Science 255: Topics in the Geosciences Seminar: Wednesday 4:00-6:50 DH218 Online Green Sheet

Instructor: Paula Messina
Office: DH 307
Phone: 408/924-5027
E-Mail: pmessina@geosun.sjsu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 10:30 - 11:30 AM, Thursday, 1:30 - 2:30 PM and by appointment
Course Home Page: http://geosun.sjsu.edu/paula/255/index.htm

Course Objectives: This offering of SCI 255 highlights the Natural History of U.S. National Parks and Monuments. The National Park System was instituted to preserve areas of scenic and scientific quality. Each park contains several natural features that make it unique among the system; the biological inhabitants of each locality are adapted to the physical environment in which they reside; the physical environment, in turn, may be molded by geologic, atmospheric, oceanographic, astronomical and biological processes. A grasp of the natural features of an area promotes the understanding of Earth Systems in general. It is the objective of this course to familiarize students with natural processes and their interdependence on each other, allowing the student to observe and interpret the evolution of natural landscapes and their biota.

Readings: Highly recommended: Harris, Tuttle and Tuttle: Geology of National Parks, Kendall Hunt (any edition)-currently out-of-print Readings will be distributed in class, and will be assigned by student-participants at least one week in advance.

Tentative Schedule

Any changes to this schedule will be announced in class, and posted on the class website.

Date	Topic	Presenter
01/23/02	Introductions, review of greensheet, Introduction to Earth Systems; Interpreting Geologic Time	Paula Messina
01/30/02	Interpreting Geologic Time; Earth Materials	Paula Messina
02/06/02	Geologic History of the Grand Canyon, Selection of Presentation Dates	Paula Messina
02/13/02	Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plate Tectonics	Paula Messina
02/20/02	Fluvial, Aeolian, and Glacial Processes	Paula Messina
02/27/02	Web Page Basics	Paula Messina
03/06/02	Online Class: Computer Lab will be reserved for your use, if needed Climate and Climate Change Click here to download a Word document containing a template for the grading rubric.	See Class Web Page
03/13/02	Visit to USGS Library/Educators' Collection, Menlo Park Click here for directions.	Phil Stoffer, USGS
03/20/02	No class (Paula at conference)
03/27/02	No class (spring break)
04/03/02	Aniachak NM Montezuma Castle	Steve Mary
04/10/02	Point Reyes/Cape Cod Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Capulin Volcano	Steve Lee Lynda
04/17/02	Petrified Forest Mammoth Cave	Mary Lee
04/24/02	Hawaii Volcanoes Yellowstone	Lynda Paula
05/01/02	Little Colorado River/Grand Canyon National Park Great Smoky Mountains	Steve Lee
05/08/02	Yosemite Saguaro	Lynda Mary
05/15/02	Class Web-based Presentations	Group

Assessment:

Evaluation of class presentations and WWW projects will be averaged grades of all participants.

Please note: It is the policy of the University and this Department that a course may not be dropped after February 11, 2002. After February 11, dropping a course is permissible only for serious and compelling reasons. See Schedule of Classes for details.