrial
-celestial
Ch. 1 & Ch. 2 Ancient Ice Ages (Pre-Pleistocene)
(pp.38-86) Pleistocene Glaciation
(pp. 86-96) Holocene Interglaciation
Midterm Tuesday November 5th (in class)
Weeks 6-10
VI. Evidence for Past Climatic Change
Ch. 2: Ice Core Records
Ch. 6: Sea Level Changes
Ch. 7: Evidence from Oceans
Ch. 8 & 9: Terrestrial Record
Lakes, Rivers, Groundwater, and Arid Regions
Ch. 10: Terrestrial Flora and Fauna
Ch. 11: Human evolution and migration
Ch. 12: Global climate models and atmospheric circulation
Ch. 13: Future environmental change
--------
Final Exam - Friday December 13th 10:30
am-12:20 pm (in class).