Learning Outcomes Grading Policies Yet Another Syllabus Tutoring
The textbook for the course is Earth as an Evolving Planetary System, 2nd Edition, by Kent C. Condie. We will read it from cover to cover, and use it and the references it cites as the bases for our classroom discussions. Some additional references may be posted to Blackboard
| Date | Subject of Discussion | Reading |
| Jan 17 | Course overview | |
| Jan 18 | 1. Earth Systems | 1 - 10 |
| Jan 19 | 2. The Crust -- Seismic Crustal Structure | 11 - 17 |
| Jan 23 | -- Crustal Types | 17 - 25 |
| Jan 24 | -- Heat Flow | 26 - 31 |
| Jan 25 | -- Processes and Composition | 31 - 51 |
| Jan 26 | -- Plates, Provinces and Terranes | 51 - 57 |
| Jan 30 | 3. Tectonic Settings -- Ocean Ridges | 59 - 66 |
| Jan 31 | -- Settings related to mantle plumes | 66 - 79 |
| Feb 1 | -- Cratons, Margins, Arc Systems, Orogens | 80 - 100 |
| Feb 2 | -- Other | 101 - 120 |
| Feb 6 | 4. The Mantle -- Introduction, Seismic Structure | 121 - 129 |
| Feb 7 | -- The Lithosphere | 130 - 143 |
| Feb 8 | -- The LVZ and Lower Mantle | 144 - 155 |
| Feb 9 | -- Plumes, Geochemistry and Convection | 155 - 180 |
| Feb 13 | 5. The Core -- Composition, Age, etc. | 181 - 188 |
| Feb 14 | -- Generation of Earth's Magnetic Field | 188 - 193 |
| Feb 15 | -- Origin, Growth and Evolution | 193 - 198 |
| Feb 16 | First Graded Learning Opportunity | |
| Feb 20 | 6. Atomo-Hydro-Biospheres -- The Modern Atmosphere | 199 - 200 |
| Feb 21 | -- Early Atmospheres, Carbon Cycle | 201 - 208 |
| Feb 22 | -- Isotopes, Phanerozoic History | 209 - 215 |
| Feb 23 | -- Hydro Early History | 216 - 220 |
| Feb 27 | -- Volume, Composition, etc. through Time | 220 - 231 |
| Feb 28 | -- Paleoclimates | 231 - 238 |
| Feb 29 | -- Glaciation | 238 - 239 |
| Mar 1 | -- Biosphere | 240 - 250 |
| Mar 12 | -- Mass Extinctions | 250 - 259 |
| Mar 13 | 7. Crustal and Mantle Evolution -- the Hadean | 261 - 269 |
| Mar 14 | -- Crustal Origin and Growth | 269 - 280 |
| Mar 15 | -- Continental Growth Rates | 280 - 295 |
| Mar 19 | -- Secular Changes in the Crust | 295 - 301 |
| Mar 20 | -- Secular Changes in the Mantle | 301 - 308 |
| Mar 21 | -- Earth's Thermal History | 308 - 316 |
| Mar 22 | 8. Supercontinent Cycle -- Reconstructions | 317 - 331 |
| Mar 26 | -- Supercontinent Cycle | 332 - 341 |
| Mar 27 | -- Mantle Superplume Events | 342 - 349 |
| Mar 28 | -- Supercontinents, Superplumes and Carbon | 350 - 356 |
| Mar 29 | 2nd Graded Learning Opportunity | |
| Apr 2 | 9. Great Events in Earth History -- Introduction | 357 |
| Apr 3 | -- 1. Origin of the Moon | 358 - 366 |
| Apr 4 | -- 2. Origin of Life | 367 - 385 |
| Aprl 5 | -- 3. Onset of Plate Tectonics | 386 - 402 |
| Apr 9 | -- 4. The Great Oxidation Event | 402 - 411 |
| Apr 10 | -- 5. The Snowball Earth | 412 - 415 |
| Apr 11 | -- 6. End Permian Mass Extinction | 416 - 421 |
| Apr 12 | ------ Class debate about the End Permian Extinction | |
| Apr 16 | -- 7. Cretaceous Superplume Event | 421 - 425 |
| Apr 17 | -- 8. K/T Mass Extinction | 426 - 436 |
| Apr 18 | ------ Class debate about Extinctions, Evolution and the Environment | |
| Apr 19 | 10. Comparative Planetary Evolution -- Origins | 437 - 448 |
| Apr 23 | -- Members of the Solar System | 449 - 467 |
| Apr 24 | -- Satellites and Planetary Rings | 467 - 472 |
| Apr 25 | -- Comets, Asteroids, Meteorites | 473 - 481 |
| Apr 26 | -- Volcanism, Tectonics in the Solar System | 482 - 492 |
| Apr 30 | Summary and Review | |
| May 7 | Final Graded Learning Opportunity | 10:15 AM |
Each hour long Graded Learning Opportunity will count 20% of your grade, the two hour long Final Graded Learning Opportunity will count 40% of your grade, and class participation (which may include unannounced quizzes) will contribute the other 20%.
This syllabus represents my plan for the semester as of the first day of the semester. It is subject to change at my discretion. If you desire to see it modified to include additional material, or omit material which you believe has been adequately covered in some other course, please bring this to my attention as soon as possible.
