Natural Science 232 - Earth Science

Generic "Online" Course Syllabus

Instructor: Jim Mihal
E-Mail: natsci followed by @wi.rr.com (sorry but I do it this way to avoid spammers)
Office: A 205-A South Campus
6665 S. Howell Ave
Oak Creek, WI 53154
Office Hours: Email me anytime, I will try to respond within 24 hours
Phone: (414) 571-4658   I also give my cell number in blackboard.
Prerequisites: None
Credits: 3

Required Materials: All of the reading material is online and free. You can reach this material by clicking the Study Guide links below.  If you would like to purchase (for about $15) a hard copy of these handouts, please indicate that in the class survey (found in the welcome message in blackboard's announcement page).  A hard copy of all material is very helpful when taking online quizzes and tests ... it is highly recommended that you purchase these materials at the South Campus bookstore. Call (414) 571-4726 to check if they are in-stock. You can even order these handouts on-line and have them shipped to your house for an additional $5. In addition, there is an optional text you can purchase to supplement your reading: Earth Science- Understanding Environmental Systems by Edgar Spencer ISBN: 0-07-234146-7.

Format: Online reading, discussion, homework assignments and evaluations.  All class related material is offered through Blackboard.

Important: Please read the "Welcome Message" for class procedures.  This message can be found in the announcements page in blackboard.  There you will find a short survey (worth 10 points) which requests information I need to get you set up in this class.  This message also gives details about tests, assignments and discussion topics and information on due dates.  There are some things you will need to do immediately.  They are:

• Log into blackboard and access this class
• Access your MATC email account (there is even a procedure which lets you forward your MATC mail to another email account ... procedures given by system administrator)
• Send me answers to an initial survey (details are given in the "welcome message"  ... and also worth 10 bonus points)
• Introduce yourself in the discussion board (and also worth 10 bonus points)

I hope you enjoy this course in earth science. You will not be required to do any complex mathematics in this course. However, we will present many ideas and concepts in this class and this is the material I will stress on the evaluations. The course can be broken down into these main topics:

Structure and Evolution of the Earth - (Minerals, Plate Tectonics, Weathering, Erosion, Deposition, Life)
Geological features and activities of the Earth's crust - (Glaciers, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Oceans, Mountain Building)
Geologic Cycles - (Water, Rock, Carbon)
Energy as a resource - (What we use, How we get it, Alternatives)
The Atmosphere - (How the earth balances its solar energy)
Astronomy - (Where we fit in the Big Picture)

Blackboard

This class is administered through a program called Blackboard. You will find links to all class related materials (including this syllabus) by visiting the MATC web site and logging on to Blackboard.  You will want to verify your access to blackboard soon after this introduction.

Evaluations

There will be 5 tests worth 100 points each. All 100 point tests are taken online through blackboard.  I'm offering you a chance to prepare for each test with a practice quiz (worth no points).  The final exam is comprehensive and is worth 200 points.  The final exam is a proctored test (taken under supervision) with complete proctoring details given about a month before it is offered. Students missing the final test (or not following the proctoring procedures) will receive a zero.

Homework Assignments

You are required to watch four videos from the NOVA mini-series ORIGINS.  Each video assignment is worth 50 points for a total of 200 points for the entire series.  Details regarding this assignment can be founds in the icon labeled Assignments in blackboard.  In addition, all students are required to earn 200 additional points which may be earned by doing additional assignments or researching topics found in the discussion board.  Please see the details in the blackboard folders labeled assignments and discussion board.  You get to choose the way you earn these additional points.  I will accept up to 50 points as extra credit if you decide to complete more than the required minimum (required additional points).

Grades are determined as follows:

 

	Point Value	Location in Blackboard	Due Dates
5 Unit Tests (each worth 100 points)	500 total	Course Documents	Look in the Course Documents / Tests folder (each test is only open for a limited time)
Comprehensive Proctored Final Exam	200
Required Homework Assignments	200	Assignments	Due before the last day of class
Required Additional Points	200	Assignments and/or Discussion Board	Additional assignments must be done before the last day of class but the discussion topics have well defined due dates which are listed in the discussion board
Extra Credit	50	Assignments and/or Discussion Board	Additional assignments must be done before the last day of class but the discussion topics have well defined due dates which are listed in the discussion board

There are 1100 possible points you can earn in this class. Your grade is based on a percentage basis of that total.

Due Dates

Unit tests are available over a generous range of dates.  See the folder labeled course documents for the exact dates the tests will be available.  If (for any reason) you miss a test, ... don't panic.  All tests will reopen at the very end of the class.   You may complete the required NOVA - Origins assignments anytime before the last day of the class as well as the required additional assessments.   However, some of these additional points may be earned by answering research questions on the discussion board.  Discussion questions closely follow the lecture material.  Each discussion question has a range of dates that you should submit your answer in.  Please pay close attention to the discussion due dates because once I post the answers, I can not accept any late work.   It is a good idea to submit your work to the discussion board well ahead of the due date.  If your response in incorrect, needs alterations, and/or corrections, you can resubmit work as long as the answers have not been posted.

I hope you enjoy this class...Good Luck!

Links

Geology Glossary Links

http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/glossary.html

Some GREAT general links:

Earth Science Resources: Geology, Oceanography, Astronomy & Ecology

About.com -Geology

Study Guides / Lecture Notes