Alessandro Grippo

SPRING session 2011

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.

4249 - Geol 5, Earth History
4250 - Geol 35D, Field Studies: Death Valley
 
GEOL 5 - EARTH HISTORYLast Updated  •  May 29, 2011    

This class is a 4-units, general education class that includes both lecture and lab; an introduction to the basic principles of geology and plate tectonics is followed by a more detailed study of sedimentary rocks and the principles of stratigraphy, sedimentology, and paleontology. Knowledge of these principles will help the students understand how Earth history can be deciphered from the rock and fossil record. The main physical, chemical and biological changes that occurred in the 4.6 billion years of existence of our planet will be outlined.

If you already have a basic knowledge of geology (for instance, you already took Geology 1 or Geology 4) you might find yourself at a slight advantage. Nonetheless, you will see throughout the class that all materials will be explained thoroughly and the class is fully accessible to anyone with a genuine curiosity and desire to learn. You also need to be aware that this class will require continuous and constant attention and that, in order to succeed, you will need to dedicate a considerable amount of time to study and work on its materials.

This class is transferable to UC and CSU, but you should verify if it satisfies GE requirements at the college of your choice.

4249 - GEOL 5, EARTH HISTORY lecture and lab
Class Hours:
Tuesday (lecture), 6:45-9:50, Drescher Hall, room 128
Thursday (lab), 6:45-9:50, Drescher Hall, room 128

Required Textbooks:
Lecture Textbook: S. M. Stanley, Earth System History, 3rd edition (2009), W. H. Freeman and Company, New York
Lecture Textbook: J. W. Schopf, Cradle of Life, 1st edition (1999), Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford
Lab Manual:H. L. Levin and M. S. Smith, Laboratory Studies in Earth History, 9th edition

About these textbooks, please note:
It is fine to buy a used copy of both Lecture Textbooks. If you can not find a copy of these two textbook, look on Amazon (links are provided by clicking on the book titles above) or at the UCLA bookstore.

For what concerns the lab manual, DO NOT buy a used copy for any reason; questions and exercises on the lab manual require that pages are teared off and turned in to the instructor for grading after a lab. Many students who bought used copies in the past, either from the bookstore or from other students, found out after a week or two that they had incomplete manuals in their hands, with several missing pages.

I will only accept lab work from the current edition of the lab manual (9th edition). I will not accept lab work neither from older editions (even if brand new: questions are different, and/or not in the same order or page), nor from used copies of the new edition.
I will not accept lab work on notebook pages. So, for the lab manual, just buy a brand new copy of the 9th edition.

Exams:
All exams include lecture, lab and home assignments materials.
The final exam will be partially cumulative: it will include a small section on older materials covered in previous tests and a larger section on new materials covered after the second test.

Exam dates are as follows:
exam 1 - Tuesday, March 8, 2011: study guide (available since March 1, 2011)
exam 2 - Tuesday, April 26, 2011: study guide (available since April 18, 2011)
exam 3 - Thursday, June 9, 2011: (cumulative final exam): study guide (available since May 29, 2011)

Please, refer to the class syllabus for further information and/or details

 
GEOL 35 D - NATIONAL FIELD STUDIES: DEATH VALLEYLast Updated  •  May 29, 2011    

This class is a one-unit, general education, hands-on class that will allow you to see and experience in person some prominent geologic features of California and/or surrounding states. There are no prerequisites and there is no homework, BUT you will have to take notes while in the field. You will use your notes in order to prepare a simple, 2-3 pages-long, typed final report AND to give a short, final presentation of your work to the class on its last meeting day.

Please, be aware that this class does not fulfill any lab or science requirement. If this is the only reason why you want to take this class, please look for a 4-unit lab class such as Geology 4 or Geology 5 in our department.

If you want to have an idea of what we do in the field, check out the images from


4250 - GEOL 35 D, GEOLOGY FIELD STUDIES: DEATH VALLEY
Class Hours: Friday, 4:30 - 7:30, Drescher Hall 128
Meetings Attendance and one 3-days Field-Trip are mandatory

Please note that only registered students can participate in field trips.
Persons who are not enrolled, or who do not wish to enroll in the class can not come along, no exceptions.
Smoking and drinking are never allowed, under any circumstance, while on official class activity.
Pets are also not allowed on the field trip, no exceptions.

IMPORTANT !
Disruptional behavior, not following class and/or general rules, or the law, leaving the field area without authorization, all constitute base for an F as your final class grade and for reporting to Academic Authorities. This of course in addition to any legal responsability occurring as a consequence of your behavior in class, on the road, in the field.

Textbook:
No textbook is required, but a good introduction to California geology can be found in:
D. R. Harden, California Geology, 2nd edition (2004), Pearson Prentice Hall

Class Meetings

There are five meetings, all mandatory:

  1. Friday, February 18, 2011
    (This meeting is the most important: because of the time required by the College to process release forms for field trip participants, I need to have a list of participants and a signature on these forms as soon as possible. Besides, I need to provide the National Park authorities with a complete list of activities and names of participants. Such a list can not be modified once submitted. As a consequence, if you are not present during the first two meeting you will very likely be dropped from the class)

  2. Friday, February 25, 2011
  3. Friday, April 1, 2011
  4. Friday, April 22, 2011

  5. Friday, May 20, 2011 - final meeting (post-trip, mandatory; written field report and oral presentation required)


Field Trip

There will only be one field trip:

  1. April 29 to May 1, 2011:
    The field trip will take the students to remote regions of Death Valley National Park and surrounding areas of eastern California.

We will camp in the desert, at unorganized sites, for free or at low cost. We might be staying at a primitive location, with no facilities or services of any sort available; bring everything you need for two nights and three days in the wild. Except for one activity, we will never be more than two miles off paved roads. In any case, there will be the possibility to quickly go back to civilization in case of emergency.

Tents, sleeping bags, and more can be rented at Adventure 16 (one location is in West Los Angeles, not far from the College). Prices are available online.
REI also has a nice selection of camping gear that you can buy or rent. Check for rental availability online (no prices published). REI's closest stores are in Santa Monica (Santa Monica Boulevard and 4th Street), Manhattan Beach and Northridge.

Remember that absolutely no alcohol is permitted during the field trip and that, as for Santa Monica College policies, smoking is also not permitted (unless you are in your car).
More information about the trip will be provided during the first meeting.

We will leave Santa Monica College early in the morning on Friday, April 29, 2011
and return to Santa Monica College in the late afternoon / evening of Sunday, May 1, 2011

Field Activity and Campsite Area Map

southern Nevada map

Costs:
The College would provide general insurance (but no medical insurance) for the field trips participants. This means that, again, only registered students can come along.
There are no lodging expenses if we camp. If you do not have camping gear, it can be rented at REI or Adventure 16 (see above) for relatively low prices, or you can share a space with a fellow student.

ALL other costs (transportation, food, field trip fees at state and/or national parks, etc.) will have to be paid for by the students. In particular, transportation will be by private vehicles, so you may want to consider car pooling. Some roads are not paved but, except for one activity (52 miles RT), four-wheel drive vehicles are not necessary. You might use a city vehicle at your own risk on that day if you have high clearance. You can drive your non-4-WD vehicle to a parking area atthe beginning of the road and share a ride with another student from that point on.

If it is necessary for you to stay in a hotel, it will be at your own expenses.

Again, absolutely no alcohol is permitted during the field trip, and any kind of disruptive behavior will have academic consequences, as indicated above.


© Alessandro Grippo 1994-2011 Los Angeles, CA

Back to Top | Back to Home Page