GEOL 1103:
Laboratory activities will cover methods used to collect and analyze earth science data.
Prerequisites
TSI Reading complete.
Corequisites
Communication Skills – to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication
Empirical and Quantitative Skills – to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
Teamwork – to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goa
Must register for both lecture and lab
In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, it may be necessary for Panola College to move to altered operations. During this time, Panola College may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include, but are not limited to: online learning management system (CANVAS), online conferencing, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Panola College's website (www.panola.edu) for instructions about continuing courses remotely, CANVAS for each class for course-specific communication, and Panola College email for important general information.
Regular and punctual attendance of classes and laboratories is required of all students. When a student has been ill or absent from class for approved extracurricular activities, he or she should be allowed, as far as possible, to make up for the missed work. If a student has not actively participated by the census date, they will be dropped by the instructor for non-attendance. This policy applies to courses that are in-person, online, hybrid, and hyflex.
Attendance in online courses is determined by submission of an assignment or participation in an activity. According to federal guidelines, simply logging into a distance learning course without participating in an academic assignment does not constitute attendance. Distance learning is defined as when a majority (more than 50%) of instruction occurs when the instructor and students are in separate physical locations. Students must engage in an academic activity prior to the course census date.
When an instructor feels that a student has been absent to such a degree as to invalidate the learning experience, the instructor may recommend to the Vice President of Instruction that the student be withdrawn from the course. Instructors may seek to withdraw students for non-attendance after they have accumulated the following number of absences:
Fall or spring semesters:
3 or more class meeting times per week - 5 absences
2 class meeting times per week - 3 absences
1 class meeting per week - 2 absences
The student is responsible for seeing that he or she has been officially withdrawn from a class. A student who stops attendance in a class without officially withdrawing from that class will be given a failing grade; consequently, the student must follow official withdrawal procedures in the Admissions/Records Office.
Please note: Health Science and Cosmetology courses may require more stringent attendance policies based on their accreditation agencies. Please see the addendum and/or program handbook for further information concerning attendance.
Panola College welcomes pregnant and parenting students as a part of the student body. This institution is committed to providing support and adaptations for a successful educational experience for pregnant and parenting students. Students experiencing a need for accommodations related to pregnancy or parenting will find a Pregnancy and Parenting Accommodations Request form in the Student Handbook or may request the form from the course instructor.
No use of Generative AI permitted.
This option assumes that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves, whether they are working individually or in groups. Students should not have another person or entity do the writing of any portion of an assignment, which includes hiring a person or a company to write assignments and/or using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT. Use of any AI-generated content in this course qualifies as academic dishonesty and violates Panola College’s standards of academic integrity.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the natural processes operating on and in planet Earth. Students will learn how these processes interact with one another and with life on the planet.
After studying all materials and resources presented in the course, the student will be able to:
- Describe how the scientific method has led to our current understanding of Earth’s structure and processes.
- Interpret the origin and distribution of minerals, rocks and geologic resources.
- Describe the theory of plate tectonics and its relationship to the formation and distribution of Earth’s crustal features.
- Quantify the rates of physical and chemical processes acting on Earth and how these processes fit into the context of geologic time.
- Communicate how surface processes are driven by interactions among Earth’s systems (e.g., the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere).
- Identify and describe the internal structure and dynamics of Earth.
- Describe the interaction of humans with Earth (e.g., resource development or hazard assessment).
A general description of lab/discussion topics included in this course are listed in the Learning Objectives section of this syllabus.
Students in all sections of this course will learn the following content:
- Nature of scientific inquiry
- Theory of Plate Tectonics
- Formation and classification of minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks
- Mechanical and chemical weathering processes, soil erosion
- Geologic time and fossils
- Crustal deformation (faulting, folding)
- Earthquakes and earthquake hazards
- Structure of the interior of Earth
- River processes
- Groundwater
- Mass wasting processes
- Glaciers and glaciation
- Coastal processes
- Introduction to historical geology
- Energy resources
- Global climate change
This course is offered fully online. Lab material will be delivered by reading assignments in student’s lab manual and assignments submitted through Canvas.
Students will complete a group lab project, due at the end of the semester. This will consist of students addressing a current issue in geology and creating a PowerPoint presentation with audio about this topic. Students do not need to be in the same location to complete this assignment, and virtual meetings are encouraged.
- Weekly laboratory assignments
- Homework assignments and quizzes
The grading scale for this course is as follows:
- Lecture Exams- 20%
- Lecture Final Exam - 10%
- Weekly Lecture Homework - 35%
- Weekly Lab Assignments/Project - 35%
Access to internet
Access to PowerPoint or similar software
Access to a scanner (see your local library)
- Courses conducted via video conferencing may be recorded and shared for instructional purposes by the instructor.
- For current texts and materials, use the following link to access bookstore listings: https://www.panolacollegestore.com.
- For testing services, use the following link: https://www.panola.edu/student-services/studentsupport/academic-testing-center.
- The Accommodations & Disability Support (A&DS) Office at Panola College provides and facilitates support services and accommodations for students with disabilities. The A&DS office works under the federal guidelines included in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act. Please contact the Accommodations & Disability Support (A&DS) Office located in the Charles C. Matthews Student Center or go to https://www.panola.edu/disabilitysupport for more information.
- Withdrawing from a course is the student’s responsibility. Students who do not attend class and who do not withdraw will receive the grade earned for the course.
- Student Handbook (located in the Panola College Catalog)