Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - EASC 101 D100

Dynamic Earth (3)

Class Number: 1954

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Mon, Wed, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Origin and character of minerals, rocks, Earth structure, Earth surface processes and plate tectonic theory. Primarily designed to deliver prereq. information to EASC majors/honours and students pursuing degrees in other Departments and Faculties that require a strong foundational course in Earth Science. Breadth-Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

General: REQUIREMENT DESIGNATION: B-Sci
Dynamic Earth offers an introduction to Earth sciences. We will examine Earth materials including minerals, rocks, geologic resources and groundwater. Plate tectonics is the unifying theory of geology and will be a strong focus in the course as we learn how the Earth’s surface slowly but continuously changes over geologic time, and results in the formation of volcanoes, uplift and erosion of mountain belts, deformation of the crust, and earthquakes.

Course Topics:
1. Earth materials: minerals and rocks
2. Geologic resources and groundwater
3. Plate Tectonics and marine geology
4. Volcanoes
5. Mass wasting
6. Faults and folds
7. Geologic time and Earth history
8. Earthquakes
9. West Coast tectonics and seismicity

Course Organization:
The Fall 2020 offering of EASC 101 is via remote instruction. We will be using the Canvas platform where you will download PDFs of the lecture PowerPoint slides and annotate these notes while listening to the lecture recording.
·         Lectures are scheduled as SYNCHRONOUS. However, as all lectures are recorded, students can listen and review them at any time.  
·         Online labs are SYNCHRONOUS. Students must be available during the scheduled time for their lab section.
·         Lecture exams (tests) are SYNCHRONOUS. Tests are scheduled during the 50-minute lecture period. Please refer to the course schedule for dates. Students must be available to complete the tests during the scheduled times.

Grading

  • Online Lab Assignments 10%
  • Test 1 30%
  • Test 2 30%
  • Test 3 30%
  • Test format may include multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, matching and short-answer questions.

NOTES:

This course fulfills Breadth-Science (B-Sci) requirements with successful completion    (C- letter grade or better).

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Access to high-speed internet, webcam

RECOMMENDED READING:

E-book (or physical copy) - Introduction to Physical Geology, Canadian Edition; Fletcher, C., Gibson, D., Ansdell, K. 2014; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN: 9781118718896

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).