Geology 215
HISTORY OF LIFE
 

Lectures, Exams, and Reading Assignments

Textbook: Ausich, W.I. and Lane, N.G. 1999.   Life of the Past (4th ed.)
Prentice Hall.
Required Reading:
(on reserve on
Blackboard and in
the Science Library)
(M) McAlester, A.L. 1977. The History of Life (2nd ed.)
Prentice Hall, Inc.
  (S) Stanley, S.M. 1999. Earth System History
W.H. Freeman & Co.

ACT I: THE GEOLOGIC CALENDAR                         Reading   
Jan  17 M Course introduction Preface
18 T Fossils and geologic time 1-7
20 H Discussion Exercise #1: Age of the earth (bring calculator) 7-18
25 T Discussion Exercise #2: Preservation of fossils 33-47
27 H "Jigsaw I:" Should creationism be taught in h.s. science courses? h/w assignment
Feb  1 T Discussion Exercise #3: Solving geologic puzzles 47-54

ACT II: ORIGINS 
Feb  3 H Birth and evolution of a planet 55-58; S:285-297
8 T Was life inevitable on Earth? 58-62; M:3-12
10 H "Jigsaw II:" Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? h/w assignment
15 T Earth's earliest inhabitants 19-32; 109-120
17 H Evolution and extinction I 63-78

ACT III: PALEOZOIC PERSPECTIVES 
Feb  22 T Web Exercise, Part I: The Cambrian 'explosion' 114-132
24 H Plate tectonics and global change 79-108
Mar  1 T Web Exercise, Part II: The Cambrian 'explosion' 179-181
3 H Discussion Exercise #4: Fossil invertebrates 133-178
8 T Evolution and extinction II 63-78
10 H MIDTERM  
15-17   SPRING BREAK  
22 T Predators! 181-192
24 H Collaborative preparation of presentations I-V  
29 T Life emerges from the sea 198-204
31 H Greening of the continents 193-198, 205-231


ACT IV: GLOBAL TRANSITIONS IN THE MESOZOIC & CENOZOIC 

Apr  5 T Student presentations I: Dinosaurs! 233-253
7 H Student presentations II: Origin of birds, mammals, and angiosperms 255-262
12 T Discussion Exercise #5: Asteroids and global catastrophe 253-254
14 H Discussion #6: Dentition & diet 262-277
19 T Student presentations III: Perspectives on primates M:137-154
21 H Student presentations IV: Hominid evolution 281-292
23 Sat Required field trip  
26 T Student presentations V: Pleistocene Overkill 277-280, 292-294
28 H Future forecasts: reflection and review  
May  2-6   FINAL EXAM comprehensive

 


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Updated1/05