Geology 102: Historical Geology
Fall 2009
University of Idaho


Location: TLC 249
Time: 11:30-12:20 MWF
Instructor: Susan Childers
Office hours: TU 10:30-12pm or FR 12:30-2pm or by appointment

Text: Evolution of the Earth by D.R. Prothero and R.H. Dott, Jr., 2004

Course Syllabus
                                           
GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE (pdf or doc)

                                           

Date
Subject
Lectures
Readings
August 24
Introduction and rates of geologic processes

slides

Ch. 1, pp. 3-13
August 26
Minerals & rocks overview
slides

August 28
Minerals & rocks overview
slides
August 31
History of geology
slides Ch. 2, pp. 15-36
September 2
History of evolution
slides Ch. 3, pp. 39-50
September 4
Origin of species
slides
Ch. 3, pp. 50-65
September 7
Labor Day--NO CLASS


September 9
relative time scale
slides
Ch. 4, pp. 67-74
September 11
class cancelled


September 14
Stratigraphy
slides
Ch. 4, pp. 74-84
September 16
(study break)


Sept 18 (FR)
**EXAM 1 material  in red cells
 (Ch. 1-4 + rocks)



September 21
Dating rocks
slides
Ch. 5, pp. 87-99
September 23
Radiometric dating
slides

September 25
Earth's beginnings
slides
Ch. 6, pp. 101-119
September 28
Earth's beginnings
slides

September 30
Field trip overview
slides

**October 1 (TH)
Field trip (Clarkia, ID)
**MEET VANS AT 8:20AM between Mines and McClure Bldgs

notes

October 2
no class (field trip break)


October 5
Continental drift
slides
Ch. 7, pp. 121-148
October 7
plate boundaries
slides

October 9
finish Ch. 7 and review
slides

October 12 (MO)
**EXAM 2 material in purple cells
(Ch. 5-7 and field trip)



October 14
Ancient rocks
slides
Ch. 8, pp. 151-162
October 16
Ancient rocks and oceans
slides
Ch. 8, pp. 162-177
October 19
Ancient climate and "Snowball Earth"
slides

October 21
Origins of life
slides
Ch. 9, pp. 181-191
October 23
PreCambrian life
slides
Ch. 9, pp. 191-204
October 26
Cambrian geology
slides
Ch. 10, pp. 207-229
October 28
Ordovician geology
slides
Ch. 11, pp. 244-257
October 30
Ordovician life
slides
Ch. 11, pp. 232-244
November 2
Mid-Paleozoic life
slides
Ch. 12, pp. 259-270
November 4
Mid-Paleozoic rocks
slides
Ch. 12, pp. 271-297
November 6
NO CLASS


November 9
Late Paleozoic rocks (on final exam)
slides
Ch. 13, pp. 299-332
November 11
Late Paleozoic rocks (on final exam)
slides

Nov 13 (FR)
**EXAM 3 material in green cells
(Ch. 8-12)


November 16
Late Paleozoic life
slides
Ch. 13, pp. 332-347
November 18
Permian extinction
slides

November 20
Paleozic summary
movie

November 23-27
Thanksgiving Break--NO CLASS

November 30
Mesozoic rocks
slides
Ch. 14, pp. 351-382
December 2
Mesozoic life
slides
Ch. 14, pp. 382-411
December 4
Cenozoic rocks
slides
Ch. 15, pp. 413-446
December 7
Cenozoic life
slides
Ch. 15, pp. 446-461
December 9
Pleistocene Ice Ages

December 11
Evolution of humans
Ch. 16, pp. 465-
Dec 15 (TU)
FINAL EXAM