DECIPHERING EARTH HISTORY Robert A. Gastaldo Whipple Coddington Professor of Geology 213A Mudd

TEXT

Levin, H.L., 2003, The Earth Through Time. 7th Edition: J.W. Wiley Publishing, New York, 563+ p.

Textbook Website

LABORATORY MANUAL

Gastaldo, R.A., Savrda, C.E. and Lewis, R.D., 2004, Deciphering Earth History: A Laboratory Manual with Internet Exercises: 3^rd Edition: Contemporary Publishing Company of Raleigh, Raleigh, NC. 240 p.

Laboratory THURSDAY 1:00-4:00 Mudd 218

Laboratory Schedule

Laboratory Instructor: Dr. Bruce Rueger

TERM PROJECT

WEEK 1 : 4-6 February 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 1, one of the following (your choice) articles on Scientific Method

• An Introduction to the Scientific Method - University of Rochester
• The Scientific Method - University of California: Riverside
• The Scientific Method - Okanagan University College

and everyone reads

• E.O. Wilson's The Ionian Enchantment

4 February: The Basis of Scientific Inquiry - Hypothesis Generation vs. Mythology

LECTURE NOTES

6 February: The Science of Historical Geology & Class Discussion of The Ionian Enchantment

WEEK 2 : 9-13 February 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 3 & 4, and the following:

• Nova's The Dating Game
• The U.S. Geological Survey's Radiometric Time Scale
• Roger Wiens' Radiometric Dating: A Christian Perspective
• Lucy Edwards and John Pojeta's Fossils, Rocks, and Time

9 February: Concepts of Time(Review GE141 Chernikoff Chapter 8)

LECTURE NOTES & REVIEW

11 February: Concepts of Geologic Time: The DEEP PAST & DISCUSSION OF Wien's ARTICLE

13 February: The Sedimentary Rock Archive

LECTURE NOTES

WEEK 3 : 16-20 February 2004 Readings: Levin Chapter 4 and

TERM PAPER SELECTION DUE

• NOAA's Primer to Paleoclimatology
• The University of Chicago's Paleogeography Map Project
• The University of California's Museum of Paleontology Evolution Exhibit
• The California Academy of Science's BioForum

16 February: Rocks, Fossils, and Time: Life Through Time

LECTURE NOTES

18 February: Rocks, Fossils, and Time: Proxies of the Past

LECTURE NOTES

23 February: Rocks, Fossils, and Time: Evolution

25 February: Solar System Genesis and Evolution of the Atmosphere

REVIEW & NOTES

27 FEBURARY: NO CLASS INTERNET EXERCISE HANDOUT DUE 1 March 2004

Plate Tectonics was discussed and covered in GE 141. A working knowledge of the concepts is anticipated. Hence, if you don't recall the concepts and principles underlying these two topics, you can consult S. Chernikoff's Geology textbook (Chapter 12), Levin's The Earth Through Time (Chapter 5), or review the notes provided in the links.

WEEK 5: 1-5 March 2004

Readings: Levin Chapters 6 & 7 and

• The Geology of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A.

1 March: The Oldest Rocks - The Archean

LECTURE NOTES

3 March: The Oldest Biota - The Archean

LECTURE NOTES

5 March: EXAMINATION #1 (Lecture Material & Readings: Weeks 1-4)

Consult: How To Study

WEEK 6 : 8 - 12 March 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 7 and

• Paul Hoffman & Daniel Schrag's Snowball Earth
• Jere Lipp's Radiation of the First Animals

8 March: The Oldest Biota - The Archean

10 March: The Proterozoic Eon - A Revolution in Earth Processes

LECTURE NOTES

12 March: Glaciation, Snowball Earth, and the Proterozoic : DISCUSSION OF Hoffman & Schrag

Isle Royale National Park: Nathan Quigley

WEEK 7: 15-19 March 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 8

15 March: Proterozoic Biota

LECTURE NOTES

17 March: Early Paleozoic Events

Grand Canyon National Park: Chris Russionello

LECTURE NOTES

19 March: Early Paleozoic Events

Shenandoah National Park: Nick Bazarian

22-30 March - SPRING BREAK

WEEK 9 : 29 March - 2 April 2004

Readings: Levin Chapters 9 & 10 and

• The Geology of the Grand Canyon

29 March : Late Paleozoic Geology

LECTURE NOTES

31 March: The Alteration of a Continent and Planet Earth

Acadia National Park: Liz Mollo-Christensen

2 April: Evolutionary Innovations of the Paleozoic

Mammoth Cave National Park: Heather Hansman

LECTURE NOTES

WEEK 10 : 5-9 April 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 10 and

• UCMP's Burgess Shale
• Milwaukee Public Museum's Virtual Silurian Reef

5 April: Terrestrialization and Evolution of Plant Kingdom

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Adelle Donohue

LECTURE NOTES

7 April: Consequences of Terrestrialization

9 April: Evolution and Diversification of Kingdom Animalia: Vertebrates

LECTURE NOTES

WEEK 11 : 12-16 April 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 11 and the following Virtual Field Trips

• The Geology of the Dorset Coast
• The Hartford Basin
• Big Bend National Park

12 April: Diversification of Vertebrates & Ecosystem Sophistication

14 April: EXAMINATION #2 (Lecture Weeks 5-8 & Readings)

Consult: How To Study

16 April: Geology of the Mesozoic

Zion National Park: Betsy Littlefield

LECTURE NOTES

WEEK 12 : 19-23 April 2004

Readings: Levin Chapters 11 & 12

19 April: Geology of the Mesozoic

Big Bend National Park: Ian Cochran

21 April: Life of the Mesozoic: Recovery from Mass Extinction

Rocky Mountain National Park: Ted McDermott

LECTURE NOTES

23 April: Life of the Mesozoic: Reptile Diversification and Innovation

WEEK 13 : 26 - 30 April 2004

Readings: Levin Chapters 12 & 13 and the following

• PBS's Doomsday Asteroid
• The Smithsonian's Blast from the Past
• The University of California's Museum of Paleontology What Killed the Dinosaurs?

April 26: K-T Boundary Event: Mass Extinction

LECTURE NOTES

28 April: Mass Extinction and Biotic Recovery

30 April: Cenozoic Geology: Tertiary

Yellowstone National Park: John Goss

LECTURE NOTES

30 April - 2 MAY - REQUIRED FIELD TRIP

WEEK 14 : 3 - 7 May 2004

Readings: Levin Chapter 13

3 May: Cenozoic Geology: Tertiary

Badlands National Park: Lindsay Masters

LECTURE NOTES

5 May: The World of the Cenozoic: The Quaternary

LECTURE NOTES

7 May: Summary & Future Shock

FINAL EXAMINATION

15 May 2004 - SATURDAY - 12:30

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