There's a fossil that's trapped in a high cliff wall....
--Sting, King of Pain, 1994

 

GEOL 250: Historical Geology

Spring 2005
  • Room & Time: BI-105, MW 1600-1750; M 1800-2050
  • Instructor: W. Britt Leatham
  • Office hours: MW 1400-1600
  • Office: BI-108
  • Tel. 909.880.5322  (prefer email)
  • email: bleatham@csusb.edu
  • Last updated April 4, 2005

 
Grading:
Exam 1

20%
Exam 2

20%
Exam 3

20%
Laboratory/Exercises/Field Trips

25%
Group Project/Presentation

15%

TOTAL

100%

Tentative Schedule

1st Midterm Examination Week of April 27th
Field Trip Southern Owens Valley May 13th-14th
2nd Midterm Examination Week of May 18th
Field Trip Northern Owens Valley June 3rd-4th
Presentations Monday, June13th
3rd Examination Wednesday, June 15th @ 1600
Labs and exercises due Wednesday, June 15th

 

Texts:

  • Required: Levin, H. The Earth Through Time  7th Edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 2003
  • Recommended: Sharp, RP and AF Glazner. Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley. Mountain Press Publishing Co. 1997.
Field Trips: Purpose of the field trips is to produce a geochronological interpretation of the areas visited based on field observations. You will need to attend one of the two field trips scheduled for credit. Each field trip will begin at CSUSB on Friday @ 7:00 am and end there Saturday after dark. You will be required to make and record field observations that will be used to produce your geochronological interpretation. Each interpretation must be accompanied with photographic images that substantiate your claims. You will receive up to 5% extra credit for participation on both field trips, by producing another geochronological interpretation.

Field gear needed includes: sleeping bag, small personal tent (no circus or large canvas please!), personal items (deodorant, a change of clothes, toothbrush, etc), a breakfast, two lunches, and one dinner of non-perishable foods, a field-quality notebook, a camera with film, writing instruments and markers, sandwich baggies, a hand lens, a geological rock hammer).

Group Interpretive Project:
You will be required to produce a "poster" presentation of EITHER

1) an interpretation of the record of a specific geological process or group of processes that has significantly altered our planet, OR

2) an interpretation of a specific geological interval and/or event.

The topic should be picked by consensus with the other members of your group, and approved by the instructor, prior to proceeding. The projects will be displayed and peer evaluated on Monday, June 9th during class.

 

 

LABS: all are *.pdf files and require Adobe Acrobat Reader (free),

2. Menan Buttes--topography and geology...Click Here

LAST LAB: March through Time--a gazillion fossils...Click Here
Download: all are *.pdf files and require Adobe Acrobat Reader (free),

We work the black seams in the ground...(Text only)

Walking in your footsteps... (Text only)

 James Usshers comments on the age of the Earth...Click Here
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Discussion and Readings

WEEKS 1 to 3

 Lecture topics: Language of Deep Time, Remnants of the Biosphere, Near Surface Environments.
Reading Assignment: Chapters 1,2,3,4

WEEK 4

 Lecture topic: Time and its interpretation, Role of Biological Evolution.
Reading Assignment: Chapter 3,4

WEEK 5

 

 Lecture topic: Crustal Movement
Reading Assignment: Chapter 5

WEEKS 6 & 7

Lecture topics: The Precambrian: Origins and early evolution of Earth and Life.
Reading Assignment: Chapters 6,7

WEEK 8

 

 Lecture topic: The Paleozoic.
Reading Assignment: Chapters 8,9,10

WEEK 9

 

 Lecture topic: The Mesozoic.
Reading Assignment: Chapters 11,12
WEEK 10 Lecture topic: The Cenozoic.
Reading Assignment: Chapters 13,14,15