G300 Environmental Geology and Urban
Geology. Fall Semester 2006
(T 4:30 - 6:20 pm SB 209 and R 4:30 - 6:20 pm SB 270)
Instructor:
Dr. S.
Isiorho
Office SB 236
Phone 481-6254; Email: isiorho@ipfw.edu
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, each 5 & 10 %
respectively of the final grade.
Lab session will constitute 20% of
final grade.
Group project (5%) /reading assignments
15%.
A term research project (30 % of course grade) (10 double space typed
page report due November 27) and "professional" presentation of
project results (Nov. 28, 30, &
Dec. 5) will account for 10 % of final grade. You must use powerpoint
or any other electronic media approved by your
instructor for your presentation)
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 other areas of interest in NE
Indiana (Fox Island & County). Field trips will be on
Thursdays
during class time except for the
'county'
trip...October, 28 or November 4, 2006.
For the "County trip"...Plan to arrive on campus by 8:30 am, as
we leave for the County Trip
at 9:00 am prompt, to return around 4 pm. Dress appropriately for the
trip.
A one page single space report of the trip will be required two days
after the trip, by 4 :00 pm. Please do not schedule
anything for those two weekends. THIS
TRIP IS NOT OPTIONAL.
Term Research Project: Students will be required to 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.
I strongly encourage students to choose a research topic before Fall
Break
(October 12, 2006). 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 three articles
(refereed article) apart from those listed below to review. The
articles you select should be related to your proposed class project.
Write a
one-page summary
(double space) for
each article along with a copy of each article. Each
summary must include a paragraph
of your view
of the article. All together,
you should have a total of ten pages for the reading assignments.
NOTE:
All reports, including tests
must be
submitted through WebCT 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.
Ten 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).
Articles:
Review articles 1 & 2
1. Drinking-Water
Nitrate and Health Recent Findings and Research
Another
site for the same article ...due August 31, 2006
* Write a one page review
per article on any three
peer
reviewed articles
(hard
(or electronic) copies
of articles must be submitted to me in class on Sept. 19, 2006) you are
selecting
for
your literature review for your proposed class project. Due September 19,
2006.
2. The impact of leaking sewage
on urban groundwater... due September 22, 2006
One article from Group I ...due September 29, 2006
A. Sample Preparation
....
B. GIS as an
Aid
One article from group II...due October 6, 2006
A. Landsliding
in
Urban Area
B. Rain induced
landslide
One article from
group III...due October 13, 2006
A. Land subsidence
Article
B.
MidPliocence...African
...
One article from
group IV...due October 20, 2006
A. Comparing Gravel
bed
in urban...
B. Regional Surficial
geochemistry
One article from
group V...due October 27, 2006
A. Limiting
Risk
B. Marine District
SF
All
together, you should have ten articles (Seven from the above
list and three of your chosing)
Bonus article... Environmental Control
Lake
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.
Identify the rocks shown in these pictures 1
2
3
4
5
No class (the
3rd & 4th weeks) Assignment....September 5 through September 14...
Use this time to search for any three articles that may be 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
September 19, 2006
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 Tuesday October 5 by 3:00 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
Nov. 4 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 October 10 (Fall break) & Nov. 24
(Thanksgiving).
Saturday Field
trip... October 28, 2006.
Plan
on being at the loading dock in Science Building by 8:30 a.m. Wear
comfortable
clothing and trekking shoes. Dress appropriately for the weather.
[Your one page report is
due three days after the field trip by 4:00 p.m.]
Presentations would
start Nov. 28, 2006. Each presentation will be 15 minutes long.
You must
use power point for your presentation. Your project report is due by
November 23, but, no later than November 27, 4:00 p.m.
NO EXTENSION WILL BE GIVEN.
A special Symposium for G300 and CNET 348
classes will be held Saturday, December 2, 2006. May have some students from Biology. This symposium will show case students'
research projects dealing with "environmental issues" in and around
IPFW. Both oral and poster
presentation will be accepted. BONUS 5% will be given to all students that
participate (Will
encourage everyone in the class to participate).
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
vista email.
Some neat photos
?
Send your drafts, questions, notes, etc,
through WebCT Vista
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
Water
pollution in Ohio Island
Coal
and your health
Energy
efficiency
Floods any benefit? A look at the 1993 great Midwest
flood (PBS Nova).
Photos of sample rocks to be
turned in September 14 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
Private well
testing
Creating more problems
from water treatment.
Good Hydrologic
cycle (USGS)
The above topics may be covered by October 24,
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
through WebCT by Noon Sept 24 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....I need some pictures (Doug & others...do you have any
I can use?)
"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 August 21, 2006
