Course Syllabus

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GEOL 101 - Physical Geology Lecture and Lab

A phone-friendly version of the syllabus 

Instructor Contact

Instructor: Mr. Tor Björn Lacy, Professor, Cerritos College Earth Science Department
Lecture and Lab Class Times: asynchronous and online, NO scheduled meeting times
Study Hall (office hours): Wednesdays 4-5pm, Thursdays 10-11pm, Fridays 4-5pm
Email: tlacy@cerritos.edu
Contact times: Any time. Emails will typically be returned within 24 hours during the week, but emails sent during the weekend may not receive a reply until Monday.        

Required Materials

Canvas Support

Class Dates and Participation

Weekly participation is mandatory. Lack of participation = drop from the course.

Last date to...

  • drop with a refund, 8/24/22 
  • drop without a W, 9/5/22 
  • for P/NP, 9/19/22
  • drop with a W, 11/14/22 

Cerritos College will be closed on:

  • September 5, 2022 - Labor Day Holiday
  • November 11, 2022 - Veteran's Day Holiday
  • November 24-25, 2022 - Thanksgiving Holiday
  • December 24, 2022 - January 01, 2023 - Winter Break

Course Description

Welcome to Physical Geology! Physical Geology is the study of Earth, specifically, the materials that make up our planet and the processes that shape its surface. By completing this course, you will earn three units of lecture and 1 unit of lab credit transferable to CSUs and UCs.

To succeed in this course, you are expected to become familiar with many new vocabulary words and phrases, like subduction, phaneritic, and crustal deformation. You will need to think critically to solve geologic questions and communicate your understanding of geologic processes using college-level writing. Simply memorizing facts will not be enough to pass this course. An example of a critical thinking question would be: “Why does high-silica magma lead to explosive volcanic eruptions?” To answer this question, you need to know first what silica is and understand how it affects the physical properties of magma, then how these physical properties can affect a volcanic eruption. By the end of this semester, you will gain a deeper appreciation of the world around you while becoming a better thinker, which should benefit you throughout life.

The study of physical geology can be broadly categorized into the constructive geologic processes that add new rock and build up the topography of Earth’s surface and the destructive geologic processes that remove rock and wear-down landforms. The first half of this course will primarily cover the processes associated with the constructive processes, like plate tectonics and volcanic activity. The second half will focus on the processes operating in opposition to the constructive forces, the destructive forces, weathering and erosion, for example.

For most students, succeeding in this class requires hard work. According to research, students should spend 2-3 hours of study time for each hour of class time to earn good grades. For this class, that translates to about 10-12 hours of classwork per week, which will include reading, watching and considering lectures, taking and studying notes, completing with comprehension all assignments, participating in discussions, and communicating with your classmate and your professor. 

Course Expectations

Students 

  • Obtain all required materials
  • Register textbook 
  • Complete assignments with comprehension, these include: 
    • lecture and lab textbook readings
    • reading review questions
    • completing lectures and lab exercises 
    • watching, listening, and carefully considering lectures
    • participating in discussions
    • completing field trips
    • reviewing for and taking quizzes
    • communicating with your classmates and your professor    
  • Stay organized to manage your time effectively 
  • Find ways to be self-motivated
  • Be persistent and self-directed
  • Learn and use the necessary computer skills
  • Use assertive and appropriate communication skills
  • Regularly review course announcements and the class syllabus and SLOs - ensure that you understand requirements and expectations
  • Speak up if problems arise - communication is a big key to academic success 
  • Dropping the class is your responsibility. If you forget to drop the class formally, you will receive an F grade
  • Exercise academic integrity - do your own work

Instructor

  • Create a well-organized class
  • Deliver exciting and straightforward instruction
  • Provide clear expectations
  • Be fair and care about your success
  • Grading assignments and providing feedback when appropriate 
  • Support you so you can complete this online course
  • Regularly communicate with you

Attendance

For an asynchronous online class, attendance means actively participating in the class. Active participation means completing the required coursework each week. Students not actively participating in the course for more than one week may be dropped from the class. 

Course Schedule

The content of this class is arranged into weekly modules within Canvas. Some weeks may cover two modules. Each module addresses a major topic with specific learning objectives. Completing assignments with comprehension, including discussions, required readings, lectures, videos, and exercises, will be needed to achieve the learning objectives. Module quizzes will assess your level of mastery of the learning objectives. Due dates for the module assignments will be staggered, typically Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, with the Module Quizzes always being due on Mondays. Once a module is closed, its content will no longer be accessible. 

As stated above, to succeed in this class, you should be ready to invest up to spend 12 hours per week over the next 18-weeks. Your responsibilities include:

  • lecture textbook reading
  • reading review questions
  • watching, listening, and carefully considering lectures
  • reviewing notes
  • participating in discussions
  • lab textbook reading
  • completing lab activities
  • taking quizzes
  • communicating with your classmates and me.   

Student Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes (SLOs) below represent the principal learning objectives for this class. Your understanding of SLOs will be assessed in module quizzes and exams, SLO quizzes, and on the Final Exam. Each module presents a curriculum that will help you meet each of the SLOs. 

  1. Students demonstrate the ability to use the scientific method
  2. Students can describe the geologic processes, the relative movement of plates, and the distinguishing landforms associated with each type of plate boundary 
  3. Students can use physical properties to identify minerals and can explain mineral-forming processes
  4. Students can explain the rock cycle, differentiate among the three types of rocks, and use texture and composition to identify common rocks and their origins
  5. Students can describe the eruptive and physical characteristics of different types of volcanoes
  6. Students can describe the role weathering, mass wasting, and erosion play in shaping Earth’s surface and can provide and/or identify examples of each of these processes
  7. Students can relate tectonic stresses to plate boundaries, geologic structures, crustal deformation, and the building of mountains
  8. Students can differentiate between constructive and destructive geologic processes, can explain the energy driving these processes, and can identify examples of each

Each module will cover more specific learning objectives, which will be introduced at the start of each module.  Your textbooks also list learning objectives that highlight the principal learning objectives of the assigned reading.

SLOs and reading and module learning objectives should be considered study guides for quizzes and exams. 

Communication

There are many ways that we will connect this semester. Each section below explains what you can expect regarding how I will communicate with you and how I would like you to communicate with your peers and me.

Contacting Me 

When you contact me, please note the name of the course and the section number in the subject line of your email address to tlacy@cerritos.edu or The Canvas Inbox. Please be specific with how I can help. Examples:

  • Good: Hi Professor, Can you explain the connection between cooling rate and grain size in igneous rocks?
  • Not Good: I don’t get igneous rocks. 

Pronto

Pronto is an app you can add to your phone/tablet and is in Canvas along the left-side icon bar. Pronto is a fun and simple way to chat with your classmates and me about course-related questions/concerns/ideas that you want to share with others. Be sure to exercise appropriate netiquette (see below).  

Discussions

You will be participating in online discussions. Here are the expectations for discussions:

  • Your initial post should thoroughly address the prompt and use college-level writing
  • Reply thoughtfully and respectfully to others (see “Netiquette”)

How I will communicate with you

  • Announcements - be sure to check for announcements every time you enter into Canvas. 
  • Email messages
  • Grading Communication: You can access my comments on your graded assignments in the grade book (Canvas guide on how to find instructor comments). Just click on the assignment for details. Be sure to sign up for notifications. If you have questions about your assignment grades, PLEASE email! If there are mistakes, I have no problem adjusting scores.  
  • Student Hall: Student Hall (office hours) is intended as a time where I can provide you with one-on-one review and practice on concepts related to the course SLOs, answer questions, or just talk. Student hours are by appointment.  

Netiquette

  • Text communications are easier to misinterpret. Remember this and be careful about the way you phrase your communications. If you feel that you have been misinterpreted, please bring it to my attention so we can take care of the matter.
  • Be respectful to your classmates and instructor - be aware that what you write may be misconstrued, so think about it before sending it. Do not belittle any of your classmate’s opinions/ideas - everyone is entitled to their own ideas whether you agree or not; it is okay to disagree constructively.
  • Be careful with humor and sarcasm. One person’s humorous comment may push another person’s buttons or may even be seen as offensive.
  • Do not write in all capitals - this is considered SHOUTING. If I write in all caps, it is super important.  
  • Do not write in texting language. If you are saying “U” make sure to spell out you. Also, remember that the word “I” should be capitalized. Try to express yourself using proper spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and punctuation.
  • Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.
  • Take time to understand the context of a discussion before posting your thoughts.
  • Read existing follow-up postings and don’t repeat what has already been stated.
  • Do not respond to discussions with sentences like “I agree” or “Me too”. These add nothing to discussions and will earn zero points.
  • Know what you are talking about and make sense. Don’t just post something to post something. At the same time, we are all members of a community. Please plan to contribute regularly—your contributions play a role in our community’s collective strength and diversity.
  • Remember that we all have questions that we want to be answered, but don’t expect answers to be sent immediately. The beauty of online responses is that we can fit them in based on our own schedules, which may mean no one may be online when you are!
  • Please share your knowledge and experiences! This will help enrich the online learning experience for everyone. 
  • Be forgiving of others’ mistakes; if someone breaks a netiquette rule, we can kindly let the person know and then let it go.

Assignments

Assignments should be accessed from within the course modules only. Occasionally, while I update assignments, you may get a notification about an assignment that isn’t listed in the active module. However, unless the assignment is part of a published module, you do not need to worry about it. 

Late assignments are accepted up to the closing day and time for the module, Sundays, 11:59 pm. Late assignments will be marked down at a rate of 10% per day late but will never be penalized more than 50%. Late work will not be accepted after the module containing that assignment has closed. Missing assignments receive a zero score.    

Lecture and Lecture Assignments

Lectures will be a component of each module. Lecture content will include recorded videos, animations, and assigned readings. You are expected to carefully watch and listen to the lectures and take notes from them, just as you would in an in-person class. Lectures will address SLOs and module learning objectives and will provide you with much of the content you need to complete exercises and quizzes.  To succeed in this class, you should complete reading assignments from the lecture textbook, An Introduction to Geology, and your laboratory textbook, Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology, 4th ed. BEFORE starting other assignments in the module. The readings will often contain fundamental information needed to complete the exercises with comprehension and to perform well on quizzes/exams. 

Unless specified otherwise, please use one of the following file formats when uploading files: 

  • .bmp    
  • .png
  • .jpeg    
  • .svg    
  • .jpg

Discussions

Regular and thoughtful discussion contributions are expected to follow the netiquette guidelines discussed earlier in this syllabus. Grading of discussions will be based on the discussion rubric, which can be accessed through each discussion assignment. 

Labs and Lab Exercises 

Laboratory exercises will be a part of each module and will provide you with practice to help you achieve the learning objectives. Some lab exercises will mostly come from your lab textbook, Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology. Note that lab exercises distributed during in-person lab meetings (does not apply to fully online classes) cannot be made up unless you have cleared your absence beforehand with the instructor. 

Note: The instructor reserves the right to change the assignments and due dates if necessary.

Quizzes

Quizzes will assess your comprehension of lecture content, assigned readings, discussions, lab exercises, and the SLOs. Each module will include at least one quiz to assess your understanding of the curriculum covered in that module. 

All quizzes are open books and notes but not open to classmates/roommates/siblings/parents/internet, etc. Any work that is not your own will result in a zero score for that assessment. There is no making up missed quizzes. 

Proctorio will be used to monitor activity while quizzes are in progress.

Projects and Exams

Summary or summative assessments in the form of projects or exams will measure your understanding of the SLOs and learning outcomes that were covered over several modules. 

Proctorio will be used to monitor activity while quizzes are in progress.

Final Exam

A comprehensive final exam will be given during final exam week. This exam will assess your understanding of the course SLOs and the most important module learning objectives covered during the semester. 

Assignment Support

Please contact me or our TA and/or attend study hall sessions for help if you need guidance on any assignment. I love helping my students succeed!  

Grading

I will make every effort to grade your assignments and comment on your assignments as soon as I am able. If you turn in work late, though, you should expect that grading and comments will also be late in coming. In either case, be sure to read any comments because they should help you prepare for quizzes, summative assessments, and the final exam. For guidance about viewing comments, see How do I view comments from my instructor. 

All exercises, quizzes, discussions, and your course grade will use this grading scale: 

A = 90%-100%
B = 80%-89%
C = 70%-79%
D = 60%-69%
F = < 60%                                                                                                                                              

Course grade is determined by: 

Course Grade Criteria
Category Total %
Discussions 10%
Lecture Assignments   10%
Lab Exercises  20%
Quizzes  20%
Summative Assessments 20%
Final Exam 20%
Total 100%

Academic Integrity (from Academic Dishonesty, Cerritos College Class Schedule)

Academic Dishonesty is defined as the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for work by using any dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means. Examples of academic dishonesty would include, but not be limited to the following:

  • Copying, either in part or in whole, from another’s test or examination;
  • Discussion of answers or ideas relating to the answers, on examination or test when the instructor prohibits such discussion;
  • Obtaining copies of an exam without the permission of the instructor;
  • Using notes, “Cheatsheets,” or otherwise utilizing information or devices not considered appropriate under the prescribed test conditions;
  • Altering a grade or interfering with the grading procedures in any course;
  • Allowing someone other than the officially enrolled student to represent the same;
  • Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking the ideas, words, or specific substantive material of another and offering them as one’s own without giving credit to the source.

The faculty member may take options to the extent that the faculty member considers cheating or plagiarism to manifest the student’s lack of scholarship or reflect on the student’s lack of academic performance in the course. One or more of the following actions are available to the faculty member who suspects a student has been cheating or plagiarizing:

  1. Review-no action.
  2. An oral reprimand with emphasis on counseling toward prevention of further occurrences.
  3. A requirement that work is repeated.
  4. A reduction of the grade earned on the specific work in question, including the possibility of no credit for the work.
  5. A reduction of the course grade due to item 4 above, including the possibility of a failing grade for the course.
  6. Referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs for further administrative action, such as suspension or expulsion 

For this course, cheating will result in a zero score for the assignment. If a student is suspected of subsequent cheating items 5 and 6 above will be considered.  

Diversity

I strive to maintain knowledge and sensitivity of the impact of race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity in my daily teaching. I am committed to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Recording Lecture Content

Section 78907 of the California Education Code prohibits the use of any electronic audio or video recording devices (including cell phones, laptops, etc.) without the prior consent of the instructor. According to school policy, any student violating this section shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action and will be dealt with:  https://www.cerritos.edu/board/_includes/docs/BP/BP_5500.pdf.  

Students with Accessibility Needs

If you have a documented disability or think you may have a disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please get in touch with your instructor as soon as possible. I’m here to help. If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting accommodation, you should also contact the Cerritos College Student Accessibility Services (SAS), as early as possible in the term to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due