ARSC/GEOL 2110
Physical Science of the Earth System
Syllabus
Fall 2001

Overview  This class covers basic concepts of physics and chemistry, taught in the context of Earth and space science.  Our planetary home provides the story that ties the course together into a coherent whole, while we will investigate fundamental concepts in physical science, such as energy, radiation, convection, and the structure of the atom, as we need these concepts to understand aspects of Earth.  A small anticipated class size and our emphasis on student investigations, labs and field work, and active learning make this course particularly appropriate for future elementary teachers and recommended by the College of Education for that purpose.

As prerequisites, you should have had two high school science courses at the college prep level. The course is not heavily quantitative but we do expect you to be able to do some basic mathematical reasoning and calculations.  The course is approved for arts and sciences core curriculum in the natural sciences and is cross-listed between Geological Science (GEOL) and Arts and Sciences (ARSC).

Instructors 

• Susan Buhr, Ph.D.   Office:  Ekeley W223, 303-492-5657, susan.buhr@colorado.edu
• Sandra Laursen, Ph.D.  Office:  CU Building 49, 1333 Grandview Terrace Dr., Room 201, 303-492-5431,  sandra.laursen@colorado.edu

Course goals  Our goals for students are as follows: 

• to learn fundamental concepts of Earth system science and the physical science behind some Earth phenomena
• to develop an appreciation for the complex interactions within the Earth system and of the Earth with its neighboring stars and planets
• to gain scientific skills in observation, measurement, reasoning, teamwork, and communication
• to develop as an active and independent learner, to gain awareness of your own learning style, and to take responsibility for your own learning
• to enjoy working together with students and instructors as a group of learners

Course philosophy  We subscribe to the educational philosophy of constructivism:  Learners must build their own understanding of concepts and ideas and connect it with ideas and concepts they already know.  That means learning is not like a bank, where we can deposit concepts into your head as easily as we can deposit a check and they stay there earning interest.  It is more like a carpentry shop, where we can provide materials, tools, instruction (experiences that help you build and strengthen concepts) and a supportive learning environment, but you must be the one to bring those things together to build a structure.  Moreover, each new idea builds on old ones, so it is important to test those old ideas and challenge the ones that are not as useful, just as a good carpenter would not build a fancy carved back for a chair with rickety legs. 

As instructors, we consider our role to be that of instructional designer and facilitator, resource provider, and advanced learner:  the “guide on the side” rather than the “sage on the stage”.  Periodically, we will bring in outside expertise to support our open-ended investigations in the disciplines represented in this course.  Because we will encounter unfamiliar phenomena as we investigate the natural world, we will model the curiosity and research skills that we would like you to develop.  We look forward to working with you.

Course materials  The texts used in this course are The Blue Planet:  An Introduction to Earth System Science, 2^nd ed., by B. J. Skinner, S. C. Porter, and D. B. Botkin, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1999, and Stars:  What’s in a Star?, ChemConnections module, M. C. Kido, S. E. Kegley, G. Bothun, G. W. Marcy, beta version, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2000.  You will need to purchase both of these from the bookstore.  Lab handouts will be collected into a manual and available in class after the first week for $8.00.  This covers the cost of duplication and materials, since a course fee has not been charged.  You will need a lab notebook for your lab notes and field notes.   You will sign out a hand lens and compass to use all semester, and will be responsible for the replacement cost if necessary ($11 plus shipping).  Other materials will be checked out as needed.

Communication 
Dr. Buhr's office hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 11 AM - 12PM. Dr. Laursen's office hours will be announced shortly.
Assignments and messages for us may be left in the GEOL 2110 mailbox in the Geological Sciences office on the 2^nd floor of Benson Earth Sciences.

Internet resources, announcements, deadlines, and other materials will be available on the course web site, http://www.colorado.edu/GeolSci/courses/GEOL2110/.  The website will also be accessible from  http://cires.colorado.edu/~k12,  or from the Geological Sciences department’s home page, http://www.colorado.edu/geolsci.  Follow Courses menu to 2000-level courses.  Please check the web page regularly for updates and resources to support your learning.

E-mail is an effective communications tool that we will use regularly.  Please check your e-mail at least once a week.  You will occasionally use the computer lab in Benson.  Please acquire and have your computer login and Identi-Key available with you in class.  If you have forgotten your log-in info or need a new account, go to ITS for help.

Class activities and attendance 
Class meets 2:00-4:50 PM, Tuesday and Thursday, in Benson Earth Sciences 155.  We will engage in a variety of activities, including field work, experiments, computer work, lecture, discussion, and problem-solving.  This is not primarily a lecture class and you should expect to be active and busy for the full class session.  Class time is the most important component of this course!  There is no substitute for the active and hands-on learning that we will do in class.  Group work, field trips, and lab activities can often not be made up, although we will do our best to help you learn the material if you are absent.   Make every possible effort to come to class, and please notify us in advance if you must miss class. 

Reading assignments will be made from the text chapters noted in the attached grid and occasionally from outside articles. Assigned reading and lab handouts should be read prior to class.  We plan to follow the schedule in the grid but reserve the right to adjust the schedule to accommodate student needs and scheduling constraints (e.g. field trips on sunny days!).

Attendance will be recorded at each class meeting.  Your attendance will be calculated as a percentage of class meetings (e.g. 28 attended out of 30 classes = 93%, 20 attended out of 30 = 67%) and averaged into your grade with the same weight as three lab reports. 

Graded assignments
Two exams and a comprehensive final will be given.  Exams will include short-answer and essay questions with a strong emphasis on explaining concepts, interpreting data, describing and giving examples of phenomena.  You will be allowed to use your books, lab materials, and any hand-written notes you have taken as resources, especially for providing detailed facts to support  your explanations, but be aware that you will not be successful on the tests if you do not study ahead of time.  The final exam is scheduled by the university and cannot be changed except in unusual circumstances.  Please note exam dates before scheduling any holiday travel.

Weekly reports on class activities, labs, and field trips will constitute a major portion of the grade.  A lab report on each week’s class and lab activities will be due at the start of class on Thursday of the following week, except where holidays etc. necessitate a schedule change, which will be announced and posted on the course web page. In general you will do in class most of the work needed to answer the report questions, but you will be asked to summarize, synthesize and apply the material in the report.  Lab report questions may cover both class sessions for the week but will be due on the same due date the following week. 

In addition, you will complete an unannounced Question of the Day (QOTD) approximately once a week.  This question will be written on the board at the start of class, to be done in class and turned in immediately.  The purpose of the Question of the Day is to allow us to assess your understanding and preparation for a topic and to help you develop the habit of preparing for and attending class.  QOTD topics may be drawn from the assigned reading in the text or lab handout or from topics discussed in class recently.  QOTDs cannot be made up or turned in late.

Course project 
Each student will conduct an individual course project that is a field assessment of a site you choose.  As a class, we will learn several techniques for observing and making measurements on water, soil, rocks, air, weather, etc.  You will apply these techniques and some of your own choosing to your site and relate your detailed observations about your very local site to larger regional and global scale phenomena.  At the end of the class, you will present your site assessment at an exciting and festive scientific occasion, the poster session.  More about the course project is contained on your handout  “Course Project”.

To get your course project started, select a field site.  The site should have water (a pond or stream), soil, and other natural features of your choice.  It should be on public land or land that you have the owner’s permission to visit.  You will be making observations of the water, air, weather, soil, rocks, and living organisms at your site.  You will be looking for diurnal (time of day) and seasonal changes, relating your findings to larger-scale regional phenomena, and evaluating human impact on your site, so consider these factors in making your choice.  You will visit your field site several times this semester, so choose a location you find pleasant, convenient, and safe. Each student must have a distinct site, though sites may be near each other.  Wander the campus, take a walk along the Boulder Creek path, or bicycle along one of the other Boulder bike paths if you need ideas.

First site visit  Select a field site for your project.  In your field notebook, record your initial observations of the site.

First Question of the Day  In an e-mail message to both of us,  describe the location of the field site you have chosen.  Describe a few features that you believe will be interesting to study or that led you to choose the site.  Turn in this assignment via e-mail with copies to both of us and yourself, as a record of the time and date you sent it.  This will allow us to verify that our e-mail communication with you is working.  The assignment is due by the start of class on Thursday of Week 2, Sept. 6.

Grading
Approximately half the course grade is based on class attendance, participation, and completion of reports on class work.  The rest of the grade is based on exams and the course project completed outside class.  The course will be graded on the following basis:

If you wish us to post a record of your scores on the course web page, please send us an e-mail message giving us permission to post your score data.  We will list the scores by the last four digits of the social security number.

Group work 
A substantial amount of work in this class will be performed in pairs or small groups.  You are expected to use good communication and teamwork skills in these activities and to treat others in a courteous manner, with respect for others’ ideas and encouraging equal participation.  A portion of your grade will be based on your effectiveness in working with others as judged by the instructors and by your classmates on occasional group evaluations.

Plagiarism and cheating 
Most of the work you turn in for this course will be written, and all of it must be your own work in your own words.  Any sources used should be referenced with proper bibliographic citations, including proper handling of direct quotes and paraphrases. Assignments will be clearly defined as individual or group work, and anything you turn in should properly reflect the individuals who contributed to it.  If you have any questions about resources you may use for an assignment or how to cite a source, please ask. 

COURSE SCHEDULE