Geosci 150
Introduction to Ocean Sciences
class description and syllabus on following pages
INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN SCIENCES
GEO SCI 150 - FALL 2016
Monday, Wednesday 12:30 – 1:45, Merrill Hall 131
Instructor:
Contact Information:
Office Hours:
Required Materials:
Julie Bowles
[email protected], 414-229-6110, Lapham 358
Tuesday 10:00 – 12:00; Wednesday 2:00 – 4:00; or anytime by appointment
1. Investigating Oceanography, 2nd Ed., Sverdrup & Kudela, McGraw-Hill, 2016
2. Turning License and clicker-capable device
SEE BELOW for further important information on course materials!!!
Course Description: This class is about Earth’s oceans, which cover approximately 75% of Earth’s
surface. The oceans play a huge role in our water and climate cycles, as well as impact biology and
solid Earth systems. Many of the concepts that we will discuss also have direct bearing on large lakes,
like our very own Lake Michigan. Whenever possible, I will tie in examples from the Great Lakes. By
the end of this class, you should be able to demonstrate that you can use the concepts and critical
thinking skills from this course to evaluate scientific information so you can make intelligent decisions
regarding ocean and environmental issues that affect your life.
LECTURE SCHEDULE (Subject to change)
Dates
Sept 7
Sept 12 & 14
Sept 19 and 21
Sept 26 and 28
Oct 3 & 5
Oct 10
Oct 12 & 17
Oct 19 and 24
Oct 26 & 31
Nov 2 & 7
Nov 9
Nov 14 & 16
Nov 21 & 28 (no
class Nov 23)
Nov 30 & Dec 5
Dec 7 & 12
Dec 14
Mon. Dec 19,
12:30 – 2:30 PM
Reading
Assignment
Syllabus
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Pre-quiz
Due (noon)
9/12
9/19
9/26
10/3
9/21
9/28
10/5
10/17
Chapter 5
Chapters 6, 7
10/12
10/19
10/24
10/31
Chapters 6, 7
10/26
11/7
Chapter 8
11/2
11/16
Chapter 9
11/14
11/28
Coasts, Beaches, Estuaries
Chapter 10
11/21
12/5
The Living Ocean &
Phytoplankton and Primary Productivity
The Oceans and Climate Disruption
Dec. 7: regular in-class lecture
Dec. 12: VIDEO lecture on D2L
Review (VIDEO lecture on D2L)
FINAL EXAM
(Cumulative, emphasis Ch. 8+)
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
11/30
12/12
Ch. 16
12/7
12/16
Lecture Topic
Course Introduction and History of
Oceanography (VIDEO lecture on D2L)
The Water Planet
Earth Structure/Plate Tectonics
Sea Floor and Its Sediments
Physical Properties of Water
EXAM 1 (Prologue, Ch. 1-3)
Chemistry of Seawater
Ocean Structure and The Atmosphere
Atmosphere/Ocean Interactions & Ocean
Circulation
Waves
EXAM 2 (Ch. 4-7)
Tides
Post-quiz
Due (noon)
9/13
Merrill 131
Course Schedule and Format: We will be working at a pace of approximately 1 chapter per
week. Prior to the first lecture on a topic, you should have read and studied the assigned reading, and
completed the pre-lecture quiz. During lectures, we will examine concepts in more detail, focusing on
some of the more challenging material. We will be making use of clicker technology during lectures,
and will have occasional demonstrations and in-class activities designed to enhance your learning. Postlecture quizzes, three learning journal assignments, two mid-term exams, and one final exam will assess
your mastery of the material. Studies show that true learning – as opposed to temporary memorization –
is best achieved by repeated exposure to material over time and in different contexts. The course is
therefore designed to try to get you to engage with the material in multiple ways.
Learning Outcomes: The goal of this course is for you to gain an understanding and appreciation
for scientific principles that govern ocean behavior and the role of Earth’s oceans in influencing climate,
weather, natural resources, and coastal structures. By the end of the course, you should be able to
1. Explain the role that Earth’s oceans play in regulating climate and describe ocean-atmosphere
interactions.
2. Describe the physical and chemical structure of the oceans, and how these structures affect the
distribution of life in the ocean.
3. Discuss the physical forces that shape and influence coastal regions.
4. Understand the how ocean science principles apply to the Great Lakes and how large lakes differ
from the oceans.
5. Be able to critically discuss and evaluate data presented in support of a scientific hypothesis.
Grading: Your grade will be based on the following five items. Each is discussed in detail below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
In-class participation (15%) – completion of 80% of in-class activities receives full credit
Pre-lecture quizzes (15%) – 12 with with three lowest scores dropped
Post-lecture quizzes (15%) – 13 with three lowest scores dropped
Learning journals (15%) – 3 assignments
Exams (40%) – 3 exams, equally weighted
The grading structure is as follows:
A
A-
B+
92-100 B
90-91 B-
88-89
82-87
80-81
C+
C
C-
78-79
72-77
70-71
D+ 68-69
D
62-67
D- 60-61
F
<60
Grades will be rounded up to the nearest whole number. An extra credit activity will be announced in
class, and you will receive an increase in your grade by 2 percentage points if you complete it
satisfactorily. Curving of exam grades may occur if warranted, but final grades will be as shown above.
Grading issues must be addressed by the final day of classes.
1. Lecture/In-class participation
• Your attendance at each lecture session is REQUIRED. You are responsible for
understanding all material discussed in class, including supplemental material not presented
in the text. Questions are strongly encouraged!
• Class participation will be gauged by the use of clicker responses in class and by completion
of additional short, in-class activities. These activities will not necessarily be announced in
advance, and cannot be made up.
• A series of Learning Goals will be presented at the beginning of each lecture. If you can
thoroughly answer those questions and fully understand the concepts, you should do fine on
the exams.
•
Lecture slides are available online, but these do NOT contain detailed notes and will not
substitute for attending lecture and taking proper notes. You may wish to print the slides out
before class in order to take notes directly on figures shown in class.
2. Quizzes (on D2L)
• Pre-lecture quizzes are designed to make sure you have some familiarity with the material
before coming to class. This makes for a more interesting and interactive class experience.
You may take the pre-lecture quizzes as many times as you want before the posted
deadline, and there is no time limit on these quizzes.
• Post-lecture quizzes are designed to test your understanding of the material covered in
lecture. You have 30 minutes for each quiz, can do each quiz twice, and your errors from
your first attempt will be identified. Your highest grade will be recorded. Both quiz types
will consist of approximately 10-18 multiple choice and matching-type questions, with
occasional short-answer questions.
•
For both quiz types, your three lowest scores will be dropped. This recognizes the fact
that sometimes life gets in the way of completing an assignment on time or to your
satisfaction. This also means that I will NOT be granting extensions for missed quiz
deadlines for any reason, including computer or internet problems. (See missed
assignment policy below for legitimate exceptions.) I suggest you not put the quizzes off
until the last minute in case you experience technical difficulties
3. Learning journals
• These exercises are an opportunity for you to synthesize and reflect on what you have
learned. They emphasize deep understanding, as opposed to superficial memorization of
facts. Assignments will focus on analysis of data in support of a hypothesis or discussion
of current research findings in ocean sciences
• The assignments will be submitted on D2L as a single Word or PDF file. It should be
typed in 12-point font, single-spaced, and roughly ¾ to 1 page long, not including citations
(if appropriate).
•
Remember that plagiarism is serious academic misconduct. The UWM library has
information on how NOT to plagiarize:
http://guides.library.uwm.edu/content.php?pid=217260&sid=1806375
4. Exams
• Exams are closed-book, closed-note exercises. They will be largely multiple choice, with
some short answer questions that may also require you to sketch an answer.
• The final exam will concentrate on material presented since Exam #2, but will also include
questions regarding major ideas included throughout the course.
Required Course Materials: (IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ IN FULL, CAREFULLY)
Please contact me if you have any questions about the required materials. You must have access to the
following two things for this class:
1. Text: Access to some version of the text by Sverdrup and Kudela, Investigating Oceanography, is
required. This can be EITHER a hard-copy, OR a digital, online-only “Smartbook” version.
Either the 1st or 2nd edition is fine. If you prefer the digital Smartbook, a 6-month access pass can
be purchased directly from the publisher for $80. The Smartbook has some additional self-quiz
features that some students prefer over a hardcopy text. I will also place a hard copy of the text on
reserve at the library.
2. Clicker technology: We will be using Turning clicker technology during lectures. This is an easy
way to participate in the lecture and allows me to gauge class understanding of concepts as we go.
There are two options here:
a. Purchase of a new or used clicker along with Turning license; OR
b. Purchase of a Turning license and access to a smart phone or other mobile device that can
run the ResponseWare app.
If you have already purchased a clicker and/or Turning license for another class and it has not
expired, you can also use it for this class.
Optional Study Groups and Discussion Boards: Discussing material with your peers is a
great way to learn. For those who are interested in a study group or study partner, I will help connect
students with similar schedules. Discussion boards on D2L are another way to ask questions or conduct
discussions with your fellow students. I will monitor discussion boards and contribute when
appropriate.
Missed Assignment Policy: The only legitimate excuses for a missed deadline are valid medical
reasons, military leave, or other emergencies. You must communicate with me immediately and supply
written proof of the excuse. Forgetting or oversleeping are not valid excuses. Social and vacation plans
that occur during exam periods are not valid excuses. Do not schedule your vacation/break to begin
before the semester is over.
Getting Help or Contacting Me: If you have a question that is not answered by the syllabus, if
you are struggling, or if you just want to talk about class material or Geosciences in general, please
contact me. By Email: Please sign your name on your email so I know whom it is coming from. Put a
note like “Geo 150” in the subject section of the email. I will make every effort to respond within 24
hours Monday – Friday. I usually check e-mail at least once on the weekend, but I make no promises.
In Person: Official office hours are listed at the top of the syllabus, but I am happy to meet at other
times that work with your schedule.
Student Workload Statement: This 3-credit class has 26 lecture periods of 1.25 hours each,
totaling 32.5 hours of lecture. Prior to each of the 12 class topics, you should expect to spend
approximately 3 hours reading the textbook and taking the pre-lecture quiz (36 hours). After class, you
should spend an additional 3 hours per week studying and refining your lecture notes (39 hours). The 13
post-quiz lectures are 1 hour maximum each (13 hours). The three learning journals should take
approximately 3 hours each (9 hours). You should study at least 5 hours for each of the exams (15
hours). The two mid-term exams are 1.25 hours each, and the final is 2 hours. Your expected workload
for this class is as follows (in hours):
Reading text
Pre-lecture quizzes
Lectures
Post-lecture studying
Post-lecture quizzes
Learning journals
Exam studying
Exams
Total
24
12
32.5
39
13
9
15
4.5
149
GER Statement: Learning Outcomes for this Course
This course meets the UWM General Education Requirements in the division of Natural Sciences. All
Natural Sciences courses have the following learning outcome: “Students will be able to understand and
apply the major concepts of a natural science discipline, including its breadth and its relationship to
other disciplines” (Natural Sciences (NS) criterion 1). In addition, this course addresses the following
learning outcomes: “Students will demonstrate an understanding of the process of generating and testing
data, and apply this knowledge to the solution of problems” (NS criterion 3) and “discuss and assess the
limitations of data and the possibility of alternative interpretations” (NS criterion 4). This course
additionally addresses two of the UW System Shared Learning Goals, namely (2) Critical and Creative
Thinking Skills and (3) Effective Communication Skills.
Ocean Sciences are strongly multi-disciplinary. Students will gain an understanding of the principles of
ocean sciences and the strong connections to geoscience, chemistry, physics, biology, and atmospheric
sciences (NS criterion 1). Students will also gain an appreciation for how scientists have developed our
current understanding of oceans (NS criteria 3 and 4): How do we test a hypothesis? What evidence
supports our conclusions? How do we critically and responsibly interpret data? How can we use these
skills to evaluate information that may be important to us as citizens of our city, country, and world?
Through readings, participating in class, completing assignments and exams students will develop an
understanding of the principles and methodologies of ocean sciences.
GER Assessment: Assignments Used to Measure Learning Outcomes
NS Criterion 1: Course exams will be evaluated to determine how well students are achieving this
outcome. Questions will cover fundamental scientific principles in ocean sciences. Specific critical
topics include basic Earth evolution and structure; plate tectonics; ocean sediments; physical and
chemical properties of seawater; ocean-atmosphere-climate interactions; ocean circulation; waves; tides;
physical processes that affect coastal structure and evolution; ocean primary production; and basics of
ocean life.
NS Criterion 3 and 4: Learning journal assignments will be used to assess how well students are
achieving these outcomes. Once you have learned the subject fundamentals in class, these writing
activities will give you the opportunity to assess and reflect on data that has been collected to test a
hypothesis.
UW Shared Learning Goals: The learning journals will also measure students’ critical and creative
thinking, as well as their communication skills. The development of such skills is one the UW System’s
Shared Learning Goals for all students.
Important UWM Links
1. Students with disabilities. Notice to these students should appear prominently in the syllabus so
that special accommodations are provided in a timely manner.
http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/SACltr.pdf
2. Religious observances. Accommodations for absences due to religious observance should be
noted. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm
3. Students called to active military duty. Accommodations for absences due to call-up of reserves
to active military duty should be noted.
http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military_call_up.cfm
4. Incompletes. A notation of "incomplete" may be given in lieu of a final grade to a student who
has carried a subject successfully until the end of a semester but who, because of illness or other
unusual and substantiated cause beyond the student's control, has been unable to take or
complete the final examination or to complete some limited amount of term work.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S31.pdf
5. Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment). Discriminatory conduct will not be
tolerated by the University. It poisons the work and learning environment of the University and
threatens the careers, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S47.pdf
6. Academic misconduct. Cheating on exams or plagiarism are violations of the academic honor
code and carry severe sanctions, including failing a course or even suspension or dismissal from
the University. http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
7. Complaint procedures. Students may direct complaints to the head of the academic unit or
department in which the complaint occurs. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific
university policy, it may be directed to the head of the department or academic unit in which the
complaint occurred or to the appropriate university office responsible for enforcing the policy.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S49.7.htm
8. Grade appeal procedures. A student may appeal a grade on the grounds that it is based on a
capricious or arbitrary decision of the course instructor. Such an appeal shall follow the
established procedures adopted by the department, college, or school in which the course resides
or in the case of graduate students, the Graduate School. These procedures are available in
writing from the respective department chairperson or the Academic Dean of the College/School.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S28.htm
9. Other. The final exam requirement, the final exam date requirement, etc.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S22.htm