Fall 2020 - GEOG 213 D100
Introduction to Geomorphology (3)
Class Number: 4081
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
-
Course Times + Location:
Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Mon, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby -
Exam Times + Location:
Dec 18, 2020
Fri, 3:30–6:30 p.m.
Burnaby
-
Instructor:
Jeremy Venditti
jvenditt@sfu.ca
1 778 782-3488
Office: RCB 6236
-
Prerequisites:
GEOG 111 or EASC 101.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
An exploration of the processes that shape Earth's surface and the landforms that result. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
COURSE DETAILS:
Geomorphology is the study of Earth’s surface. As such, it is a crucial component of solutions to a wide range of environmental problems and engineering designs. It has even become an important tool for understanding how far-off planets like Mars and Venus have evolved to their current state. This particular course is about earth’s landscape, its present form, and the processes responsible for its large-scale organization. The goal is to provide students with an appreciation of how the landscape around them formed and its continued evolution with particular focus on landscapes of British Columbia, Western North America, and Canada.
In this course, we will seek answers to the following questions: How are mountains built? What controls topographic relief? How do landscape materials get from mountain tops down to valley floors? Can we differentiate between landscapes formed by rivers and glaciers? Has 570 million years of life on this planet affected the large-scale topographic organization of the Earth’s surface? How have human activities affected the form of the landscape?
The course is recommended to students interested in Geography, Earth Science, Ecology, Environmental Science, Resource Management, and anyone who is curious about their natural surroundings. This course is required in several syllabi (Environmental Geoscience, Geology and Geochemistry) for Professional Geoscience (P. Geo.) accreditation by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEG BC).
Course Format
This course will consist of a weekly two-hour lecture and 8 two-hour laboratories where you will apply the concepts learned in lectures. There will be no laboratory session in the first week of classes.
Remote Instruction
Lectures and laboratory exercises will all be done synchronously. Lectures and laboratories will use Zoom. Students are expected to be available at the scheduled times. Laboratory exercises will be done with Google Earth. Access to a laptop or desktop computer with Google Earth is required.
Field Trip
There is a mandatory virtual field trip to complement topics covered in lectures and labs. The trip will consist of a series of videos at stops along the Fraser River.
Grading
- Laboratory assignments 40%
- Field essay 10%
- Mid-term examination 25%
- Final examination 25%
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Bierman, P.R. and D.R. Montgomery (2020) Key Concepts in Geomorphology, W.H. Freeman and Company Publishers New York, 591p. There is a 2014 version that may also be used.
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).