G300 Environmental Geology and Urban
Geology. Spring Semester 2010
(T 3:00 - 4:15 pm SB 209 and R 3:00 - 4:15 pm SB 270)
Instructor:
Dr. S.
Isiorho
Office SB 236
Phone 481-6254; Email: isiorho@ipfw.edu
[Do not use
this email for course related matters: will not read or acknwledge such
email]
1. Course description:
This course is designed to
provide the student with basic understanding of
the “human-oriented” aspects of the earth
sciences.
The geologic features and
processes that affect our environment will be
discussed. Since large population
of the industrial world dwell in urban areas,
the geology of the urban
environment will be addressed. "To achieve an
understanding of the
interrelationship between the earth and the urban
environment, examination of
the basic aspects of geology, land-use planning,
and the physical, social,
aesthetic, and economic attributes of cities
is required."
Objectives:
Provide
students with a basic understanding of the geological foundations of
environmental issues.
Provide an understanding of
geologic environmental issues at local, regional, and global scales.
Improve student's skills in
analyzing data pertaining to geologic environmental issues and in
drawing
informed conclusions regarding issues.
Discuss and debate geologic environmental issues that
are relevant to the state of Indiana.
2. Textbook:
Environmental Geology by Keller
LAB TEXT
Investigations in Environmental Geology by D.
Foley, G. D. McKenzie & R. O.Utgard
Supplementary lab text
Lab exercises in Environmental Geology by Harvey
Blatt
3. Exams & Grading:
There will be two exams, worth 5 & 10 %
(total of 15% of your course grade).
Lab session will constitute 15% of
final grade.
Group project (10%) /reading assignments
10%.
A term research project (30 % of course grade) (10 double space typed
page report due April 19) and "professional" presentation of
project results (April. 20, 22 and maybe April 27) will account for 10
% of final grade. You must use powerpoint
or any other electronic media approved by your
instructor for your presentation). Your power point must be submitted
by April 23, 2010 for grading (5% of your course grade).
No final exam. Class
participation
will account for 5% of course grade.
(Grading scale > 89 % = A; 80-89 % = B;
70-79% = C; 60-69% = D).
“If you have
or acquire
a
disability
and would like to find out what special services and accommodations may
be available to you, contact
Services for
Students
with Disabilities in WU 118 & 218 (481-6657, voice/TTY)”
Laboratories/field exercises are essential to the course. Students
should
develop skills in assessing and determining geologic implications of
environmental issues.
Class Project: Students will work in teams to evaluate the
influence of geology in the location of IPFW campus. The class project
will examine the
relationship
between surface water and groundwater. The class will also examine how
our activities and actions are infleunced by geology (location,
location, location).
Field Trips: There will be a minimum of two and a maximum of
five
field trips during this course and all students are required to go on
all
trips. The class will visit wetlands and dunes on campus. We will also
have a 'virtual' field trip of Allen County. Field trips will be on
Thursdays
during class time and reports are due the following day by 4:00 pm
through the assignment drop box in Blackbard. All reports should be
sent in pdf format.
Term Research Project: Students will be required to research (not
book/article or library research) on a
topic
relating
to this course. The student may choose any suitable topic, but must
get
the Instructor's approval before starting on the project. An example of
a potential project to address the question: What impact if any have
constructions had on the IPFW environment?
I strongly encourage students to choose a research topic before
Spring
Break
(March 8, 2010). Students should consult with the instructor weekly
concerning
their projects and students should submit rough drafts before the final
copy is turned in.
Check the
webct page for weekly warm up questions
Reading
Assignments (Most articles are in
PDF format)
Reading assignment is an intergral part of this course.
For it to be another resource, you should choose any one article
(refereed article) apart from those listed below to review. The
article you select should be related to your proposed class project.
Write a
one half-page summary
(double space) for
each article along with a copy of the article. Each
summary must include a paragraph
of your view
of the article. All together,
you should have a total of five (one-half) pages for the reading
assignments. Concentrate on your view paragraph. WILL NOT GRADE ANY
ARTICLE REVIEW THAT IS MORE THAN HALF A PAGE LONG.
NOTE:
All reports, including tests
must be
submitted through Blackboard drop boc and always have your name
and topic as part of
the name of your file (e.g. isiorhoreportwtg)…not following this
simple
rule will cost you points.
Five articles total
Review articles 1 & 2, five articles from the five
groups (one article from each group) to make up seven from
the list, and any other three peer reviewed articles of your (not from
this list) choice.
Articles:
Review articles 1 & 2
* Write a half page
review on your selected
peer
reviewed article. Due April 8,
2010.
1. The impact of leaking sewage
on urban groundwater... due January 19, 2010
One article from group II...due Feb. 11, 2010
A. Landsliding
in
Urban Area
B. Rain induced
landslide
One article from
group IV...due March 4, 2010
A. Comparing Gravel
bed
in urban...
B. Regional Surficial
geochemistry
2. Drinking-Water
Nitrate and Health Recent Findings and Research
Another
site for the same article ...due April 22, 2010
All
together, you should have five articles (Four from the above
list and three of your chosing)
Bonus article... Presentation
who is listening? due before the end of February 28
(Midnight)...use Blackboard email for this review article only.
4. Tentative Schedule:
Part One: Fundamentals
of
Environmental
Concepts
chpts 1 - 3
Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts, Earth
Materials (minerals), and Soil and
Environment. (Military
Earthworms)
"Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever
he does to the web, he does to himself."
~Chief Seattle, 1854.
Resources,
Population and Climate Change...another view
Identify the rocks shown in these pictures 1
2
3
4
5
No class March
9 & 11 (Spring Break) & March 30 through April 15...use this
time to work on your researchproject.
Also, use this time to search for your three articles relevant to
your research project and write a one page double space review for each
article.
Also, if you
want extra credit, write a one page
double space report on any two current environmental related issues
here on campus or in NE Indiana...need a minimum of
two references to support your report...bonus 1% of course grade...due
April 22 (Earth day) by 4:00 p.m, 2010
ID of rocks
& rock samples video
lecture
Part Two: Hazardous Earth
Processes
chpts 4 - 9
Natural Hazards: an Overview; (NASA-natural
hazard wetsite.You should see floods, fires, & volcanic related
materials here)
Rivers
Flood
in China
Flood
in Elbe River
in
Drought,,
Drought
California,
NAmerica
Drought
Landslides
Earthquakes;
Volcanic Activity;
Coastal Hazards.
Exam
# 1 (5% of course grade) Due Thursday February 18, 2010 by 4:00
p.m.
Part Three:
Human Interaction with the
Environment
chpts 10-13
HydrologyOverview.
Water: Process, supply, and
use; Water pollution and Treatment; Water a pipe dream away? (South
Africa);
Lake
Chad Images NASA
Environment of L.Chad ?
Sediments
and Hurricane Floyd
Wind
Power controversy in Cape Cod
Waste management
War
on
water Splits California Cities
Part Four: Minerals, Energy,
and
Environment
chpts 14&15
Mineral Resources and Energy and the Environment
Test
# 2 (10% of course grade) Due April 1, 2010 by 4:00
p.m. Out door
/ In
door lab Pics
Part Five:
chpts 16-18
Global Change, Land use 1, 2, 3, and Decision
making
Human/Beach/Environment
Web
learning ?
No final exam
Water Issues in Fort Wayne (News Sentinel)
1,
Soil, Site
Survey,
FoxIsland (Isiorho), vegetation (wetland)
Shrinking
L. Chad (CNN) FishKill
in Oman Certified ORGANIC
Y
There will be 1 or 2 Field trips and all students
are encouraged to go on all trips.
NO CLASS March 9 & 11 (Spring break)
Presentations would
start April 20, 2010. Each presentation will be 15 minutes long.
You must
use power point for your presentation. Your project report is due by
April 16, but, no later than April 19, 4:00 p.m.
NO EXTENSION WILL BE GIVEN.
Waste reduction ABC
news
Power
from the sea Tidal Waves
WebCT Vista
Use this for posting questions/answers
and other stuff. Send all your reports and assignments rthrough WebCT
Blackboard email.
Some neat photos
?
Send your drafts, questions, notes, etc,
through WebCT Vista
Research Report Format (you
must
follow this
format):
Title (what is your report about? not more than 15 words),
Abstract (a type of summary of your report...one should read
this and get the gist of your paper),
Introduction (what do you know about the topic and what has
been done and why this report i.e. purpose),
Method/Approach (how did you you get your information result,
data etc.),
Result/Data (self explanatory),
Discussions (what does your result mean?.... you include your
opinion here),
Conclusion (two to four sentence summary of your report),
Acknowledgment (if any),
References (what works did you cite?)
At the Dunes
New links
Earth's Interior USGS
Storms
of the Century
Gemstones....you know who you are
Space Wander
Water
Shortage USA TODAY Jan. 27, 2003
Floods any benefit? A look at the 1993 great Midwest
flood (PBS Nova).
2009 Ft. Wayne Flood
Photos of sample rocks to be
turned in February 12 before noon
Sample one sample two sample
three
Video (you will need
quicktime player)
Great lakes pollution
Ivan visits Pensacola
Florida
Another
Pensacola picture
Earth as an Art
Collection
River Flooding
excercise....for extra credit
Creating more problems
from water treatment.
Good Hydrologic
cycle (USGS)
The above topics may be covered by March 18,
leaving you with
approximately four weeks to work on your project.
Emphasis will be on the role of
geology
on the environment.
Soil Lab video.....comments .... for extra
credit
.... you can use media player...probably need to save it to your desk
top first.
County Field trip ppt slides
with video. This will take the place of going on the Allen County field
trip this year.
M Jackson Earth
song 1 & Two
..same scenes but different music.
"Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever
he does to the web, he does to himself."
~Chief Seattle, 1854.
Updated February 24, 2010
